A bountiful lunch in East Hampton this past weekend
I spent a lovely weekend at Lily Pond, my home in East Hampton. Summers in the Hamptons are always busy with dinners, parties, and visiting. On Saturday, my friend and trainer, Mary Tedsco came to lunch with her family. The weather was gorgeous and so I planned an alfresco meal at the poolside. Fortunately, I brought a large bounty from my farm in Bedford and threw together a vegetarian feast. It was absolutely delicious and so very colorful.
Martha:
It looks like you and your family had a great weekend. The food looks interesting and very delicious. I'm particularly intigued with the purple cauliflower, which resembles small bunches of muscari bloom. Does it taste the same as the white variety?
It's nice also to see the evolution of your East Hampton garden. You certainly have made the most of every inch of the property. The shade garden is spectacular and the container plantings are exotic, particularly the one with the large aloe.
I know that you also have quite a rose garden there. Will they bloom again? If so, please consider showing them in a future posting.
Posted by: Joseph Brennan | July 14th, 2009 at 12:42 am
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Martha!
How superb all of the motley palettes!!!
QUESTION -- You mentioned peaches, plums and apricots from the market. Do you or will you have fruit trees on any of your properties?
I grow pears, peaches, and apples, one tree bearing three types of red globes from branch graphs I did years ago!
Andy J. and the Weims
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Posted by: andreaandweims on Twitter | July 14th, 2009 at 12:51 am
Oh my, perfection on earth! The vegetables and desserts look delish and the grounds are stunning! What a wonderful retreat for you.
Posted by: Donna Olson | July 14th, 2009 at 1:07 am
Everything looks so good, its amazing how easy vegetables are to grow and how look they good. There is always a pleasure in being able to say that they came from your own garden. The frittata looked lovely and the plate it was on is beautiful - is this a new purchase?
Pru
Posted by: Pru | July 14th, 2009 at 7:01 am
Martha,
What a wonderful way the spend the weekend good food, good friends, and a great getaway. by the way I love the platter used for the pasta and peas.
B
Posted by: Bernadette | July 14th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Lovely vegetable garden!
Posted by: Shabby chic furniture | July 14th, 2009 at 8:13 am
What beautiful vegetables you have Martha! The roasted tomato, peas and curlicue pasta salad looks so good; I hope I can duplicate it. The frittata looks delicious too – what a feast! I’ve never tasted purple cauliflower but if it’s the same as regular cauliflower, I would definitely enjoy it. It certainly is colorful. Thanks again for great pictures. I caught you on the Today Show this morning and now I’m anxious to try a chicken burger and a roasted Poblano pepper. You make me so hungry with your recipes and presentations! Have a great day! Trish
Posted by: Trish | July 14th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Wow, it all looks so beautiful, especially the pictures of your vegetable garden! Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Adrienne | July 14th, 2009 at 10:09 am
A busy day ahead! I thought that I could smell the dishes coming through the computer. So beautiful! The shade garden is lovely. Thank you for sharing! Off to a luncheon in Cambridge.. I will learn how to do pictures from a neighbor of my community garden this week... I took pictures of her in her garden and they look great on her facebook..so she will mentor and show me. Have fun in Brimfield tomorrow. I hope to go as well if my schedule can bend a little!
Posted by: Teresa Touey | July 14th, 2009 at 10:31 am
For Joseph Brennan - Purple cauliflower does, indeed, taste much like the white variety with a pleasant nutty overtone.
Posted by: Martha Stewart | July 14th, 2009 at 11:38 am
For Andreaandweims - It sounds like you have quite a fruit orchard. Presently, I only have apple trees growing on my farm. I do, however, miss the sour cherries and peaches which did so well at my home on Turkey Hill.
Posted by: Martha Stewart | July 14th, 2009 at 11:43 am
What an incredible property! And, such delicious looking food...the colors are amazing. Right about now...how i wish i could be in that space!
Posted by: sherey | July 14th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Martha, the luncheon looks so delicious. My Mother just loved peas with pasta. Everything is so lovely. Your Lily Pond is so pretty. My blackberries are just beginning to ripen and so are the wild ones by my woods.
Posted by: Pam from Indiana | July 14th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
What's not to like? Beautiful!
Posted by: Ellen | July 14th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I saw your post on twitter and had to come look.
I just picked an ichabod eggplant out of my garden - I'm fixing to eat it for lunch. Those are awesome.
Posted by: Kristi Gilleland | July 14th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Martha! Thank you for these pictures this morning. Just looking at the shade garden, I felt 10 degrees cooler.
QUESTION: I so admire how you keep so many households running and employ such a large and family-oriented group of professionals to do so. How many homes do you have, and do you have caretakers living at each residence to keep them running in your absence? As always, thanks!
Posted by: Kate | July 14th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Martha,
How does one get purple cauliflower?
Posted by: Mimi Klingstat | July 14th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
For Mimi Klingstat - You can find purple cauliflower in farmers markets. I purchased my seeds from http://www.johnnyseeds.com.
Posted by: Martha Stewart | July 14th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
And you've never once invited this handsome man and his son here? My goodness.
Posted by: Tom | July 14th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
oh my goodness, how GORGEOUS is that purple cauliflower??? if you ask me, there aren't enough purple vegetables!
love it!
Posted by: Mandy | July 14th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Wow what a colorful meal, looks delicious! I just picked up some beautiful purple radishes at the Islip farmer's market on Long Island. I love adding them to everything because not only are they delicious, crisp and refreshing but they add such beautiful color to all my meals.
Posted by: Kristen | July 14th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
What variety of Hornbeam do you have?
