A dinner party at my house
A few nights ago, I hosted a business dinner party at my home in Bedford, New York. I was especially happy that Chef Pierre Schaedelin was able to take the time away from his new post at Benoit in New York City and cook for my guests and me that evening.  With Easter and spring quickly approaching, it was fun using Easter décor on the table and in my home. Pierre, as usual, prepared a fabulous meal.
The menu was -
Warm Salad of Spring Vegetables -Â Green Pea Jus
Osso Bucco -Â Risotto Milanese with Saffron
Pavlova -Â Passion Fruit Sorbet
Hi Martha, The table settings are beautiful! I love the French pottery dishes. Pierre's first course looks like a painting, everything so artfully arranged. The fava bean in the artichoke is proof that someone is very detail oriented, what a beautiful presentation. I also thought the buckets of Irish moss were so very pretty. I've decided that I must have some. It's so bright and cheery looking!
Posted by: Frances | April 5th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
oh the table looks beautiful! and the little chicks are so cute. your posts always inspire me
Posted by: Valeri | April 5th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Wait a minute do I see one chair that doesn't match all the others how can this be Martha?
(Just teasing with you )but there is a chair that isn't like the other ones and I can't believe you let it be photographed! The table looks nice very nice and the seating isn't crammed but looks roomy for the guests nothing worse then elbows bumping elbows and plates and arms all tangled up.
J Crew -you have worn J Crew for years long before M.O ever did........
Did you happen to get caught up in the fire when you landed in Palm Springs it was pretty smokey on Friday? If you think Joshua Tree has beautiful wild flowers you ought to visit The California Valley have you ever been there? Even better Death Valley, knock your socks off it is that fab!
California has a lot to offer if you stay out of the big cities and hit the beauty spots where people and smog are left far behind for scenic coastal nature walks off the beaten track.
What a bummer your next book signing here in California is in Northridge it's smack dab in the middle of LA ugh! I was born down in that mess of a place, maybe one day you will make it up my way north past Santa Barbara & sign some books in central CA instead of always down there.
Well I have harassed you enough for one blog catch you tomorrow.
Enjoy your day.
Pam from California
Posted by: Pam From California | April 6th, 2009 at 2:44 am
Tablescape is exquisite. I just had Osso Bucco Sat night in NYC and it was delectable. Nice ideas for my own Easter celebrations.
Posted by: Mary | April 6th, 2009 at 5:58 am
Were the spring vegetables homegrown? What were they, they look so bright yet tender.
Posted by: Mary | April 6th, 2009 at 6:08 am
Food is a real passion of mine too! You seem to have the knack of place setting off to a tee!
Posted by: Steve | April 6th, 2009 at 6:25 am
What a gorgeous Spring menu! So colourful and perfect! Love the wee chicks on their beds of moss! Hooray for April!
Posted by: Shelagh | April 6th, 2009 at 6:31 am
I love the pictures - the warm spring salad looks elegant, seasonal, flavorful. Perhaps you could persuade Pierre to share the recipe?
I also love the idea of using egg cups as salts - clever and charming!
Posted by: Haley W. | April 6th, 2009 at 6:35 am
Brava Martha! Perfect way to celebrate spring and so glad to see you are wearing J.Crew like our First Lady
Posted by: Laura | April 6th, 2009 at 6:36 am
did it kill you to have one odd chair? not that it looks bad it just surprised me...
love all the table decorations.
%*_*% rosey
Posted by: icantsew | April 6th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Gorgeous veg... makes me wish that my garden was producing, instead of waiting for New England to warm up enough to plant. Love the centerpieces with the chicks, and the zen ambiance of the color scheme.
Now... how do I get an invitation to dinner?
-Perry-
Posted by: Perry | April 6th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Beautiful table. Clever use of table linens.
Posted by: Monica | April 6th, 2009 at 6:46 am
lovely photos! beautiful setting...the warm salad looks scrumptious...thanks for sharing these images and ideas.
