Entertaining

by Martha Stewart

With 500 glorious full-color photographs, 300 original recipes, and hundreds of innovative ideas, Entertaining is the book that revolutionized the way people entertain today. 500 full-color photographs.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Self Help, Food and Drink

310 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Martha Helen Stewart is an American retail businesswoman, writer, and television personality. As the founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, focusing on home and hospitality, she gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, merchandising and e-commerce. She has written numerous bestselling books, was the publisher of Martha Stewart Living magazine and hosted two syndicated television programs: Martha Stewart Living, which ran from 1993 to 2004, and The Martha Stewart Show, which ran from 2005 to 2012.
In 2004, Stewart was convicted of felony charges related to the ImClone stock trading case; she served five months in federal prison for fraud and was released in March 2005. There was speculation that the incident would effectively end her media empire, but in 2005 Stewart began a comeback campaign and her company returned to profitability in 2006. Stewart rejoined the board of directors of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in 2011 and became chairwoman of her namesake company again in 2012. The company was acquired by Sequential Brands in 2015. Sequential Brands Group agreed in April 2019 to sell Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, including the Emeril brand, to Marquee Brands for $175 million with benchmarked additional payments.

Reviews

[Monica Aho]

I found this book among the piles my mother in law was going to throw away, so I snagged it. This is the 1982 version - nearly 30 years old, and what surprises me is how classic the lady's taste is. Not one thing was "trendy" for the time, or made me go "ewww - I'd never think of doing that now. How ugly." She's just kind of timeless in her perfection. And, of course, it's all "perfection" in this entertaining book, and something I am positive that I will never even attempt because I just plain don't need that kind of "perfection" in my life. But it's fun to look at, and fun to read, and inspires me to go just a LITTLE "Stewart-ish" when preparing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners this year.

[Sherry]

This was one of the first cookbooks I bought when I started entertaining. It's like all of her books - Playboy for the homemaker - you know your stuff will never look like this but you can't help vicariously staring at the gorgeous stuff in the photos and thinking "well maybe someday ..."

[Reilly Harris]

I devoured this. An inspired book. Martha Stewart is an icon and I want to be her.

[Amanda]

I have an annual cookie party every December so I was curious what her recipes were in here. Martha was very proud of her daughter Alexis’ brown butter chocolate chip cookies - they even hung them all over their xmas tree - the photo made me laugh. I wanted to read this after I watched the documentary the many lives of Martha Stewart where this book was mentioned constantly. Written in the 80’s and the photos looked ancient.

[Alli]

Delightfully dated. I'll make sure to grab the next time I need to make appetizers for 60.

[Julia]

Since we bought our house, I really wanted to upgrade my hosting skills—and this book was perfect for that. Martha Stewart is such an icon

[Emily Sorensen]

I don’t know when I will ever need to throw a midnight omelette party for 30 or a country lunch for 275, but at least now I have a false sense of confidence that I can. Thanks Martha

[Julie H. Ernstein]

So I've seen this cookbook trashed elsewhere, and I should preface this review with the fact that I have a sign hanging in my kitchen that reads, "Martha Stewart doesn't live here." That said, I have made many many dishes from this book and have identified several items that I only make using these recipes (e.g., the potato salad with dill vinegraite and the sugar cookies with brandy [I subsitute cherry brandy:] are unbeatable). If you ignore the somewhat self-congratulatory tone, you will see some really clever ideas for things to do with kids (making ornaments) as well as presentation ideas. For those of us who love to make soup, there's good advice for the in-the-kitchen, straight from the pot soup party--in other words, how real people cook and how many of us actually live.

[Meredith]

This is the Original. It seems like decent party food now. At the time it was so fancy. Her basket collection in her kitchen made me want to sneeze. Her serving things on porous surfaces not designed for food gave me the heebie jeebies, and I've had to tell people so many times that it's not a good practice. Or work around it. I think it's nice that she re wrote it so it's not all, "Andrew" this and "Andrew" that. Because that divorce was rough.

Anyways. She's my muse. Also she's a stone cold fox in this book.

[Ellen C]

It's Martha's first book, and it's good just like everything else. She wrote it in the 80's so it is a little more out of touch with reality than usual.

[Sara]

Classic. Perfection. I own a first edition.

[Donna]

Martha never fails to stir my creative juices.

[Amber]

A fun look back at how the empire got started.

