Easy Entertaining

January/February

EVERYDAY FOOD

We love a good chip, but there are plenty of other options to zip up your dipping experience. Turn the page for our picks.

easy entertaining

SUPER BOWLS

There are few foods as irresistible as a warm, gooey, deliciously cheesy dip— especially when you’re sharing it with friends while watching, say, an extremely important football game. Serve one of these quick and easy crowd pleasers—from a hearty ham-and-spinach dip to a spicy shrimp number—and you’ll be the MVP of any party.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ARMANDO RAFAEL

HAM-AND-SPINACH DIP

Active Time: 25 min. Total Time: 55 min. Serves: 6 to 8

This recipe calls for Black Forest ham, but feel free to get creative and substitute serrano, prosciutto, or your favorite. Also, use frozen spinach in lieu of fresh, because it’s equally yummy and a huge time-saver. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ small onion, finely chopped (½ cup) ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1½ cups whole milk, room temperature ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika, plus more for sprinkling ½ cup finely chopped Black Forest ham (2½ ounces) 1¼ cups shredded Manchego cheese (4 ounces) 1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add milk and whisk until mixture has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in paprika, ham, ¾ cup cheese, and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart baking dish. Top with remaining ½ cup cheese and sprinkle lightly with more paprika. Bake 10 minutes. Adjust oven to broil; broil until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and serve.

January/February

EVERYDAY FOOD

ROMESCOAND-BÛCHERON DIP

Active Time: 15 min. Total Time: 30 min. Serves: 6 to 8

If you can’t find Bûcheron, any other ripened goat cheese will work—even thin slices from a goat-cheese log. And we like to use the dip leftovers over scrambled eggs or a frittata. ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 to 2 slices rustic bread, torn into bite-size pieces (1 cup) 1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers in brine, drained (1¼ cups) ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 6 ounces Bûcheron, rind removed and discarded, sliced into 4 rounds (each about ¼ inch thick)

1. Preheat oven to 425°. In a food processor, pulse ¼ cup almonds with garlic until finely ground. Add bread, peppers, oil, and vinegar; purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake until bubbly, 15 minutes. Top with remaining ¼ cup almonds; serve immediately.

SPICY SHRIMP DIP

Active Time: 35 min. Total Time: 50 min. Serves: 6 to 8

Turn up the heat by keeping the seeds in the chiles. And if you’re using precooked shrimp, omit step 1— just peel and chop them, then add them in step 2. 1 pound shell-on medium shrimp 12 ounces cream cheese

3 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 to 3 serrano chiles, seeds removed, minced (¼ cup) ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper ½ cup panko, toasted 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 inches of water to a simmer. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 1 minute, 30 seconds. Immediately transfer to a colander and run under cold water to stop cooking. Peel and devein (for a how-to, see page 112), pat dry, and chop. 2. In a bowl, whisk together cream cheese, mayonnaise, and lime juice until smooth. Fold in shrimp, chiles, and 4 teaspoons cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart baking dish. Toss panko with remaining cilantro and oil; sprinkle evenly over dip. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; serve.

Party-Transport Tips

If you want to take any of our dips to a get-together, they can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Just assemble, then cover them in plastic. When it’s time to cook, remove the plastic and add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking times listed in the recipes. For the hamand-spinach dip, broiling time is still 3 minutes.

LITTLE DIPPERS

Your dip may be the star of the show, but it’s nothing without its supporting sides. Offer a mix of vegetables and carbs—the crunchier, the better—for a contrast in texture. We especially love crisp lettuce leaves and mini peppers because they have built-in scoops.

GEM LETTUCE LEAVES

BAGUETTE SLICES, DRIZZLED WITH OLIVE OIL AND TOASTED

LATE JULY CLASSIC RICH CRACKERS

$3.75 for 6 oz., wholefoods market.com. MINI BELL PEPPERS, HALVED AND SEEDED

CUCUMBER SLICES

FIREHOOK SEA SALT MEDITERRANEAN BAKED CRACKERS

$6 for 7 oz., vitacost.com.

CELEBRATING THE MAKERS

This October 21-22, artisans and entrepreneurs from across the country gathered for the 5th Annual Martha Stewart American Made Summit in New York City. This year’s honorees, in the fields of food, design, style, and crafts, were celebrated at the event. Hundreds of attendees participated in inspirational panels, talks and interview with industry icons, cooking classes, networking, shopping, and hands-on demonstrations—all hosted by the ultimate creative entrepreneur, Martha!