Posted by: delia | April 6th, 2009 at 7:12 am
oooh would so like to see those pretty dishes up close. I love it when each dish is different - such a treat for the guests:)
Posted by: Maryam in Marrakech | April 6th, 2009 at 7:25 am
You know, I would like to say that this is just too perfect...and I am forced to be fairly casual with my life, but in my heart...I will always love the tea party perfection. Aaahhh...childhood dreams of an artist. Ni "The Ancient One"
Posted by: Ni | April 6th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Everything is beautiful! Your gorgeous sweater and the food and the table settings are certainly eye candy. Thank you.
Posted by: IowaCowgirl | April 6th, 2009 at 7:28 am
gorgeous table setting! Intimate yet plenty of room for the guests. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: margherite tercovich (BellaSapone) | April 6th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Pierre is great! Can we keep him?
Posted by: Chimey | April 6th, 2009 at 7:43 am
Fab! I love the fact that this isn't a mag spread. The candles aren't quite straight, the books in the background aren't perfectly arranged and the chairs aren't perfectly lined up...I noted the odd chair..interesting. But what I really want to know is, what is the small white rectangular 'box' on the table between the second and third place settings..?
Posted by: Joanne | April 6th, 2009 at 7:46 am
I love the Irish moss and chick! I saw this (or perhaps it was something similar) that you did for yesterdays USA Today. Crisp is perfect for Spring!
Posted by: Kari | April 6th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Hi Martha! Lovely table settings with beautiful french pottery dishes. Pierre's meal looks so colorful and healthy. The hatching chick looks so cute Martha! Thanks for sharing.
God Bless
Rowaida Flayhan
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | April 6th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Why not say you wore J Crew before? Now that it's become popular because of our First Lady you feel the need to get in on the act. Can't let someone else get ahead of you, can you.
Posted by: Denise Sorensen | April 6th, 2009 at 8:20 am
I loved the way the table was set. I adore your antique bird dishes. The moss with chicks and birds on top are a great idea. Thanks for sharing these photos. The veggies looked scrumptious. I am thinking about doing roasted spring vegetables as a side dish for Easter.
Linda
Phila., PA
Posted by: Linda | April 6th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Dear Martha
You are the J crew model of the year, and always have very spectacular ideas!!
Posted by: Ashley Prince | April 6th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Lovely and inspiring as always! Great to see you in J.Crew, I have been wearing it since my college days when it first began. Thanks for opening your home via your fab blog. Happy Easter
Posted by: Susan Raisch | April 6th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Oh Martha! How lovely!!! I adore the hatching chicks in the moss. nice touch!
Posted by: LULU | April 6th, 2009 at 9:12 am
A very elegant and inspiring setting. I saw a beautiful Martha Stewart blue and white fern quilt in Macy's this past weekend. It would be interesting to see photos of how you've designed your bedrooms. I think you've shown a beautiful one from the house in Maine, but not in Bedford. Perhaps an upcoming blog idea - or maybe personal space left unblogged is better?
Posted by: Cynde | April 6th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Martha, you are my ideal!!! What a gorgeous table setting and menu
Keep up the great Creativity!!! God Bless, Ullja
Posted by: Ullja Kuntze | April 6th, 2009 at 9:35 am
So very lovely! Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Michelle Grace | April 6th, 2009 at 9:53 am
I agree that the best way with veggies is to cook them separately. The food presentation was wonderful. And those are very beautiful table settings. Dinner at your house, Martha, must be like a little visit to heaven. Sublime.
Posted by: Penny | April 6th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Hi Martha,
Wow, what's not to like about the table setting as well as the marble tabletop. I love that! Just about any color would look great on it! I was picturing the first course of Pierre's vegetables at every place setting and it looked very, very colorful and then the glasses were filled with Rosé wine. I don’t even drink so what do I know!
I have always liked those tin pots. I guess they are called tole pots when they are decorated? It reminds me of one of your Living shows when you went around asking your staff if they knew the difference between tulle, toile, tole, and twill I think it was.
