Behind the scenes in the Everyday Food test kitchen
One area that’s always fun to visit at my 42nd Street offices is the very lovely test kitchen of Everyday Food. This space is usually bustling with activity and with all the wonderful aromas emanating from this room, this is not a place to go to when hungry. The test kitchen is where Food Editor, Sandra Gluck and her staff, work on developing recipes. Once they’re confident that a recipe is a delicious and good one, they concentrate on cross testing - to make certain that it really works without a hitch. This is also the kitchen where all the great recipes published in our magazine, Body + Soul, are developed and tested. Don't forget to check out Dinner Tonight, a fabulous blog from the editors of Everyday Food.
The test kitchen staff – Charlyne Mattox, Senior Associate Food Editor
– Kristen Evans, Senior Food Editor – Susan Streit, Assistant Food
Editor – Sandra Gluck, Food Editor – Emma Feigenbaum, Associate Food
Editor – Kirk Hunter, Assistant Food Editor – missing is Caroline
Wright, Associate Food Editor. Again, please don't forget to look at the Dinner Tonight blog!
A wonderful place to work with lots of windows.
This is an easy kitchen to work in – plenty of work surfaces, lots of burners and ovens, and a large sink area.
Of course, there is a very sizable cookbook library used for reference and inspiration.
This is the office area where Charlyne is busy at work.
More photos of Paw Paw's grandsons -- cute!
Welcome to our 42nd street office
One word: YUMMY. In my next life I want to work there.
Word to the EF Staff: there was a recipe that isn't on the site but printed in the Houston Chronicle a few months ago, White Bean and Olive Salad. I've been eating it for over a a MONTH, it's so good I can't stop making it! I'm buying up all the cannellini beans i can find from my local grocery because I can't get enough of it! PLEASE put it on the site so I can refer people to it and print it. One alteration, I have Zatarain's Creole Mustard on hand, and I use that. Nothing against Dijon, but when I made it, that's what I used and now I don't want anything else.
When you eat this salad, you become ENLIGHTENED!!!
Amy in Houston
Posted by: Amy | July 29th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
I just checked out "dinner tonight."
Looks like a great blog.
Posted by: MMC in San Diego | July 30th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Wow its really amazing how many cookbooks you have. I could only imagine reading that many. They are so full of art.
Posted by: ms recipe | July 30th, 2008 at 12:48 am
It's a kitchen in a library! What a wonderful way to cook. Recipes from all over the world are there. Your chefs are so lucky to have the tools to create and create they do!
Posted by: Barbara | July 30th, 2008 at 12:55 am
Rich kitchen with yummy food out there.
Posted by: Elliott | July 30th, 2008 at 2:24 am
How neat is that!
Posted by: Isle Dance | July 30th, 2008 at 2:24 am
Hi Martha, The test kitchen staff certainly does have a fantastic kitchen to do their work. No wonder the recipies in Everyday Food and Body And Soul are so great. All of Sandy Gluck's staff looks very happy and I'll bet they love what they do. I know I love the results of their work. Congratulations to MSLO for the positive 2nd quarter stock report. I saw you and Charles on CNBC today and I want you to know I will always support MSLO in everything that you do. Keep up the great work! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the wonderful things you do for all of us. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | July 30th, 2008 at 2:29 am
That kitchen is amazing! I'm in love with the cookbook collection. I have "lots" of cookbooks and pull them out to read like most people read novels. What a great place to spend a day "working."
Posted by: Robin | July 30th, 2008 at 6:19 am
What a great place to work. That to me would be the perfect job, I love to cook and experiment in the kitchen plus being part of the MSO family. I love all your recipes - keep up the good work.
Ann
Posted by: Ann | July 30th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Love Dinner Tonight...and love that library of cookbooks! Martha, if you're ever recycling old books for new ones or need someone to come implement a cataloging system to organize them...I'm your gal!
Posted by: Melissa | July 30th, 2008 at 8:19 am
More pictures of the "good stuff" please. We want to see the ovens, sinks, dishwashers, things cooking on the stove.