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1. Hundreds gathered to learn valuable insights from a series of speakers and panels, composed of small business experts, makers, entrepreneurs, and industry innovators 2. Martha Stewart and Jessica Alba, actress and founder of Honest Company, chatted about how to be a successful entrepreneur 3. The Martha Stewart American Made Market, sponsored by Handmade at Amazon, featured a variety of makers selling their one-of-a-kind products and goods 4. Martha Stewart and Jim Cramer, from the TV show “Mad Money,” chatted about funding your dreams and growing your business financially 5. Martha Stewart introduced the 2016 American Made honorees 6. Fashion Designers & Creative Directors Joseph Abboud and Zac Posen spoke about the business of American Fashion 7. Martha Stewart hosted a special lunch overlooking the Hudson River for gold and silver ticket buyers. 8. Martha Stewart stopped for photo by the 2016 Toyota Corolla 9. Martha Stewart and Geoffrey Zackarian hosted a Facebook Live, sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill, that taught fans at the event and online how to bake delicious cookies 10. The Libman Cleaning Crew worked throughout the day to keep the event nice and clean 11. Sarah Michelle Gellar spoke to attendees about her experience launching her new company Food Stirs 12. Martha Stewart spoke with Milk-Bone during a Facebook Live to discuss their 108 year history and Martha’s dogs even stopped by for a biscuit 13. Dena Molner, WOVNS, accepted her award as the first-ever Toyota Maker 14. At the Summit Closing Party, sponsored by MailChimp, attendees savored delicious food and drinks from American makers 15. Guest mixed their own creations at the Torani DIY flavored soda bar

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PRESENTED BY

THE BIG CHEESE

Opposite: The Uplands Cheese family includes (from left) Scott and Liana Mericka and their sons, Everett and Henry; Andy and Caitlin Hatch with their son, Augie, and daughter, Gillie; and dogs Clover and Marshall. This page: Seven days a week in the summer, the Hatches and Merickas produce 70 wheels of Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese, which is currently the most lauded cheese in America. They wash each by hand in brine to develop its complex flavors.

DAIRYLAND’S FINEST

Clockwise from top left: A favorite cow, long-lashed beauty Flor, has been “sort of a pet from day one,” says Andy Hatch. Andy Johnson, one of Uplands’ cheese makers, cuts curd to make Pleasant Ridge Reserve. Rounds of Rush Creek Reserve—a meaty, custardlike cheese wrapped in spruce bark—are produced in the fall, as the weather cools and the cows start eating hay. Blocks of Pleasant Ridge Reserve curd go into cheese hoops for pressing. the dairy darlings

UPLANDS CHEESE

Andy & Caitlin Hatch, Scott & Liana Mericka

DODGEVILLE, WISCONSIN

It takes real gumption to forge a new path in the cheese business. But that’s just what Andy Hatch and Scott Mericka did in 2014, when they took over a 300-acre farm west of Madison, Wisconsin. Dairy farming doesn’t exactly woo young people, especially those who didn’t grow up on their parents’ spread. But after apprenticing with Uplands’ original owners, Hatch and Mericka found ways to make indie farming work for their families—and to produce the country’s most-awarded cheese while they’re at it. The Merickas manage the herd: 150 cows carefully crossbred from nine breeds, including Guernseys, Jerseys, and Montbéliardes, to produce the grass-fed milk that is Uplands’ secret sauce. “It’s shockingly sweet at first, and finishes green, like fresh olive oil,” says Hatch. Meanwhile, his family oversees the cheese caves, where wheels of their pride and joy, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, dry-age. Its success has given them the flexibility to grow: They’ve also become known for rich, spreadable Rush Creek Reserve, made in the fall, and Hatch is now eyeing possibilities for late fall’s hay-fed milk. That creativity makes their lifestyle sustainable —and inspiring. Says Hatch, “We want to show young families that they can stay in dairy farming.” —Elyse Moody

the urban gardener

EAGLE STREET ROOFTOP FARM

Annie Novak

BROOKLYN

Scroll through Annie Novak’s Instagram feed and you’ll spot a recurring hashtag: #ilovemyjob. There’s no doubt about it— this farmer and educator follows her bliss full-time. “I’m lucky to do what suits, and feeds, my nature,” she says. A tireless advocate for organic gardening, Novak cofounded Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Brooklyn in 2009. In an area where the ground soil is too toxic to farm, she is cultivating plants on 6,000 square feet three stories above the street. Depending on the season, you’ll find a glorious array of vegetables (think chile peppers, kale, and microgreens) and cut flowers like calendula and cosmos, as well as chickens, bees, and even bunnies. Novak sells her produce on-site and to local restaurants, offers community workshops, and oversees volunteer apprentices, who learn about farming on the job. She also wrote The Rooftop Growing Guide (Ten Speed Press, 2016), manages the Edible Academy—a two-acre plot and forthcoming learning center at the New York Botanical Garden—and heads Growing Chefs, which works with schools to integrate gardening and cooking lessons into math and science curricula. Her schedule would exhaust the average person, but she insists she’s only getting started: “If you love what you’re doing, there’s no reason to stop.” —Melissa Ozawa

