Editor’s Letter

90

SWEETS FOR YOUR SWEETIE Eight homemade chocolate

treats that will make your loved ones swoon.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

96

PERSONAL EFFECTS

Creative ideas for giving

every room in your

home a signature touch.

104

HIT THE BOOKS!

Our guide to the most-anticipated titles of 2017, the best independent stores, and favorite reads from famous bookworms.

76

TRUE-BLUE WINNERS

Meet our American Made winners: 10 artisans and entrepreneurs from across the nation whose passion for making high-quality goods is sure to inspire future makers.

It wasn’t a toss-up! The founders of Sweetgreen— Jonathan Neman, Nicolas Jammet, and Nathaniel Ru—were hands-down American Made winners. Their farm-to-table restaurants are changing fast food forever.

13

FROM MARTHA

Sights on Success Our founder looks back at the exciting early days of her company.

19

GOOD THINGS

Valentine’s Day ideas, easy bites for winter get-togethers, cool décor, and more.

20

29

GOOD LIVING

The Palette Pale Pink + Café au Lait: Try a new (and oh-so-pretty) color combo. 29

The Well-Kept Home Clean It Like You Mean It: Our top tips and DIY secrets for tackling the kitchen. 30

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

46

Beauty Healing Waters: The right bath for your skin during the winter months. 36

Tastemaker The Fresh Face of Beauty: Glossier CEO Emily Weiss shares her must-haves. 40

Health The Surprising Power of Self-Compassion: Why being kind to yourself does wonders for your overall well-being. 42 Editors’ Picks Made in the USA: A selection of great goods from American makers. 46

Pets Creature Comforts: How to take care of your furry friends’ health. 48

Ask Martha A winter-emergency car kit, the best uses for rimmed baking sheets, and a primer on fair-trade chocolate. 52

36

61

EVERYDAY FOOD

Perfecting . . . Chicken Noodle Soup: The cold-weather staple, plus three twists. 61 What’s for Dinner? From the Hearth: Four satisfying meals that cook in the oven. 64

Healthy Appetite Citrus Stars: Grapefruit is a bright addition to winter recipes. 66 Easy Entertaining Super Bowls: Top dips for parties of any size. 70

IN EVERY ISSUE

Martha’s Winter 2 Editor’s Letter 8 Out & About 10 The Workbook 111 Collecting 116

On the Cover

Wow-worthy valentines for all your darlings. (For decorating how-tos, see page 19.) Photograph by Chelsea Cavanaugh.

61

EDITOR’S LETTER

A TIME TO START

THE BEGINNING of a new year always brims with excitement and potential; it feels like the perfect time to hit the reset button on life. But in practice, it’s often a challenging time to do so. The weather is colder, the gyms are crowded with everyone’s resolve, and the stress of trying to improve everything at once can be daunting. Instead of putting all that pressure on yourself to pounce on January 1 (or make that January 2), think of these first few weeks as the best time to look inward—and to plan, plot, and then pursue the things that will make life truly better and happier in 2017. (Losing 10 pounds doesn’t always have to be one of them.) If it’s a more inspiring career or new work chapter you’re after, be sure to read about our amazing Martha Stewart American Made winners, people who are pursuing their passions and finding great personal reward in them. If it’s more quality time with loved ones you want, check out our recipes for enhancing mealtimes and our tips for creating a home you can’t wait to share. Whatever you aspire to this year, we wish you lots of joy and success!

LIVING IN MY LIFE

Here, just a handful of ideas from our pages that I look forward to enlisting.

19

Our food editors dreamed up so many charming ideas for Valentine’s Day. I’ll make these cookies for my son, and surprise my husband with a treat from “Sweets for Your Sweetie” (page 90).

46

It’s never been easier to find highquality goods made in the U.S. See our Editors’ Picks, and visit our American Made store on Amazon (amzn.to/MSAM).

