Another Cookbook For My Collection

This holiday season, Macy's team of celebrated chefs are sharing their favorite recipes in "The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook." Filled with pages of delicious
photographs and entertaining tips, the cookbook contains recipes from
each of the 13 Macy's Culinary Council chefs, including Cat Cora, Todd
English, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck. In celebration of the 85th
anniversary of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade(R), the cookbook
also includes a commemorative overview with special behind-the-scenes
stories and photos of America's favorite Thanksgiving event.

"'The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook' is a unique tribute to the holiday season from the Macy's family," said Amy Kule, Macy's group vice president of National Events and Partnership Marketing. "Like Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, delicious food is a hallmark of this special American holiday. What better way to share our 85th anniversary than with stories and photos from our parade's colorful history and festive recipes from our Culinary Council chefs."

Available for $24.95 at select Macy's stores and macys.com this October, the beautifully composed cookbook contains over 80 recipes, as well as entertaining and cooking tips from the 13 Macy's Culinary Council chefs who include Rick Bayless, Michelle Bernstein, Cat Cora, Tom Douglas, Todd English, Marc Forgione, Emeril Lagasse, Marcus Samuelsson, Tim Scott, Nancy Silverton, Ming Tsai, Wolfgang Puck and Takashi Yagihashi.

From Marc Forgione's new classic Thanksgiving menu and a Hanukkah dinner with Michelle Bernstein, to a New Year's Eve party by Takashi Yagihashi, the cookbook is overflowing with holiday dishes, festive drinks and irresistible desserts.

"The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook" contains not only Thanksgiving and holiday recipes from the renowned chefs of the Macy's Culinary Council, but also an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Since 1924, the parade has been the nation's kickoff to the holiday season, now entertaining the more than 3.5 million people lining the streets of New York City and another 50 million television viewers. In honor of the 85th anniversary of the event, the Macy's parade team is sharing its recipe for the spectacle that dazzles and delights America each Thanksgiving. Through special sections such as a photo timeline highlighting milestone moments in the parade's history, and an introduction to the 8,000 volunteers who make the parade possible, the cookbook offers an unprecedented look at the beloved holiday event.

Martha Stewart Out of the Naughty Chair

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia today announced today that Martha Stewart, Founder of her namesake company has been elected to rejoin the Board of Directors.

Martha was banned from serving as a director of any public company following the 2006 settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  In 2004, Martha was convicted of obstruction of justice following an ill-timed sale of Imclone stock.  The SEC settlement prevented Martha from sitting on the board of her own or any other public company for a five year period.  MSLO did announce a short time ago the anticipated return of the Founder (and major stockholder of the company) to a board position sometime in the third quarter following the expiration of the SEC ban. 

In the company press release, Martha said, "I am very excited to rejoin the Board, and I look forward to working with the management of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and the members of the Board as the company develops and grows our exceptional businesses for today's consumers and those of tomorrow." 

Most agree, that Martha continued to have a major influence in the day to day operations of the company, from the SEC naughty chair.  The conclusion of this ban now puts all of the "rediculousness" behind her and behind MSLO.    

HGTV Magazine

There is a lot of "buzz" about the latest expansion of the HGTV brand - HGTV Magazine, set to debut on newsstands October 4th. 

Last night, HGTV aired a one hour special on the making of the magazine (set to re-air several times - check your local HGTV listings) and provided a glimpse into the pages of the premiere issue which looks to be chocked full of helpful hints and tips for the home and garden. 

Is this a good time to launch a new shelter magazine given the soft advertising market?  HGTV and the publishing powerhouse Hearst Corporation are hopeful that is IS the right time. 

Hearst, in cooperation with Scripps Networks (who owns HGTV, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel, and GAC) launched the Food Network Magazine a couple of years ago with a recipe for success:  integrating the popular hosts of the Food Network shows into the magazine. That recipe pushed Food Network Magazine to the top - as the best selling magazine in the food category.  Hearst and Scripps are banking on the same recipe working for HGTV. 

In the last year, HGTV has launched several new product lines centered around the home and garden brand; Now, you can find paint with Sherwin Williams, flooring with Shaw, bedding available at Bed Bath and Beyond, and in early 2012, home lighting.  In another recent announcement, HGTV entered into a strategic partnership with Bassett for a full line of HGTV-Home Furniture.

You can bet, as the expanded HGTV lines are introduced, on air talent will be using the products in their shows (it only makes sense).  The buying public loves to recreate images from magazines and television, so it seems as though it's a success no-brainer. 

What do you think?  Will the HGTV brand expansion be successful?  Are you curious about the magazine?  Is the public tired of "specialty brand" product lines?  I'd love to know what you think... Feel free to leave a comment.   

Autumn Decorating Favorites From Pottery Barn

Tis the season to move from 'light and breezy' summer decor, to warm and comforting decor for autumn.

