January is National Soup Month

January 7, 2016January 28, 2016 / Linda / Leave a comment

national soup

How fitting that January – the coldest month of year – is National Soup Month! Great time of year to experiment and enjoy some home-made soup!

Love Soup – 160 all new vegetarian recipes features black bean and squash soup in the fall, smoky eggplant soup in midsummer, rib-sticking chowder, or seductively perfumed wild mushroom soup for Christmas. Love Soup also provides recipes for breads, hummus, pesto, salads, and homey desserts–and simple menus that put soup at the heart of the meal.

Soup offers more than 40 easy-to-follow recipes, including both classic favorites and fresh new ideas. In these pages, you’ll find inspiring soups designed to fit any occasion at any time of year—from a quick and simple meal to an enjoyable lunch in the garden.

Saved by Soup: more than 100 low-fat soup recipes to eat and enjoy everyday. Author Judith Barrett lost pounds and inches using these mouthwatering recipes, each of which contains less than three grams of fat per serving. And cutting the fat posed no bar to creating soups with incredible flavor and only one gram of fat.

Soup of the Day. This tantalizing collection of 365 recipes offers a soup for each day of the year. From January to December, you’ll find daily inspiration and a seasonal soup that will satisfy any craving or fit any occasion.

The New England Soup Factory Cookbook contains more than 100 mouth-watering recipes. It also includes anecdotes and inspiring stories that provide insight into Marjorie Drucker’s creative process and her passion for all things soup related.

Soup Makes the Meal is divided into 50 menus, each including a soup, a salad, and a bread recipe. Best of all, the soups don’t require homemade stock, many (but not all) of the breads are quick breads, and the salads range from light to hearty.

Sunday Soup: a year’s worth of mouthwatering easy-to-make recipes features 60 recipes, one for each Sunday of the year and then some. With recipes like Gulf Coast Shrimp Gumbo, Dreamy Creamy Artichoke Soup, and Icy Cucumber Soup with Smoked Salmon and Dill you can enjoy soup in every season.

The Soup Club Cookbook: feed your friends, feed your family, feed yourself. Four busy moms and neighbors who started making and sharing soup dinners once a month provide recipes for filling soups and sides, as well as storage tips and instructions for starting a neighborhood soup club.

Soup & Stew includes more than 40 easy-to-follow recipes, including both classic preparations and innovative ideas for the busy cook. In these pages, you’ll find tempting options for every occasion, from first-course soups and light puréees to meaty braises and comforting stews.

Food Made Fast. Soup is about delicious food, simply prepared, with easy-to-follow recipes and tips. Each book emphasizes keeping a well-stocked pantry, planning ahead, and using fresh ingredients as the keys to cooking delicious meals with a minimum of time and effort.

For all things soup – click here.

New Years Challenge: Tackle the To Be Read Pile

January 1, 2016December 26, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

If you are like me, you have piles and/or lists of books you want to read and just have not gotten to yet. I have a full Kindle and lists of books that I have every intention of reading, that is until a different book (or binge watching Netflix) grabs my attention. It is not helped by the fact that I review books for my own book blog and often get books before they are released, though in all honesty by the time some get read and reviewed they are well past the publication date, or by the fact that I work in a library with a wide variety of books crossing my path every day.

I have tried using Goodreads, a written list, and a spreadsheet to stop this but thus far I still have my head turned when a book I had forgotten about or did not know existed crosses my path. So, this year my New Years resolution is to read one book that has been neglected for every two other books that I read.

Would you like to join me in reading some of the books that I had fully intended to read in 2015 and never quite got to? Some were published last year, some are older books. It is a wide variety of children’s, teen, and adult books so there should be something for everyone. Here is a small sampling of the books that are in my pile.

Nightbird by Alice Hoffman
Twig is practically ignored by classmates and townspeople, but gets along with her mother and brother, whose presence must be kept secret, until descendants of the witch who cursed her family move in next door and want to be friends.

Saint Odd : an Odd Thomas Novel by Dean Koontz
A conclusion to the best-selling series finds psychic fry cook Odd Thomas returning to his home town while preparing to confront an evil force that tests his friendships, reveals his purpose and reunites him with a lost love.

Winger by Andrew Smith
Younger than his classmates at a boarding school, Ryan Dean West grapples with living in the dorm for troublemakers, falling for his friend who thinks of him as just a kid, and playing wing on the Varsity rugby team.

Let’s Pretend this Never Happened: (a Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson
In an illustrated memoir, the creator of the Bloggess blog shares humorous stories from her life, including her awkward upbringing in Texas and her relationship with her husband.

