Coming in September: Martha Stewart's Cakes

I have Martha Stewart's Cookies. I have Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. I even have Martha Stewart's (New) Pies & Tarts. All of these volumes are essential to my collection of Martha Stewart books. Martha Stewart's Cakes, which will be released on September 24th, will complete this series of dessert cookbooks and it may be that the editors have saved the best for last. With 150 recipes for layer cakes, loaves, bundts and coffee cakes - in all manner of styles and flavours - this is the one I have been truly waiting for. I love cake and I can't wait to page through this mouthwatering book! Click here to preorder it. Below is a description from the publisher:

A one-stop resource for cakes--birthday, chocolate, coffee, Bundt, upside-down, loaf, and more. From pound cake and angel food (with many variations) to genoise and streusel-topped, from comfort classics like red velvet, six-layer coconut, rich chocolate, lemon meringue, and cheesecake to sophisticated grown-up fare including chiffon cakes and tortes with luscious fruits, these 150 recipes and color photographs cover techniques, decorating, and gifting ideas for every taste and occasion, whether no-fuss or fancy.

Baking trends come and go, but cakes are timeless. From the editors and photographers of Martha Stewart Living, Cakes includes classics (German Chocolate, New York-Style Cheesecake), crowd-pleasers (Baked Alaska, Hummingbird), and cakes with unique, sophisticated flavors and embellishments (Pecan Torte with Lemon Curd, Saffron-Scented Pear Upside-Down Cake). Whether you need a birthday cake (for any age!), have bake-sale duty, want a travel-friendly coffee cake, or seek to impress at a dinner party or with a handmade gift, Martha Stewart's Cakes has more than 150 cakes plus ideas for decorating, gifting, and storing. Beautiful color photography that shows you just what you're aiming for and dozens of make-ahead tips make baking low-stress.

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Martha Stewart Crafts Jewelry

Last month, Martha Stewart Crafts released its latest collection of tools and products - all centered on the art of creating customized jewelry - and the crafting community has already wholeheartedly embraced the new line. The line includes charms, faceted rhinestones and beads, clay and clay molds, enamel paints and special jewelry glue, plus various tools to help master your creations. Click here to see a variety of new videos that demonstrate how to make some of the pieces and use the new tools. Click here to view more product information. All Martha Stewart Crafts products are available at Michael's craft stores in the U.S. and Canada.

Martha's Americana at Macy's

Since it's Memorial Day, I thought I'd highlight the new "Americana" and "Independence" lines at Macy's from the Martha Stewart Collection. Heavy on stars and stripes, red, white and blue motifs, ginghams, checks, polka-dots and batiks, the two lines boldly celebrate American pride with throw pillows, bed linens, tea towels and an apron thrown in for good measure. Have a look at some of the examples I've selected below (many of which are currently on promotion or on sale!) and click here to see more from the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's. From top to bottom: Americana Stars & Stripes Pillows, Pleated Wave Decorative Pillows in Red, White and Blue, Independence Stripes Quilt and Shams, Independence Chambray Comforter, Americana Kitchen Towel Set, Americana Apron, Martha Stewart Collection Picnic Basket in Willow.

 



An English Heirloom for Victoria Day

Canadians celebrate Victoria Day today - a national holiday designated to honour the British monarch's birthday. Currently, that monarch is Queen Elizabeth, but it was Queen Victoria who reigned during Canada's confederation in 1867 and it was her birthday that the holiday was initially created for. It is not a particularly eventful holiday, aside from the occasional round of fireworks, but it is nice to have a weekday (especially a Monday!) to enjoy at home or outdoors with friends and family in the merry month of May. I decided to show you one of my Wedgwood treasures today, inspired by the jasperware image of the monarch and that deep royal blue it stands against. It is so classically Wedgwood and so perfectly English. This 'trinket box' is actually a cigarette holder that was given to my grandmother by her sister, who attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, which is when this piece was made. It was given to me several years ago when my grandmother sold her large house and moved into an apartment. One side features an image of Queen Elizabeth II and the other depicts her husband, Prince Phillip. Although I don't smoke, I love this ceramic container and it could be used to hold any small objects. It is a little piece of commemorative royal history, right here on my mantel shelf. It is also a very nice reminder of my grandmother.