Posted by: Sally | July 30th, 2008 at 9:03 am
It looks like a warm and inviting space. I love the organized chaos of the place. It's like a Woody Allen set.
-Andrew
Posted by: Andrew Ritchie | July 30th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Many thanks to Sandra Gluck and her staff for making Everyday Food magazine the best little food magazine ever! Little in size but BIG on content. I can almost smell the different aromas coming from all the fabulous recipes they create every month. I've been enjoying many of them since issue #1 in 2003.
I don't eat a lot of red meat but if I do decide on a steak sometime soon, I'm going to make the Tomato, Ginger, and Chutney topping to go along with it. It's in the July/August issue on page 111 for anyone interested. There are two other toppings as well.
Dinner Tonight is a great blog! Thanks for the nudge since I kind of missed seeing it on the left side of this page. Oops. Trish
Posted by: Trish | July 30th, 2008 at 9:22 am
What a wonderful kitchen. I would have loved to see their food storage/pantry as well as their utensils and pans storage for some inspiration. No doubt it's neat, orderly, and a pleasure to work with.....Who does the grocery shopping?
Posted by: Renee DeGroat | July 30th, 2008 at 9:29 am
To Amy in Houston, we'll be sure to add that recipe to the site. In the meantime, be sure to check out Dinner Tonight!
http://blogs1.marthastewart.com/dinnertonight/
Posted by: Regan | July 30th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Thanks for the little peek, I love the behind the scenes shots. I think I need those shelves for all my cookbooks. I like your French section. The Anne Willan new book is excellent and Julia Child of course. Great references when I made French food all of July to coincide with the stops of the Tour de France.
http://realnobodyslikeus.typepad.com
Merci!
Posted by: Claudine | July 30th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Sandra, You and your staff are TERRIFIC! If you ever need a job down South for a Doctor and two teenagers, and a starving sister (me) please let me know!!!
Posted by: Nan Ashby | July 30th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Wow, Martha! I would just love to come and work for you and your staff in the test kitchen! My hobby is testing and inventing new recipes, but my kitchen is not as beautiful and as well-stocked as yours! It looks like it would be a snap to cook anything in the world. And all the cookbooks lining the walls is incredible!
Posted by: LINDA FISHER | July 30th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Martha, your staff and work atmosphere is what some people dream of. I always look forward to updates on your work environment. Thanks to all for being an inspiration.
Posted by: sushi2 | July 30th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
We're so glad that everyone could get a peek into our kitchen. A big welcome to you all!
Posted by: sandygluck | July 30th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Ha! Counters are made to be cluttered, it seems. I love it that there's something sideways in the bookshelf. If I had all that space I'd find a way to fill it in. I guess I've got a bad case of horror vacui. I'll go on a jag for a certain dish and when I move on to something new I have half bottles and jars of this or that ingredient or condiment in the fridge or elsewhere for seeming eternity. What do you all do? Throw it out or give it away? My friends who really cook have a lot of this stuff around. I guess I don't really hang with people who live in "model" homes, though those clear countertops are something to be desired.
Posted by: Julie W. | July 30th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I had no idea how much you all would like to see the details--but thanks for the inspiration. We're lucky to have a great space and such a creative environment! Martha comes by often, camera in hand, so we'll have her take some more shots sometime soon. Meantime, we'll shoot some detail pix for the Dinner Tonight blog, too! Would love to hear what you're craving for dinner tonight.
Deb Puchalla
editor in chief, Everyday Food
marthastewart.com/dinnertonight
Posted by: Deb Puchalla | July 30th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
That's a great looking kitchen. What a great place to work and cook- at the same time.
It doesn't seem like a great idea to keep books so close to the heat, grease and moisture of lots of everyday cooking.
I suggest a separate research room.
Posted by: maurdel | July 30th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I subscribe to the Everyday Food magazine and watch the program, including Everyday Baking,every Saturday. It would be a good thing if there were some reference to the paraticular issue in which the recipes on the show can be found. I now have the magazines AND some recipes on 8 1/2 X 11 paper ina notebook. Redundant, huh?