Posted by: Diana F. Spencer | July 14th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Wow, beautiful meal and setting. But...no meat??
Posted by: Liz B. | July 14th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
What glorious bounty from your garden, Martha! Everything is just so beautiful with color (and this doesn't EVEN describe everything to it's fullest!)...it is so fulfilling and satisfying to grow things from 'scratch', then prepare and display them on the table! The frittata and platter of tomatoes/fresh mozzarella are my choices, along with (two servings, please! - one of each!) the crisps. I mentioned in last summer's posts how beautiful produce is, on display in the markets - all the gorgeous colors of the bounty of the earth...I'm sure I'll reiterate it again and again! It, for the umpteenth time, is nourishment for the eyes, as well as the body and soul!
Your pool IS beautiful - a very restful setting, and I especially am drawn to the little hornbeam allee with the brick walkway tucked between. It seems I've seen this before, either in a previous blog, or in one of your books. I like it I like it!
Being a flower lover who does enjoy alot of color (and one to NOT need any particular color scheme), I am finding much solace and contentment in my own shade garden, albeit small-scale, outside my rear kitchen window. Along with some of nature's own ground cover (it's 'yuck!' to some, but it does the trick!) under a maple tree, I have my little hosta collection, along with some caladiums, coleus, coral bells and more. This little garden (I reiterate 'little') contains some birdbaths/feeders as well, and when wet-down after watering in the evening (and usually mid-day when I'm home), it is just soooo refreshing and soothing to my soul! Landscape lights illuminate the variegated leaves, too, in the darkness...I just love it so!
I'm glad the weather cooperated for you - it WAS a beautiful weekend. Hopefully, you're having a wonderful summer, making memories with the ones and things you hold dear.
=^..^=
"Come forth into the light of things, Let nature be your teacher."--William Wordsworth
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | July 14th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
For Diana F. Spencer - the type of hornbeam in my garden is called upright European hornbeam.
Posted by: Martha Stewart | July 14th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Lily Pond
Will I meet you by the driveway entrance at the double gate?
Behind the privacy hedge, I know you wont be late.
Let's take the old brick walkway,that hornbeams a shelter made.
If it's hot that day,we should make for the garden of shade.
Through an arched doorway with lattice standing by,
Headed for the beautiful pool, that makes you want to sigh.
We mustn't miss the large aloe urns,that flank the front stairs.
Martha's home in East Hampton,used for entertaining,she shares
Her time,talent,for dinners,parties,at this place called Lily Pond.
Veggies from her Bedford garden,she has waved her magic wand.
Pick a peck of purple cauli and buckets full of fresh green peas,
Curlicue pasta with oven roasted tomatoes,and more peas please.
Golden frittata (aka tortilla)with roasted garlic and peppers green.
A scrumptious platter of red ripe tomatoes,fit for a king or queen.
For dessert,one crisp of Bedford blueberries, a la patch.
One crisp a medley of peach,apricot and plum,what a batch.
For sure the guests must know,that fate was on their side.
A fabulous day with Martha,let their conscience be their guide.
There's no time for coffee,that's only in a dream.
And time is not endless,it vanishes like cream.
Posted by: celia stock | July 14th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
The vegetables, the meal and shade garden are beautiful. What a wonderful weekend you had!
Posted by: ryepye | July 14th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Martha,I really admired you,that talent and how you reach the whole world,in a calm and simple way...All this years you have been my inspiration,knowing that if we focus our energy stray forward,we are able to reach the Universe...and make our little dream a big reality... thanks so much,for been my idol...God bless you.Pedro Manuel j. Designer.
Posted by: Pedro Manuel Jewelry Designer. | July 14th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
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Appreciating Celia's verse as usual. Last two lines--sweet cream!
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Posted by: andreaandweims on Twitter | July 14th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I love the purple cauliflower! It looks so beautifully presented on the plate. I never saw it before. Also, the landscape of your shade garden is really nice. It's just thriving!
Posted by: Sherry | July 14th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
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Dear Traveler,
Wish I'd known you'd be in Brimfield up the road a piece. I have gorgeous, mounted arrowheads, tomahawks and banner stones I am letting go.
Thought of you along the way since we both had Indian tribes on our acreage. I, however, have the Norfolk Prison System arriving to plan grounds revitalization, sooo I'm captured for the afternoon!
Indian Pipes in July
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Posted by: andreaandweims on Twitter | July 14th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Thanks for sharing! If I had this property, I'd never leave it! Gorgeous!
Posted by: Mary Miller | July 15th, 2009 at 5:54 am
hai martha, i'm from malaysia nad really enjoy watching your program in TV. you looks so great with every single program in tv. you give a lot of information about food especially for me, i like have variety of food especially western food that less of cholesterol such a malaysian food.
Posted by: azam | July 15th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Hi Martha, Your weekend at Lily Pond sure looked like fun. Oh, how I wish I could have been there in person. Your pool is absolutely spectacular! I love all of your photos of the food you served. They looked spectacular,also! My favorite photos are your pool and the fabulous purple cauliflower and the fresh shelled peas! I could almost taste them. The peas remind me of when I was a kid and I helped my mom shell them for dinner. Nothing like home grown vegetables. Beautiful blog. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | July 15th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
frist i like to say ur great and beautiful. my question is a million to one shot, many moons ago, i went on a date with a gril who's name was martha from nutley nj she was very sweet and now as i go back in time you certainly rmind me of her it was a double date martha's girl friend had dark hair, im sure it was not you but i wish it were, it was a very friendly date. im from so-ho back than know as greenwich village nyc. thanks pizza mike
Posted by: mike urgo | July 19th, 2009 at 7:32 pm