MARTHAS

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'.4dc22;
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

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 extrabeautiful. This book contains examples of some of those parties and events. None
of the parties were fabricated for the bookthey are shown just as they happened, 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 divided 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 doesnt 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

extremely varied in terms of food. I love soup and sandwiches, and I also love
delicious composed salads, or vegetable tarts, or simply grilled meats and
fish. Afternoons can also be a great time to serve a formal tea, throw a cocktail
party, or host an ice cream social. I like to invite friends for lunch during the
winter months or when I am in a more relaxed location such as Maine or East
Hampton. At the farm, it is hard to stop work during the day to sit down and
really enjoy a meal.
Evenings offer lots of opportunities to the avid host or hostess. A meal of
substantial finger foods with ingenious cocktails, a sit-down formal dinner,
a buffet supper, or something more relaxed such as a backyard barbecueeach
is a welcome and inviting way to entertain. I have included many such
menus that I think will inspire you to create your own original party. Chef Pierre
Schaedelin and I thought a lot about the many ways to serve dinner, and
the menus we developed are interesting and beautiful. Whether indoors or out,
tables can be set with a theme in mind or more simply and effortlessly. Whichever type of menu you choose, make sure there is sufficient illumination,
plenty of good beverages, and a scrumptious dessert.
I have used plants, flowers, vegetables, and fruit grown at home, whenever
possible, and I seek out the the best meats, fish, dairy, and other ingredients
as well, preferably organically grown and produced. All of the dishes and other
tableware and linens are from my own collections. We prepared everything for
the book in my own kitchens, and tested all the recipes several times to
ensure that you will have success preparing delectable food that you will love
as much as your guests.
Entertaining guests is not really about shortcuts, and while some of the
recipes and techniques may appear time consuming, many others are really
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
favorites, and hopefully you will return to them time and again.

above Each property has a simple logo,

which we print on menus, place cards, maps,

and welcome messages. In Bedford, we use
this lovely woodcut of a sycamore tree (left).
French chef Pierre Schaedelin (right) worked
with me for more than three years on this
book. We had a wonderful time composing
menus and serving many memorable dishes to
my guests.

page 2 On this antique faux bois table at

Skylands, I have arranged glassware, ice buckets, drink garnishes, and silver martini shakers
to permit guests to mix their own.

page 4 The property on Lily Pond Lane in

East Hampton is just one acre, but the large

circular lawn in front makes it seems much
larger. A monumental terra-cotta Italian pot
sits year round in the center of the lawn, and
roses, hydrangeas, lilies, and wisteria vines are
the main features of the gardens.

page 5 Cardinal de Richelieu, violetta,

and Constance Spry are just a few of the
many old roses I grow in East Hampton. This
generous arrangement shows off these and
others, interspersed with pink yarrow. Castiron urns (lined with plastic to prevent rust)
make very good containers for roses.
page 6 Just as much care is given to one

guest as to many in my home. This is a cozy

spot in the green parlor, an area dominated
by the Swedish clock, the very heavy green
marble Empire table, and the Kyoto green
walls, which are wood-grained with paint.

page 8 Because I generally entertain four-

teen to sixteen people at a time, I like to keep

adequate numbers of glasses, service plates,
and side dishes on hand.

page 9 This oversized pink lustre bowl,

holding more roses from the Lily Pond garden,
rests on an ebonized stand.
introduction 11