MARTHA’S

ENTERTAINING
 Copyright © 2011 by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Published in the United States by
Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.clarksonpotter.com | www.marthastewart.com. Clarkson Potter is a trademark and Potter with colophon is
a registered trademark of Random House, Inc. Library of Congress Catalog Number: TX731.S7322 2011, 642'.4—dc22;
2010042736. ISBN 978-0-307-36946-4; eISBN 978-0-307-95329-2. Printed in China. Design by William van Roden.
Photograph credits appear on page 432. Some of the recipes and photographs have appeared in Martha Stewart
Living Omnimedia publications. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 First Edition.

4 introduction
 Introduction

M ore than thirty years have passed since I wrote my first

book, Entertaining, and a great deal has transpired in that time. The basic tenets
of good entertaining remain the same, but the interest in global cuisine and its
preparation, in so-called exotic ingredients, and in distinctive table settings and
lush flower arrangements has flourished. Everyone wants secrets and shortcuts,
tips and hints, easy instructions, fabulous recipes they can trust, and above all,
new inspiration, so their own adventures in entertaining can be ever more unique,
more extraordinary, and more innovative.
I really enjoy creating great dinners, holiday gatherings, lovely cocktail parties,
and big outdoor or indoor events for which I try hard to make the food and
drink served extra-special and extra-delicious, and the presentation extra-
beautiful. This book contains examples of some of those parties and events. None
of the parties were fabricated for the book—they are shown just as they hap-
pened, with friends and colleagues, family members and children, all of whom
I hope enjoyed the experiences.
Entertaining family and friends is always challenging; setting a lovely table,
always fascinating. Choosing doable recipes that will be appreciated by all is fun but
can pose some puzzling problems. In this book, I have tried to focus on new ideas,
and to share trusted techniques and solutions I have developed. The book is di-
vided into mornings, afternoons, and evenings, concentrating on a a variety of
celebrations, holidays, and gatherings anyone might encounter during the year.
Morning is the time of day when I enjoy entertaining the most. I like setting
the table the night before, getting up early, preparing everything, and then
going on an early morning escapade with guests. It doesn’t matter if I am in Maine,
climbing the Beehive; in East Hampton, walking the beach; or in Bedford, hiking
in the Reservation. With our appetites formed, we can all sit down to a sumptuous
feast of many of my favorite foods: Fresh-squeezed juice, eggs, pastries, popovers,
waffles and pancakes, and even good crispy bacon are typically included in our
special breakfasts. Selfishly, I like cleaning up after breakfast, or brunch, and then
having the rest of the day to garden, ride, bike, or do whatever I please.

10
 In the afternoon, lunch can be hearty or more simple, and it can be above Each property has a simple logo,
which we print on menus, place cards, maps,
extremely varied in terms of food. I love soup and sandwiches, and I also love
and welcome messages. In Bedford, we use
delicious composed salads, or vegetable tarts, or simply grilled meats and this lovely woodcut of a sycamore tree (left).
fish. Afternoons can also be a great time to serve a formal tea, throw a cocktail French chef Pierre Schaedelin (right) worked
with me for more than three years on this
party, or host an ice cream social. I like to invite friends for lunch during the book. We had a wonderful time composing
winter months or when I am in a more relaxed location such as Maine or East menus and serving many memorable dishes to
my guests.
Hampton. At the farm, it is hard to stop work during the day to sit down and
really enjoy a meal. page 2 On this antique faux bois table at
Skylands, I have arranged glassware, ice buck-
Evenings offer lots of opportunities to the avid host or hostess. A meal of ets, drink garnishes, and silver martini shakers
to permit guests to “mix their own.”
substantial finger foods with ingenious cocktails, a sit-down formal dinner,
a buffet supper, or something more relaxed such as a backyard barbecue—each page 4 The property on Lily Pond Lane in
East Hampton is just one acre, but the large
is a welcome and inviting way to entertain. I have included many such circular lawn in front makes it seems much
menus that I think will inspire you to create your own original party. Chef Pierre larger. A monumental terra-cotta Italian pot
sits year round in the center of the lawn, and
Schaedelin and I thought a lot about the many ways to serve dinner, and roses, hydrangeas, lilies, and wisteria vines are
the menus we developed are interesting and beautiful. Whether indoors or out, the main features of the gardens.

tables can be set with a theme in mind or more simply and effortlessly. Which- page 5 ‘Cardinal de Richelieu’, violetta,
and ‘Constance Spry’ are just a few of the
ever type of menu you choose, make sure there is sufficient illumination, many “old” roses I grow in East Hampton. This
plenty of good beverages, and a scrumptious dessert. generous arrangement shows off these and
others, interspersed with pink yarrow. Cast-
I have used plants, flowers, vegetables, and fruit grown at home, whenever
iron urns (lined with plastic to prevent rust)
possible, and I seek out the the best meats, fish, dairy, and other ingredients make very good containers for roses.
as well, preferably organically grown and produced. All of the dishes and other page 6 Just as much care is given to one
tableware and linens are from my own collections. We prepared everything for guest as to many in my home. This is a cozy
spot in the “green” parlor, an area dominated
the book in my own kitchens, and tested all the recipes several times to by the Swedish clock, the very heavy green
ensure that you will have success preparing delectable food that you will love marble Empire table, and the Kyoto green
walls, which are “wood-grained” with paint.
as much as your guests.
Entertaining guests is not really about “shortcuts,” and while some of the page 8 Because I generally entertain four-
teen to sixteen people at a time, I like to keep
recipes and techniques may appear time consuming, many others are really adequate numbers of glasses, service plates,
and side dishes on hand.
quite easy and contain few ingredients. Menus can be used in their entirety or
broken up as you wish. Some of the recipes will certainly become family page 9 This oversized pink lustre bowl,
holding more roses from the Lily Pond garden,
favorites, and hopefully you will return to them time and again. rests on an ebonized stand.

introduction 11