Elizabeth Graves

Editor in Chief

76

We spent months looking for the top makers in the country for our annual American Made awards. Knowing their stories makes me enjoy their beautiful products even more.

61

I’m adding this chicken noodle soup recipe to our repertoire. It’s so good and comforting on a cold day. 96

A place displaying all the latest trends is splashy, but the warmest homes, to me, are filled with the heart of their inhabitants. I love the personalized décor ideas in this story, and will be “updating” my walls with family pictures, like this sun-kissed one of my nephew and son.

IN OUR FEED

@annaremarchuk

We have a surefire way to make someone swoon on Valentine’s Day: Check out Anna Remarchuk, a Ukrainian photographer based in Kyiv, on Instagram. In her #envelope_series, you’ll find images of vintage stationery bursting open with fresh blooms. Follow her lead and send a truly flowery love letter.

Follow Us

@marthastewart

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Out&About

Where to go, what to see, and how to kick up your winter.

ON THE ROAD WASHINGTON, D.C.

Big changes are under way in the nation’s capital, but amid all the political buzz, take time for a vital history lesson. Last fall, the National Mall welcomed a new Smithsonian institution, 13 years in the making. Inside the building created by designer David Adjaye and architect Philip Freelon, you’ll find exhibits on the history of slavery and civil rights, art, and stories about the trailblazers and visionaries who have shaped our country.

National Museum of African American History & Culture nmaahc.si.edu

The wait at the 24-seat Bad Saint is worth it for a chance to feast on Filipino classics like sinigang (branzino, vegetable, and tamarind stew). badsaintdc.com

Set to open in March, the Line DC hotel will have 220 rooms and restaurants from top area chefs Spike Gjerde and Erik Bruner-Yang. thelinehoteldc.com

Stock up on ceramics, succulents, and cards at Little Leaf, the new sister shop to Union Market’s Salt & Sundry. shopsaltand sundry.com

AT OUR FINGERTIPS ELLEVATE NETWORK

If you’re looking to go nextlevel with your business in 2017, bookmark this organization’s website. Ellevate Network empowers female entrepreneurs to get the ball rolling on new endeavors by providing them with connections to other professionals. It runs worldwide networking events and twice-weekly webinar “jam sessions,” publishes articles on building a career on its website and newsletter, and produces a podcast and video series filled with tips and advice. The organization also invests capital to develop female-run businesses and promote gender diversity in the workplace. Visit the site for more information on how to join and partner up with them. ellevatenetwork.com

WIN $15,000!

Enter at marthastewart living.com/15kideas for your chance to win $15,000 to bring your ideas to life! For details, see page 114.

ON OUR BOOKSHELF FRESH INSPIRATION

This month’s picks ward off the winter blues with activities to brighten your surroundings and keep you busy. Bring the outdoors in by putting together one of the 30 projects in photographer Caitlin Atkinson’s Plant Craft (Timber Press, 2016)—she has a whimsical way with natural materials like foraged branches, cut flowers, and plants. Or invite friends for a family-style dinner with the help of Mozza at Home (Knopf, 2016). This collection features more than 150 comforting recipes by Los Angeles chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton. And if you’re in full-on nesting mode, get ideas for every room in your home from the photo-filled The Finer Things (Clarkson Potter, 2016), in which designer Christiane Lemieux examines the history of classic furniture, textiles, and other décor details.

FROM MARTHA

Teach and Inspire

I was in my early 20s when I took a job on Wall Street as an institutional stockbroker. I loved it!

SIGHTS ON SUCCESS

Martha shares how she turned her passion for all aspects of everyday living— cooking, gardening, entertaining, decorating, collecting, and crafting—into a thriving business empire that has made her a household name around the world.

How I Started

FROM MARTHA

The Chef, the Gardener, the Crafter From left: Even when I’m on vacation, I love to cook and bake; here I am in St. Barts many years ago, making pancakes in an open-air kitchen. Gardening has always been and always will be a major source of pleasure for me. In this last photo, I’m emulating the 19th-century itinerant wall painters and creating painted wallpaper at Turkey Hill.

