Told in tales from the kitchen, the place where women congregate, particularly mothers and daughters, still, after years of broken traditions and new professional opportunities, Nora Seton conveys in dazzling prose the rich dialogues between women, the shared comfort of motherhood, the bewilderment of men, and even favourite recipes - coded love messages handed down through the generations. Through Nora we enter the lives of five women, spanning several generations, all of whom are the beacons of her life. Most prominent is Nora's mother, an intuitive and discerning cook, who died of cancer. This loss and that of the author's first-born daughter are the experiences that have most profoundly affected Nora. In some ways this book is about finding a resting place for those lost loved ones.