Posted by: Rick Tedesco | July 30th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Martha, my girlfriend wants me to find the pattern for the hat you made today on your show. I just don't know where to find it. she runs a sewing class for 10/12 year olds and thinks that it would be a great project for them Thanks "Barbara Cooney'
Posted by: Barbara Cooney | July 30th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Thanks for sharing the test kitchen photos. I subscribe to Everyday Food and Body & Soul and love them both. I've tried many recipes from both magazines and have never been disappointed.
It would be nice to have a Master Recipe Index by category showing the issue and page # -- would be great when searching for recipe ideas and favorites. Thanks for all the great recipes - keep up the good work!
Posted by: Leanne | July 30th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Just love what is done with a long loft. I 'd love to have a kitchen set up like yours. I get my cook books in my large hutch in my dinning room just across from my kitchen, so it's close at hand. I also have them seperated by country. I like to try different countries each month. It makes us feel we went there to eat. Jaon in Willcox, AZ
Posted by: Joan Dawson | July 31st, 2008 at 4:18 pm
What a dream place to work in...AMAZING!
Posted by: My Sweet & Saucy | July 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
What a dream place to work in...AMAZING!
Posted by: My Sweet & Saucy | July 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
What a dream place to work in...AMAZING!
Posted by: My Sweet & Saucy | July 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
What a dream place to work in...AMAZING!
Posted by: My Sweet & Saucy | July 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
What a dream place to work in...AMAZING!
Posted by: My Sweet & Saucy | July 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
What a dream place to work in...AMAZING!
Posted by: My Sweet & Saucy | July 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
What a dream place to work in...AMAZING!
Posted by: My Sweet & Saucy | July 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I'm Whishing you a Very Happy and Wonderful Bithday August 3, 2008!!!
PS. I Love Your Show!!!!!!!!
Micki
Posted by: Micki Harris | July 31st, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Hi Martha:
Great post about Everyday Food! As expected, the kithchen is spotless.
The cookbook library is great. I have a smaller version and I'm constantly comparing recipes for the same dish from several books when trying to develop my own versions.
Maybe in a future post you could show a little more of the appliances, pantry, etc.
By the way, the Dinner Tonight blog is terrific.
Happy Birthday!
Posted by: JBrennan | August 2nd, 2008 at 12:53 am
wow, what a wonderful working space. I love the fact that the kitchen has a wall of cookbooks! If only I could have a bookshelf like that one day!
BTW- do you give tours? how about an intern who can prepare some tasty viet dishes for ya? I'm a good dishwasher!!
Posted by: White On Rice Couple | August 6th, 2008 at 10:10 am
I am building a new home on a hay farm in Bend, Oregon and need to specify my range. I do like to entertain so it will be 60". Here's where I'd like your feedback: all gas range or dual fuel with gas + electric ovens? Also, what is your opinion of the 'french top' option? And finally the Wolf vs. Viking brands. I was leaning towards Viking because I can select a color finish and they are less industrial looking than Wolf. My other appliances will be covered with wood.
Posted by: Audrey Keller | August 8th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I love everything Martha Stewart - the Everyday magazine is so great for weekday recipes and quick ideas. I would love to work in that kitchen in THIS lifetime. I work in a basement now and loved the comment about the kitchen having great windows. One of my favorite recipes is the Sweet & Spicy Almonds - I bring them as gifts to all the dinner parties I attend. Thank you!!
Posted by: Donna Emanuele | August 18th, 2008 at 11:41 am
When will Martha's Kitchen start doing recipes for people with food
allergies ? I have Celiac that means for me no Wheat, rice, bran, oats or nuts. I am severely allergic to peanuts and nutrasweet.
Also lactose intolerant.This makes my food choices slim . Could your at Martha's Kitchen help?