A Visit With Brent & Josh In Sharon Springs

Last weekend I got the chance to catch up with my friends Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell in Sharon Springs, New York. I visited them at their home - the beautiful Beekman Farm near Cobleskill. The "boys" always have something on the go and they were both especially excited about the new location of their store, The Beekman Merchantile, which opens on Main Street Sharon Springs this weekend. It's a beautiful old building that they have refurbished and renovated. They will now have lots of space to display and sell their many products. One nice feature of the new location is an ice-cream parlour where they will be selling exotic flavors of their new Beekman Ice Cream this summer! Josh also showed me some of the prototypes for some of the new products they're developing. Very exciting!

 

Even though the day was extremely cold, it was still a fresh, spring day. The fruit trees were blooming and the gardens were turning green with new life. The goats are always happy to see smiling faces and all the newborn kids were keeping warm in the barn. Sharon Springs is such a special place and Brent's gentle prodding for me to move there becomes a little less necessary with each new visit. The town has cast its spell on me! Below are some photographs from my visit to their home, with special attention paid to some of the smaller details in its storied rooms.

 

The June Issue

The June issue of Martha Stewart Living is all about summer food - fresh & simple, as the cover states. From how to use the season's best fruits in a series of tantalizing desserts to some excellent salads you'll want to try after work, this issue has everything you'll need for al-fresco entertaining and casual dining, including editor Pilar Guzman's foolproof weekend menu. Another nice feature is a collection of the best cooking advice gleaned from over two decades at the test kitchens of Martha Stewart Living; the food editors came up with a list of 20 time-savers, tips, techniques and 'a-ha moments' to share with readers to make cooking a meal a little simpler. Find it on newsstands Monday!

Martha Stewart Essentials - A New Line of Supplements

PRESS RELEASE: Inergetics announced it has entered into a partnership with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to create Martha Stewart Naturals, a line of six specially crafted supplements to support good health. The line will be available at retailers and drug stores starting this fall.

Martha Stewart, the premiere arbiter of "good things" and the author of the newly published best-selling book Living the Good Long Life: A Practical Guide to Caring for Yourself and Others, furthers her commitment to living well with this new high quality, affordably priced line of women's supplements. "We believe Martha Stewart embodies healthy living and well-being, putting that same philosophy in everything she does. Needless to say, what better name to advocate these new products than Martha Stewart?" said Mike James, CEO of Inergetics. 

"I envisioned nutritious whole-food based supplements for women who live their lives the way I do, healthily and with passion," said Martha. "I have confidence that consumers will recognize the high quality and nutritional value these formulas deliver, and that they will become as excited about them as I am."

"Martha Stewart Naturals will be the first branded line of women's supplements on the market today. Martha Stewart's products will resonate with consumers who strive to live as gracefully and healthily as she does," said Marshall Post, EVP of Inergetics.

A Spring Walk

I love living in a big, exciting city like Toronto. There is always so much to do and so much going on that you never feel isolated. And yet, I am a country boy at heart. I grew up in the country and being surrounded by nature was always a part of my life, whether it was at the cottage or spending time in my parents' backard or the big field at the end of our street. In big cities, you have to seek out nature, look beyond the concrete to find the green. Toronto is lucky to have so many beautiful parks, public gardens and miles of waterfront, all accessible by transit. I am lucky, in turn, to live right across the street from Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens, one of the nicest and largest parks in the city. I took a long walk there this morning with my camera and found beauty at every turn. Walking is what I do to clear my mind after a busy week. Taking photos of my surroundings helps me focus on the here and now, confronting what is right in front of me while also looking closer at some of the hidden beauty that might otherwise be overlooked. Spring is a beautiful time of year; May is especially wonderful here with its warm temperatures, sunny skies and blossoms. Spring was late this year and this was the first week of real spring we have experienced. By the end of next week, the leaves will have unfurled and everything will be much greener and in full-bloom. Enjoy these photos of the park!

Andrew Ritchie Photos

Martha Pantry

The Martha Stewart Pantry line at J.C. Penney is one of the more intriguing facets of the Martha Home brand. I've heard from many fans who can't wait to stock their pantries with these items. Martha has always wanted a grocery line and has experimented in the past with packaged foods. She created a line of frozen foods with Kirkland several years ago that was sold exclusively at Costco: packaged hams and turkeys, and several other prepared frozen dinners. While some may feel that a line of packaged foods is at odds with her belief in the goodness of the homecooked, homemade meal, the reality is that most shoppers need at least some ready-made pantry items to help them with food preparation and entertaining. And Martha knows exactly what they need! The new line of pantry goods is quite expansive, featuring cake, waffle, muffin and cookie mixes, crackers, Martha's favourite coffee blend, olives, pizza sauces, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, sea salt, various spices, olive oil and so much more. You will find them all at J.C. Penney this month!