HEN I AM ASKED how and when I knew I

Wwould build a very strong and influen- tial brand, I always say that it just “happened.” It happened, but not without years of hard work and dedication, not without constant retooling of my peculiar and intense self-education in all things that pique my curiosity, and not without complete immersion in the idea of home and the vast subject of what I call “living.”

Having a formal education was extremely important when I was starting out. Even if one had no specific career path, a college degree and even a graduate degree in law, architecture, or business were acknowledged advantages. I attended Barnard College, in New York City, majoring in history and architectural history. I also studied art, economics, and literature. After college I got a job on Wall Street, where I became an institutional stockbroker. The job taught me so much about what it takes to build a real business, a real company—a meaningful and useful enterprise.

Yet it was not until I left Wall Street that I discovered my true entrepreneurial bent. I loved ideas. I loved building. I loved creating. I loved making things that would enhance everyday living. And I loved making money as a result. I had established a thriving catering business, and less than a decade later published the best-selling book Entertaining. By 1990, I was the 49-year-old mother of a grown daughter, a divorcée, and I knew that I was onto something big. I’ve been dubbed a “late bloomer,” and I love the moniker. I published the first issue of Martha Stewart Living that year, and have been pursuing my dreams ever since.

I have always considered myself a teacher, and I firmly believe that I had to learn in order to teach. If I was to teach the art of quilling, for example, I researched the subject thoroughly to find out what quilling was and why it existed in the first place, and to discover why anyone would create veritable works of exquisite art using tiny strips of paper carefully rolled and glued into amazing shapes and forms. I apply this same level of rigor to everything I do. I get the greatest satisfaction when I hear that someone has learned a simple “good thing” from me, or a more complex procedure, such as how to plant a shade garden or rewire an antique lamp.

My curiosity knows no bounds. I continue to learn each and every day, and will continue to teach what I know to as many people as will listen.

KEYS TO SUCCESS

These are the words of advice I share time and time again. For more, pick up The Martha Rules (Rodale, 2005).

1. Build your success on something you love. 2. Focus your attention on the basic things that people need and want. 3. Create a business plan that allows you to stay true to your big idea and focus on the details. Then be flexible to change as it grows. 4. Teach so you can learn. 5. Use smart, cost-effective promotional techniques. 6. Strive for quality in every decision, every day. 7. Build an A-team. 8. So the pie isn’t perfect? Cut it into wedges. 9. Take risks, not chances. 10. Make it beautiful.

© 2016 CSC Brands LP.

How I Started

FROM MARTHA

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Never one to be content with the status quo, I am always looking for the next great idea and opportunity. Here’s a timeline of some important moments.

1960s

Commuting by subway from the Upper West Side to work on lower Broadway was part of my daily routine. 1970 1973 1982

Our first home, Turkey Hill, was in Westport, Connecticut.

After Wall Street, I started a catering company out of my kitchen. We made everything from scratch.

My TV show was awarded many Emmys over the years—18, to be exact!

I wrote my first book, Entertaining, in 1982. It was an important step in my life. I had found my niche, my voice.

1995 1995

Martha Stewart Weddings magazine came out in 1995. I visited the Clinton White House for our TV show, and hung a handmade wreath with First Lady Hillary Clinton. 1995 1990

The Martha Stewart Living TV show launched in 1993.

Martha Stewart Living published its inaugural issue. It was an instant success.

We started an exciting lifestyle product line with Kmart in 1997. 1999

MSLO went public on the New York Stock Exchange. It was a very important day in my life. 2011 2016 2016

Now in its seventh season, Martha Bakes airs on PBS.

The Martha Stewart Café opened in 2015.

Our 87th book, Vegetables, was published this past fall. We created a new TV show with VH1: Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party. It’s a hit!

