I’m No Martha Stewart, So…

/ roughwighting

gourds, October, entertaining…when the new committee member offers, I accept her request to host the meeting.

“11:30ish, right?” she adds. “What? Oh no, no don’t bring a sandwich. I’ll just make something easy.”Martha Steward

Granted, I am selfishly salivating at the idea. After all, she’s Martha Steward x 100.

The four of us walk into her warm, cozy kitchen from the cold October chill. Something aromatically autumnal is steaming from a saucepan. Mugs filled with warm cider, a cinnamon stick in each, wait on the counter. A large vase of dried lavender and rose hydrangea flowers pose next to five soup bowls.

Fall hydrangeaYes, cut-from-her-backyard hydrangeas.

I spy a pile of colorful green, orange and yellow gourds sitting happily in a bowl in the center of the dining room table, and as the four of us guests stare, she suggests softly. “Sit, sit! We need to eat first – sustain ourselves.”Waldorf salad, hospitality

With cut up apples, walnuts, and grapes, she serves a Waldorf salad on baby lettuce (from her garden), and then pours a savory warm dressing on top.

I almost swoon when homemade pumpkin soup is ladled into the bowls and warm succulent Focaccia bread is passed around the table.

Another fragrance wafts from the oven. “What’s that?” I moan, almost overwhelmed by the mingling of savory smells wrapping themselves around the five of us like a soft cashmere shawl.

“Oh, that’s my chocolate mousse cake. It’s almost done,” she answers.

I raise my hand. “First order of business,” I mumble, Focaccia still stuffed in my mouth. “The meeting next month – same place, same time.”

Three other hands shoot up in agreement.

59 thoughts on “I’m No Martha Stewart, So…”

  2. I could see it, smell it, taste it…whatever this cmomittee convenes for…I wanna join! Food talks – truly. Perhaps those convening committees on the key issues of today need to take a leaf out of this lady’s (cookery)book. If such simple, delicious, warming, well intentioned, lovingly prepared food were served to delegates in a homely kitchen decorated with flowers from the garden instead of anticeptic conference halls filled to capacity with technology and uncomfortable homogenous suits then climate change, poverty and the plight of refugees may find their solutions sooner than one can say…focaccia. Hugs, Harula xxx

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  4. Haha, the catering and setting is actually really important for the success of a meeting! Fairly near my work there’s a big old Edwardian house and gardens that is used as a venue for various things. The family still live there and effectively open up their home, and that’s how you feel when you go there, like a guest in their home. We’ve used it a few times for meetings and it’s so lovely because the meeting room is their dining room, and the food they prepare is home cooked from scratch delicious lovely things, never any kind of set menu that you choose from, they just cook what they feel like making at the time. It’s so unlike a corporate venue. Like you’ll be having your meeting and a dog will wander in. Ah, lovely. Ok, I’ll stop going on about it now.

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  5. We all have at least one friend like her….thank goodness! And, no, it’s not me! I’m the open up the bag of cheddar cheese popcorn type….xxoo!

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  8. I’m no Martha Stewart either, Pam. I am always grateful when someone opens their home to others and even more so when the host is like your host. They make it seem effortless, don’t they? Thanks for sharing your meal with us! 🙂

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  11. Pam, could you get me an invite to the next one that is at her house?! Wow, what was the dressing over the waldorf? I make one of those for Nancy’s lunch every thursday and could use a good recipe. have a good weekend.

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  13. OMG! That sounded heavenly! I love, LOVE, a good meal! Especially when it matches the season. We have started having cooler weather (50s at night) and I am so ready for fall! But yet.. 91 degrees here today, 92 yesterday and it was 95 on Wed. Someone needs to tell the weather!! LOL! I adore a butternut squash soup. I’m sure it was yummy! If she didn’t want to host every month… she shouldn’t have outdone herself!! Am I Right?? he he he!! 😉

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    • I totally agree with you. Sort of like, “if you don’t like the heat, get out of the sun.” If she’s going to tempt us with unbelievable hospitality, then she should expect to have us, (plus at my count so far, at least a dozen more) at each committee meeting. 🙂

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  17. Oh to be a Martha Stewart. Well there are some people that have it and some people that don’t. I home cook all my meals but I’m not one for entertaining. Clearly you are acquainted with a jewel. Her kitchen sounds like it smells wonderful.

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    • She IS a jewel – as nice as her cooking skills are amazing. I didn’t mention that her kitchen includes a cozy woodstove, too, which is so comforting on a winter’s day. I agree, I don’t have it, but she sure does!

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  20. This is fantastic! I’m certainly no Martha Stewart, but my daughter is and this setting in your post reminds me of her. I have no idea where she got her skills! 😀

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  22. Ok, I can cook like that but I don’t decorate my house and I make a big mess when I cook. I don’t grow my own produce except for herbs. People always want me cook and most of the time I don’t mind but please, once in a while I like to have people cook for me.
    Pat , l would love to be able to write like you. How about a little trade?

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  25. I’m a better than average cook and baker—if I have great recipes to work from. But I’m usually exhausted from the preparation! My hat’s off to your friend who can pull it off so effortlessly and regularly. 🙂

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    • That’s it – I’ll cook a great meal, but don’t expect me to decorate and have the energy for scintillating conversation. OR serve me a great meal and I’ll be happy to discourse all evening long. xo

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  26. How wonderful to have someone with such talents to host your meetings! We just returned from a cruise where we were totally spoiled with great food and extra special attention.

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