Posted by: Paul Peterson | August 22nd, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Hi Martha. Watched your segment showing how to soften hard brown sugar. My solution is to not have it get hard in the first place. When you purchase brown sugar, take it out of the package and put it directly into a glass jar (maybe 1/2 gallon size) and tighten the screw on lid. (My jar came from buying pickled bologna when it came in glass jars.) The sugar never gets hard and will keep, literally, for years. The same method works for marshmallows. No more hard brown sugar and no more marshmallows that have stuck together in the plastic bag! Hope you can use this tip for your viewers. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the many fine tips over the years for everything from cooking to home decorating tips.
Posted by: Diana L. Bucholtz | August 27th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Martha,
I moved into a home that has Queen Palms whose fruit looks very interesting. Is it edible? Are there any receipes if edible?
Thank you.
Posted by: Stephanie Wood | August 28th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Love your show. How do I get the reciepe for the Lime Melts aways. I missed it today. Thanks.ruthautio
Posted by: Ruth Autio | August 28th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
What a source of inspiration! In a weird way, everytime I visit any of the Martha sites, magazines or publications I feel a little closer to my native France and the style and mood I miss so much. Thank you!
Posted by: Helene-Tartelette | September 19th, 2008 at 2:51 am
I am so jealous of that cookbook library! Amazing!
Posted by: Maggie at Pithy and Cleaver | September 25th, 2008 at 3:29 am
Can a basic pasta dough recipe be easily doubled?
Should you be able to assemble 2 lasagnes with only one pot of sauce?
They will both be medium to large in size,and I have to make 2 because some like ricotta cheese,and some don't. The ones that don't like the ricotta,won't like cottage cheese either. I have to make a bechamel sauce.
T/Y. Judi
Posted by: Judi Bengtson | September 26th, 2008 at 3:13 am
Martha, I have just started "Living Again"!!! It;s a good thing! Thought I died when I lost Sister, then took Mom in and lost her a year later. But during my last year after being a care taker for my wonderful best friend, "wifey", etc... sister... (I am single) and then my Mom until she died a year ago after 7 years of care taking I was really lost and felt empty, even though I tried to fake everybody out being the bubbly fun Johnny. BUT... Now eating right and so Happy. Can't even tell you how much you inspire me. When you did the wedding segment years ago at Rhett House in Beaufort SC I stood on the street just watching. I have the famous Hanna Beatrice pound cake recipe (who did every wedding cake in Beaufort for years!!!) It was my grandmothers poundcake recipe, and kept secret but now I want to share with your viewers, since both have passed and am sure they would approve. How do I get it to you. I was so proud of you how strong you acted when your Mom "Big Martha" passed and then your beloved child Paw Paw......... I have been trying to enter sweepstakes to come, because now that real estate is so slow, although I was a top producer, I can't splurge like I use too..... but ValPak keeps kicking me off, but got a couple in 1 each day when it started. So keeping my fingers crossed! You keep on "keeping on" Lady. I try to work out of office in the am so I can watch and just incase a earky board meeting or something, have it set to DVR(record you).... Alot of us are here, doing the best we can and trying harder because of you! So THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: John P. McGowan | September 29th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I wish you could find the easiest tools for a person with RA. I'm sure there are millions of people that wish they could cook like they used to. I find it so difficult to bake and sometimes just plain cook for my family some days. Larger handled stirring spoons,knives etc, pots that are easy to pick up, I would love one of those kitchen aids but that is way out of my price range...and I'm not sure I could use it. The best tool I have in my kitchen right now is the jar opener I bought with the sharp teeth on it....now I can at least any jar and my electric can opener!! I work with 2 other woman who suffer from RA and I'm sure any one of us would be happy to test any product on our worst days.
Thanks....from 6 pairs of Painful hands
Posted by: Kim | November 27th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Just wondering about the glutenfree contest,all of us brought together on myspace got the votes going and it said we won!I keep looking for anything in all your magazine's for glutenfree recipe's!I was so excited!I would love a gf bread recipe with no yeast,a lot of us have a very huge need for this especially!
Posted by: Jan Chambers | January 21st, 2009 at 6:49 pm