Yes, yes, of course there are more. I have heard about and seen some many fantastic books but have not had time to read all, or even most of them. Here are some more titles that I will read, some day: Bossypants by Tina Fey, Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes with Joe Layden, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Rock On: a Story of Guitars, Gigs, Girls, and a Brother (Not Necessarily in that Order) by Denise Vega, Scorch by Gina Damico, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, and I am Malala: the Girl Who Stood up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai.

What is on your list that you are eager to read, but just have not gotten to yet?

On Our Shelves: New Cozy Mysteries

December 28, 2015December 23, 2015 / Linda / Leave a comment

The latest cozy mysteries for your reading enjoyment.

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen (A Year-Round Christmas Mystery) – Vicki Delany – When her holiday float is sabotaged, Merry Wilkinson, the owner of Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, must discover who the Scrooge is in Christmas Town after the dead body of a reporter is found and the evidence points to her best friend, Vicky.

Crowned and Moldering (A Fixer-Upper Mystery) – Kate Carlisle – While helping her new beau, Mac Sullivan, renovate his historic lighthouse mansion, contractor Shannon Hammer stumbles upon the remains of a missing young woman who disappeared 15 years earlier and must right the wrongs of the past and bring a killer to justice.

The Stitching Hour (An Embroidery Mystery) – Amanda Lee – A commercial haunted house next door threatens to scare away business at Marcy Singer’s Tallulah Falls, Oregon embroidery shop, Seven-Year Stitch, and soon things get even worse when a local waitress is found dead with mysterious markings on her neck—and one of Marcy’s festive trinkets in her possession.

Writing All Wrongs (Books By The Bay Mystery) – Ellery Adams – While attending the Coastal Carolina Crime Festival where Silas Black, a celebrity screenwriter and television producer is speaking, newlyweds Olivia and Chief Rawlings, along with the rest of the Bayside Book Writers, are faced with strange occurrences and a real-life murder.

Plot Boiler (A Black Cat Bookshop Mystery) – Ali Brandon – When the wife of the cantankerous owner of Perky’s Coffee Shop is found dead, bookseller Darla Pettistone and her cat, Hamlet, must throw the book at a killer who has a secret worth killing for. By the New York Times best-selling author of Literally Murder.

Nuts and Buried (A Nut House Mystery) – Elizabeth Lee – When her wealthy friend, Eugene Wheatley, is murdered after introducing his new bride to Riverville, Texas society, Lindy Blanchard launches her own investigation after the wrong woman and her unscrupulous kin are accused of the crime and turns to her meemaw Miss Amelia for help. Includes pecan recipes.

Claws For Alarm (A Nick & Nora Mystery) – T. C. LoTempio – When her sister, Lacey, is accused of killing her bullying professor over a bad grade, sandwich-shop owner Nora Charles goes undercover at the college, with her feline partner Nick, to expose the professor’s true nature and force the real killer out into the open.

White Colander Crime (A Vintage Kitchen Mystery) – Victoria Hamilton – When she discovers the battered body of local woman Shelby Fretter, who predicted her own murder at the hands of Cody Wainwright, food columnist Jaymie Leighton is not convinced that the troubled son of her beleaguered newspaper editor is responsible and decides to investigate on her own.

The Iced Princess (A Snow Globe Shop Mystery) – Christine Husom – When Molly Dalton, a rich socialite, begs them for a job, curio shop owner Camryn Brooks and her BFF, coffee shop owner, Alice Nelson, find a real-life mystery brewing in their shop after Molly is found dead, which submerges them both in hot water.

Pouncing on Murder (Bookmobile Cat Mystery) – Laurie Cass – When maple-syrup season is marred by the death of her favorite syrup provider, bookmobile librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, must tap into the clues to find the truth before someone else ends up in the same sticky situation.

I Love Snow

December 21, 2015December 15, 2015 / Linda / 1 Comment

snow 2

I love snow. Yes, love it! I know, I’m in the minority – most people tend to complain about snow. We live in New England. Snow is a way of life. Sure, I’m not thrilled with having to scrape the frost and snow off my car, dig the car out, deal with a dead battery, but still, I love snow. It always makes me smile when I see the flakes falling. No matter my mood, snow lifts me up. Out of curiosity, I typed ‘snow’ in the search box of our catalog and 1,224 items came up! There are children’s books, movies, adult fiction and non-fiction. Below are a few adult titles that might be of interest. If nothing appeals to you, take a look at our catalog. There is sure to be something out of the 1,224 titles that you might want to check out.