I’m trying to figure out why some are wondering why you are just now talking about wearing J. Crew. I can remember back to the year 2000 when I emailed you at your Westport studios to find out where you got some of your clothes and they told me you wore a lot of J. Crew. That was also mentioned in your Bio on this site I think in the About Martha section, so it looks to me like you’ve been wearing J. Crew for a long time. Btw, their clothes have always looked great on you. Thanks for ‘inviting’ us to your dinner party. I had fun! Trish
Posted by: Trish | April 6th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Martha, your table looks so beautiful; the place settings are exquisite and I love the tin pots with baby tears and the little chicks. So Spring-y!
I hope you enoyed your trip to Palm Springs; you were at my friends Michael and Andy's house on Saturday morning and Michael tormented me by emailing me a photo that they took with you! I was hoping to meet you at the cocktail party Saturday evening, but if you saw the uprooted Mesquite tree at their home, Michael spent the day chopping it up after you left and was exhausted!
So, perhaps you'll be back in the desert when your KB homes are completed in La Quinta and I can meet you then.
Thank you for all the years of inspiration!
Posted by: Seana | April 6th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
How nice that Chef Pierre could get away and help you out, Martha, with your get-together! Looks like he's done it again! - what beautiful colors and arrangement, in those spring vegetables! (And) what a nice and refreshing replacement for the usual garden-salad-first- course. (I learn so much!...)
You are just glowing in your peachy(color?), ruffley sweater. It appears to be one you wore on Thursday's show of last week (4/2) and I just l-o-v-e-d it on you! It's ruffley (I said that already [giggle]) and frilly and feminine, but not overdone. I've been noticing in our local advertising that that's the upcoming style for this season, and I like it I like it! ([And] for the record, I've known that you've sported many a JCrew fashion tags over the years...yet one more good thing, one might say...)
Your table IS elegant, simple and crisp, a true joy of which to partake! Your style is superb...an impeccable sight to behold!
Happy Monday!
(From your [still!] undying/faithful/supportive/admiring friend in Western Maryland.)
=^..^=
"A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him, I may think aloud."--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | April 6th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Sorry, J. Crew wasn't mentioned in Martha's Bio on this site, I misspoke, but rather it used to be in the Frequently asked Questions about her relative to the clothes she wears. There was also a question asking who does her hair and what kind of perfume she wears. I looked for it but couldn't find it. Trish
Posted by: Trish | April 6th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Hi Martha, This must have been a fabulous dinner for you and your friends. Your photos are absolutely stunning, especially the ones of the spring veggies. Yummmmmmm! How great that Pierre was able to cook for all of you. He really is great! That coldhouse sure does provide beautiful veggies. Can't wait to see your photos of your visit to Joshua Tree National Park and the museums. Have a great day. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | April 6th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Gorgeous! Very inspirational!
Posted by: susieshomemade | April 6th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
mmmmmm tasty, lovely pinot noir and I m good 2 go.......very nice, extraordinarily splendid place settings.....again, u r the bomb
Posted by: Charmayne | April 6th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
During this holy week, as we are preparing for Passover and Easter, I'd like to wish Martha, Laura and your families a very happy spring. I so enjoy your blogging and know how much time, effort and energy goes into it's production. Thank you for your inspiration. Happy Spring!
Posted by: Cathy-by-the-river | April 6th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
The menu looked delicious! Is there anywhere we can get the recipes?
Posted by: Amanda Dandridge | April 6th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Martha, that J.Crew cardigan looks great on you! It's perfect for a dinner party.
Posted by: Leigh | April 6th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
The vegetables were exquisitely cooked and i adored the little moss pots. I may have to get some for our table...i have many delightful Easter decorations that would be charming atop the moss. As always, thanks for the wonderful and inspiring ideas.
Posted by: Sherey | April 6th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Martha, you are simply the best! I love your "tweets," your albums, photos, menus and everything else you post. Fantastic!
THANK YOU for sharing.
Posted by: Joann Shirley | April 6th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Martha you didn't wait for me. Just kidding! It looks as if you had a wonderful time, and ate like a Queen. Martha you're the only one to do it in a complete fashion. Take care! One woman 1 company striving for Good things. Always loved that saying.