On a recent shopping trip to Pottery Barn, I was having "inspiration overload" with all the wonderful products in store and on line.  Earthy and elegant, the wide selection of autumnal decor invites you into the season of bounty and comfort. 

Rich earth tones, bright autumn colors, and timeless classics like mercury glass and white-ware  combine to create an beautiful space you'll never want to leave!

I've selected just a few of my favorites from the wide selection of items available at Pottery Barn.  To see the complete collection go to the "Home for the Holidays" section of the website. 

Nothing is as classic as mercury glass.  These antique mercury glass pumpkins add shimmer to any table setting or display.

This faux leaf garland is so realistic your guests will think you made it yourself.  I love how it was used as a table runner. 

The matching faux leaf wreath is equally as stunning.  Note:  This should be used in a protected area if used outdoors!

This Tom Turkey is huge!  Beautiful on a sideboard arrangement or as the focal point of a buffet for the holidays, you can't go wrong with this majestic bird!

Pottery Barn has a variety of vase fillers - from these acorns to crab apples, and many other choices.  I was looking for more faux cranberries - but was taken by these beautiful acorns!

After hours of preparation for Thanksgiving, who doesn't want to proudly display their perfectly cooked turkey?  This platter is a beautiful way to do just that.  This piece is sure to be timeless classic.

Acorns are symbols of autumn.. and these acorn salt/pepper shakers are beautiful additions to any table.

For a more formal look and feel on a Harvest bounty table, try using these delightful pumpkin place card holders!  They measure just over 2" tall. 

The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook

As someone who enjoys cooking, I clip, download, scan, jot, and scribble new recipes quite often. I also have this addiction for cookbooks – old and new. Today, I finished reading through the newest addition to my cookbook collection – “The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook” by Brent Ridge, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, and Sandy Gluck. Let me stop here for just a moment and tell you: GET THIS COOKBOOK! Sorry.. I didn’t mean to shout.

While reading through the book, it dawned on me that this will always be a work in progress. Each recipe has a note section for the home cook to add their own twist or variation to make the recipe their own. One recipe could become several. How fun is that? (sorry… my inner Ina Garten just emerged..)

The book is divided into seasons. Since the Beekman 1802 philosophy encourages “seasonal living,” the seasonal organization of recipes makes sense and makes it easy for the home cook to shop from their favorite farm market or from their own garden, depending on the time of year. Working with Sandy Gluck, host of Martha Stewart Living Radio’s “Everyday Food” and former editor of the magazine of the same name, every recipe is clearly written, with easily found ingredients, and designed for the beginner or the seasoned cook to be successful.

Many of the recipes include beautiful photographs taken by the incredible Paulette Tavormina. I can’t even begin to count the number of photographs that I would love to have enlarged and framed, to hang in my kitchen or dining room. Truly, works of art.

Throughout the book, readers will find helpful cooking or prep hints, and information about many of the heirloom varieties of vegetables grown at the Beekman. The home cook will not only have wonderful recipes to add to their repertoire, but they’ll learn a few things along the way.

As described in the introduction, it is the hope of Brent and Josh that the cookbook will find its way into the hands of future generations. A special section of the book holds blank recipe cards that can be stored in well designed pocket pages, to truly make the “Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook” a one stop resource for family recipes and recipes that are sure to become family favorites. I absolutely love this idea. 

I may have to buy another copy. I’ll want to keep one copy clean and pristine. I can see the other copy being my one stop for all the jotted and scribbled recipes I’ll find along my way in life and those that have been passed down from the generations before me.

One thing I know for sure – Joanna Beekman would have loved this treasure chest of recipes and information. I can see her sitting in the Beekman kitchen, enjoying a quiet moment and writing her own variation to a recipe and storing it between the pages, or writing in a family recipe for safe keeping.  

I’ll be doing the same thing.

Martha Teaming with Avery Dennison and Staples for New Home Office Line

I haven't discussed Martha Stewart "news" in quite some time on this blog (actually, I haven't posted much at all on the blog as of late!) but this is something I've been waiting for.. Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery. 

In a meeting today with over 1,600 Staples store managers, Stewart, along with executives from Avery Dennison and Staples office supply stores, made the announcement of the new line which will be available early in 2012. 

The initial roll out will consist of 300 sku's of merchandise including storage, and labeling and organizational technology (that sounds interesting...).  Stewart shared with the store managers that they could expect a lot of "color" in the line, with "many, many, more products" in the planning stage. 

The three companies are banking that they can capture a 2010 estimated 21 billion dollars worth of home organization revenue with this new line.  Stewart indicated that this line will do for the home office what Martha Stewart Crafts did for the crafter.  Are we about to see a revolution in home office / home organizational supplies?

As an office supply junkie (I'm sure there is a twelve step program for me..) I was very excited to learn of this new line.  I can feel a home office makeover coming. 

To read the full press release, click HERE.