The Snow Bride – Debbie Macomber – While journeying to Alaska to marry a man she met on the Internet, Jenna Walsh is kidnapped by Reed Kenner, a fellow passenger, who will do anything to prove that she is making the biggest mistake of her life.

Snow in August – Pete Hamill – An unlikely friendship between an eleven-year-old Irish Catholic boy and a lonely rabbi from Prague in 1947 Brooklyn has the two opening new windows of understanding with each other but still fighting the prejudices of the day.

Waiting for Snow in Havana – Carlos Eire – A survivor of the Cuban Revolution recounts his pre-war childhood as the religiously devout son of a judge,and describes the conflict’s violent and irrevocable impact on his friends, family, and native land.

The Snow Queen – Michael Cunningham – A heartbroken man turns to religion after seeing a vision in the sky above Central Park, while his musician brother takes drugs he thinks will help him compose a ballad for his seriously ill wife.

Last Snow – Eric Van Lustbader – In the aftermath of an American senator’s death on a political trip, presidential Special Advisor Jack McClure is dispatched to investigate a perilous trail throughout Eastern Europe, an assignment that is complicated by his efforts to protect two unlikely companions.

Mercy Snow – Tiffany Baker – A tragic bus accident has devastating repercussions for two families from opposite sides of the tracks of a tiny New England paper milling town.

Sisters of Heart and Snow – Margaret Dilloway – Two estranged sisters reconnect when they return to their childhood home in response to their mother’s dementia diagnosis and one of the pair takes on her mother’s power of attorney.

Whiter Than Snow – Sandra Dallas – When a devastating avalanche traps nine children walking home from school in 1920, the disaster has life-changing effects on the people who live in the small Colorado town where it occurs.

Hidden Treasures in the Library Lobby

December 18, 2015December 19, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

When you walk into the Cheshire Public Library you enter the main floor lobby. This large area is home to CD’s, DVD’s, Audiobooks, adult fiction, and new books. There are also a variety of displays, the public catalogs, the circulation desk, and the Friends book sale and donation area. Most regular visitors to the library are aware of their favorite areas, and browse those areas comfortably. However, like in the children’s room there are some hidden treasures that often get over looked and deserve some attention.

Science Fiction
I have always been a big fan of science fiction and fantasy, and love helping people discover new authors and series to explore. Unfortunately, most people miss our Science Fiction shelving area entirely. As with our mystery books, they are shelved separately from the rest of the fiction. You can see which area any adult (or children’s) book is shelved in by reading the call number. Adult fiction call numbers will all start with where they are shelved; Fiction, Mystery, or Science Fiction. The mysteries are easy to find, since they are shelved right after the regular fiction. However, the Science Fiction materials are shelved on the wall near the fiction between the audiobooks and classic movies.

Graphic Novels
Graphic novels are not just for children and teens. Take for example the popularity of The Walking Dead. Our selection of graphic novels in the lobby is not huge, but it is high quality and well worth taking a look at. Since it is a fairly small collection it might be easy to over look, but it is not hard to find or to browse if you are interested. The collection is housed on the endcap of the New Biography and Nonfiction shelf, facing the windows and DVD’s. If you like what you see, but are looking for even more graphic novels, do not be afraid to explore the large selection in the Teen’s Room!

Categorized DVD’s
Most regular visitors know where to find the DVD’s they enjoy most, and where our Quick Flick, New, regular, and Blu-Ray movies are each shelved. However, there are a few groups of films that are shelved separately. We have labeled these disks and changed their call numbers to match these special areas, but infrequent movie borrowers might not know about these little nooks and crannies. Classic movies are labeled with a red Classics label and are shelved on a slat-wall display on the wall by the fiction books. Comedy movies have an orange Comedy label and shelved in the next slat- wall display. On the same wall, in the build in bookcase between those two slat-wall displays, you can find the television show box sets which have a bright pink TV label on them. If you keep following that wall to the corner you will find the Family Films (with a green label), and in the next bookcase after a window you can find the non-fiction films (classed by number) and the Foreign Films which have a yellow Foreign sticker on them.

Lost And Found
While not a part of our library collection, it is an often asked for and searched for item. Small or valuable items (wallets, phones, jewelry, etc) that have been turned into library staff stay at that service desk for a time and then are tucked away in a safe until claimed. However, items like coats, mittens, notebooks, umbrellas, and so on are kept at the service desk of the area they were found in for a few hours and are then placed in our Lost and Found bin. This is located between the Friend’s donation area and the Audiobook collection.

Do not forget about the variety of ever changing displays. Any of our items that are on these displays can be checked out. If you are still unsure where to find what you are looking for swing by the Circulation desk and we would be glad to help you!