GOOD THINGS

Fresh Ideas to Elevate the Everyday

MAKE & TAKE

STROKES OF GENIUS

The way to your valentines’ hearts may be through their stomachs, but play to their eyes, too. Our sugar cookies are super- simple to bake and decorate in a big batch (because we know you’ve got a lot of love to give). Turn the page for this chic technique, plus three more.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHELSEA CAVANAUGH TEXT BY ELENI N. GAGE

January/February

GOOD THINGS

More Sweet Techniques

The same three components— sugar-cookie hearts, royal icing, and food coloring—produce wildly different results depending on the decorating method you choose. Each is easy enough for a kid making treats for the class, and all create one-of-a-kind artworks. To ice the top, pour icing into a bowl, hold a cookie face down, and gently dip it in, letting excess drip off and tapping gently to remove bubbles. (For recipes, see page 111.)

QUICK CRAFT

Hey Ladies Kids will flip over these fun insects, which run and jump for joy. Adults will appreciate that they’re a candy-free V-Day alternative. Download our leaf template (at marthastewart .com/love-bugs), attach them with doublesided tape, and voilà— #cuteoverload.

Fun Express Flipping Wind-Up Lady Bugs, $18 for 12, amazon.com.

INTRODUCING CAFFÈ LATTE K-CUP® PODS Stir Sip Enjoy

January/February

GOOD THINGS

PERSONALIZE IT

A Touch of TLC

It’s a tall order to make kids’ winter accessories entirely from scratch, but it’s a snap to add a little sweetener. Warm their hearts (and hands) by sewing a trio of buttons onto each mitten. Stitch pom-poms along the edge of a scarf. Or follow the weave of a knit hat to overstitch a heart, initial, or any other shape.

Heart buttons, 60¢ each, mjtrim.com. Creatology pom-poms, $3 for 80, michaels.com.

PROVISIONS

Love Letters

To send your little one an edible lunchtime note, take two slices of bread (one white, one wheat) and use a large heart cookie cutter to shape a sandwich, then small letter ones to punch out a message. Fill the holes in each slice with the cutouts from the other, and look forward to extra hugs after school.

Rectangular stainless steel ECOlunchbox, $20, containerstore.com.

EDITORS’ FAVORITE

Down the Hatch

Our food department has fallen hard for Farmhouse Culture Gut Shot. Made in Watsonville, California, the concentrated flavors, such as the classic with cabbage and caraway seed, come from the by-product of the company’s sauerkraut, and can be stirred into vinaigrettes or soups, or swigged when you need a pick-meup ($6 each, whole foodsmarket.com).

Notch a V into strawberries when hulling them, and they’ll be heart-shaped when sliced. Serve them with Greek yogurt swirled with jam.

RECIPE REMIXES

Viewing Pleasures

We’ve turned go-to refreshments into A-list offerings, just in time for movie-awards and football season. (For recipes, see page 111.)

GOLDEN- GLOBE SHANDY

Why should the stars and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association have all the fun? Tip a glass with our wintry take on a summer sleeper hit that features cranberry-infused syrup.

SUPER- BOWL NACHOS

It’s hard to improve on this classic, but we did, by swapping in kettle chips and melted Gouda and blue cheese. Touchdown!

OSCARS POPCORN

The ultimate movie nosh dresses up in rich caramel and toasted black and white sesame seeds for Tinseltown’s big night.

Creative Juice Cafe striped party-favor popcorn boxes, $8 for 12, amazon.com.

January/February

GOOD THINGS

DIY DÉCOR

A New Light See la vie en rose—or lilac, or yellow, or any of the 25 shades of Solyx clear polyester films ($14 per ft., decorativefilm.com). Cut them to fit your window panes, peel off the liners, spray them with water, and press them onto the glass with a squeegee. You’ll regain the privacy you lost when the tree in front of your house shed its leaves—as well as create a pretty stained-glass effect that will brighten your home on the grayest days.