Thanks again for sharing the menu. Wish you well Kristin.
Posted by: Kristin svens | April 6th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Martha!! What a beautiful table! Your clivia is absolutely stunning! Mine is very sad looking. I haven't been able to get it to re-flower after I bought it. What type of fertilizer do you use for your clivia and other "flowering" plants? Thanks again for another wonderful posts! I love the TWEETS too!
Posted by: ML | April 6th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Beautiful sitting. Sure glad you could enjoy the meal and have some one else do the cooking.
We usual do a pot luck type of things in our family.
Coffee is on.
Posted by: peppylady | April 6th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
How beautiful! Your guests had such a treat between the lovely table setting & the food.
Posted by: Sherry | April 6th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
your pictures are wonderful The food loooks so good and I also have an old clivia blooming...what a great treat on a very cold wet day in Westchester
Posted by: WYNNIE | April 6th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Love the moss centerpieces with the small eggs.
Posted by: kendra | April 6th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Happy Springtime Martha,
I enjoyed the photos of your fun table decor for your dinner party.
Were you wearing a vintage Miriam Haskell necklace at your dinner party? I remember that you wore a vintage Haskell brooch when you received your Acorn Award. I am curious to know if you collect great costume jewelry pieces by Haskell, Chanel, Sherman, ect..
~Gloria
p.s. I haven't been writing lately but I enjoy reading your blog each day. I have been suffering with G.E.R.D. over the last few months and I think I finally have it under control.
Posted by: Gloria Brown, Winterport | April 6th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
For someone special,there's the odd chair
Only Martha with kindness would really care.
Elegant marble table with simple setting
Awaiting hungry smiling guests,I'm betting.
Wee chicks and shells on crisp Irish Moss,
A touch of expected genius,from the Boss.
Little pots of galvanised tin
Stand as sentinels and make you grin.
Adorable antique egg cups for pepper and salt
Not to shake them, or dinner will halt.
French dishes with painted birds in flight
Add drama to a charming night.
Bright cheerful flowers in the servery,
Quieten the furor and the fervery.
A lovely collection of vegetables in spring,
Promise of bounty that the fall will bring.
Each cooked separately,with great care
Quite clearly,a Master Chef was there.
First course,to knock off your sox
Green pea jus,outside the box.
And last,but not least,there's the hostess,
Would you say she's the one with the mostess?
Posted by: celia stock | April 6th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Martha, I'm just always amazed at your passion for little details. Those plates are so cute. By the way, I always love it when you have Rosie on the show. Keep up the great work!
Posted by: Lynn | April 7th, 2009 at 3:04 am
.
J.Crewers!
Martha doesn't need to announce a blouse to climb ahead of anyone.
She's already an American First Lady. A new one in town changes nothing!
.
Weimaraner Defense Team
Teeth a Smilin'!!
.
Posted by: andrea and the weimaraners & unleashed mouth | April 7th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Martha,
Your table looks wonderful. I just checked out your blog about your dogs. Hysterical, I hope they got their raise.
Martha, you are an amazing person. You have always inspired me. You love life and live it to the fullest. You are not afraid to be yourself and you continue to ride any exciting wave into the future. Thank you for being you, you have greatly influenced my life.
Karen
Posted by: karen cox | April 7th, 2009 at 10:21 am
The table was just beautiful and the first course was so artistic!!!
Posted by: Rachel | April 8th, 2009 at 11:57 am
its so serene! i love it Martha
Posted by: Pep | April 20th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Your table looks simply divine! What a brilliant tablescape. I am sure your guests had a fantastic time. Menu looks extremely tasty. Martha you do everything with such style.
Posted by: Lisa | May 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 pm
i like your show and website,simple but still nice,I always watching your latenite show,because at malaysia your show on 11
Posted by: kero | May 5th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
You are our inspiration. We love you MS.
Posted by: Divine Wedding | May 23rd, 2009 at 12:35 am