[Iayat Riaz]

I am quite fortunate to have just read a first-edition copy of Entertaining borrowed from the University Library, and I was enchanted by the quality of the photographic illustrations, bountiful in their splendour, that continue to leap from the page as if to grasp the reader’s imagination.

More than a guide, I would argue that this book is a vision of hospitality as art—lavish yet exacting, aspirational yet deeply considered—and a testament to Martha Stewart’s enduring influence on how we imagine beauty, order, and generosity to be executed with perfection at the table.

Quite simply worth the fanciful perusal, even with no intention of seriously following through on the countless recipes, advice, and table-setting inspirations so effortlessly proffered by the doyenne of American domestic arts that is the wonderful Martha Stewart!

[Ian Roseen]

Incredible… and also incredibly funny. Martha writes with such precision and confident splendor, but apart from some great tips on how to plan a party and deal with a caterer, her menus (even the “gracious” and “simple” ones) seem both wildly out-of-reach to even those with plenty of disposable income (you really need TIME and also scads of talent to pull them off) and even, to a 21st century eye, gross. . . Think “heart-shaped cream cheese dessert” for Valentine’s Day and “lime wedge on a pile of prosciutto” and “midnight omelette brunch for sixty.” You will be surprised at how often she pushes the omelette idea.

[Kristin]

Just too much! This is a hefty book crammed full of recipes. The photos of Martha's kitchen in the early years are telling, as it's also packed full of produce from the garden and a plethora of cooking paraphernalia. This is not a book for entertaining one or two couples... these recipes are intended for catering events with 20+ people. I don't know how Martha does it--it's overwhelming just reading this book, let alone cooking all of these recipes and looking good while doing it!

[Ashley Romero]

Such a special cookbook. When Martha rereleased this iconic book, I had to have it. I loved all of the stories woven throughout; they make the recipes and gatherings feel personal, timeless, and so inspiring. Her approach to entertaining makes hosting feel both elegant and achievable.

I’m so excited to try more of the recipes and use this book as inspiration for future gatherings. A beautiful, classic addition to my kitchen and hosting bookshelf.

[Wanda Wilson]

We watched a 4 episode series about Martha Stewart on CNN. This is her first book, written in 1982. I enjoyed her TV program in early retirement. BUT I can’t wrap my head around Midnight Omelettes for Thirty, Bouillabaisse for 12-16, Russian Buffet for 24, Italian Buffet for 50, Sit Down Country Luncheon for 175. Now, I’d love to be invited to one of those sumptuous dinners!!

[Lee L]

Such hard work was put into this book. The writing and the pictures are terrific. It is just so hard to put into practice for a novice. I wish I was so talented or had the time & patience to do the planning and recipes in this comprehensive book.

[Wendy]

Beautiful photographs and lovely-looking food and decorations! Most of them look too advanced for my culinary expertise, but I enjoyed reading, and Martha is an inspiration on how to be an excellent hostess!

[Kemlo]

Gorgeous book, but I haven’t had good luck with some of the recipes. Seems as though not all of them were well-tested. Frustratingly unreliable.

[Deborah]

The bible on entertaining - absolutely packed full of great ideas.

[Jane]

This is the classic on entertaining by Martha Stewart.

[Laura Woodyard]

Surprisingly one of my favorite entertaining reads and one of her originals

[Alex DG]

Brb having a winter soup party

[Caroline]

Beautiful & Elegant Celebration of Entertaining & Home Decor. Highly recommend this 1st book by Martha Stewart. I won from Goodreads Giveaways hardcopy book & Martha Stewart ~ Thank you.

[Lily’s Library]

Nostalgic ‘80s entertaining tips, dinner themes, and recipes. A tad too outdated for inspiration (anyone interested in a 10pm omelette party for 30 people following a performance 🫠).

[Lucy Allison]

Obviously I am not going to host an omelette brunch for sixty people out of my third-floor city centre flat, are you out of your mind Martha, but her outlook is "entertaining" nonetheless.

[Lisa Hellenberg beers]

I,myself, rarely if ever entertain. However, if I did, whether brunch, lunch, cocktails, or dinner for 4, or 25, or if I am throwing a backyard wedding for 270, MS has me covered. From the flowers, tableware, linens, furniture, crocks, baskets, gardens, all of it, and oh yes Lots and Lots of recipes. This is the beginning people, and the story to back it all up. Great photos too.

[Shereese Maynard]

I actually own the initial edition of this book. It was a gift from my husband. I don't know where he found it. Martha had longer hair on the cover and seemed quite homely.