Cherries in Winter by Suzan Colon

I was looking for a quick read over the long holiday weekend, and this nonfiction, hard-times, food-as-life memoir fit the bill.

The author's family has a long history of "making do" when times are tough. During the current economic downturn Colon has turned to her ancestry - specifically, from her Nana's recipe folder - for tips and encouragement on perseverance.

The book is filled with quaint, relate-able tales of everyday survival. It's also filled with recipes: some will make you want to get into the kitchen and others (*ahem* liver and onions) will make you glad you don't have to.

The book's subtitle is "My family's recipe for hope in hard times," and it really is a book of optimism and encouragement. You may not find a pot of gold to get you through these tough times, but you can, at least, eat well.