ABOVE AND BEYOND

This year, Novak has expanded her flower crop to see if she can grow it into a viable business. “It’s been fun, because it helps promote the American organic-flower industry,” she says. “It’s the next frontier in terms of how we readjust our relationship with plants and healthy farming.”

the petal couturiers

M&S SCHMALBERG FLOWERS

Warren Brand & Debra Brand

NEW YORK CITY

When Warren Brand visited his father’s business in New York City’s garment district as a kid in the 1960s, before much of the textile industry moved overseas, the area bustled with pushcarts and racks of fabrics and clothing shuttling between cutting rooms and factories. Most stores in the neighborhood produced and sold trimmings, but M&S Schmalberg, founded in 1916, made flowers—fabric flowers—from hand-dyed silk, wool tweed, exotic snakeskin, and other fine materials. Today, Warren, his son Adam, and Warren’s sister Debra oversee the intricate work, and Schmalberg is the last domestic manufacturer of its kind. Its exquisite blooms have appeared on designs by Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, and Carolina Herrera, to name a few. And while the company has moved through four Manhattan factories and expanded from womenswear and bridal to menswear (lapel pins are a top seller, Adam says, and Bono has worn one), its values have remained steadfast. A seasoned team of unionized workers—some have been with the company for more than 20 years—hand-cut, mold, and assemble the flowers using techniques Warren’s great-uncles developed a century ago. Clothing manufacturing may be slowly returning stateside, but as far as this business is concerned, Warren and his family are proud to say, it never left. —Frances Vigna THE LUSH LIFE

Above: Warren Brand and his son Adam are the third and fourth generations to operate the factory; original die cuts date back to the mid-19th century. Right: Silk roses, peonies, and other flowers for sale.

7 the ground leveler

GIRLS WHO CODE

Reshma Saujani

NEW YORK CITY

Reshma Saujani is on an important mission: to close the gender gap in the tech industry, by starting in the classroom. “It’s not enough for women to know how to use technology,” she says. “They also must know how to design and create it.” Girls Who Code, the nonprofit organization Saujani founded in 2012, teaches those very skills. She got the idea after visiting schools in New York City when she was running for Congress in 2010; she noticed that computer-science classes were nearly all-male. “We still live in a world where math and science are ‘for boys,’” she says. “Girls are picking up on this message and opting out at a very young age.” The organization provides free programming classes where girls from grades 6 to 12 can easily access them: in after-school clubs and summer immersion programs hosted by companies like Facebook, AT&T, and Microsoft. Today, it reaches 40,000 girls in all 50 states. “They’re using their new skills to solve problems in their cities, their country, their world,” Saujani says. “I truly believe that when girls learn code, they become change agents in their communities.” —M.O.

CODE) WHO (GIRLS SCRANTON JESSICA BETTER TOGETHER

“We foster a sense of sisterhood and belonging among the girls, and introduce them to mentors who work in positions they aspire to be in,” says Saujani.

the tree hugger

NYCITYSLAB

Robert Rising

YONKERS, NEW YORK

The seed for Robert Rising’s native- wood business, NYCitySlab, was planted during his 17-year run as a waiter at the Four Seasons Hotel, in Manhattan. “I’d hear clients talking about their summer homes in Martha’s Vineyard and the Hamptons and think, I want a summer home!” he recalls. In 2003, Rising bought a plot upstate and framed his dream house, but couldn’t find the local wood he wanted for the interiors. So he began buying planks from sheet-cutting yards where fallen trees were being pulverized into mulch, and then bought his own machine and learned from YouTube how to cut them himself. Eventually, he started selling slabs on Craigslist, pivoting from “milling to making tables.” In 2012, after Hurricane Sandy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers offered to pay Rising to help remove roughly 125 trees destroyed in the storm and destined for landfills. He turned those logs into stunning furniture and fixtures; word spread, and two years ago, he officially quit his day job. Now his clients include restaurants, hotels, and corporate spaces, including the new Coach headquarters in Manhattan. “We never cut trees for profit— every one has to come down because it’s old, dangerous, or a nuisance, and I document where it comes from,” he says. “We still do the essence of what built us.” —Jennifer Tung

WOOD WORK

the art advocates

21C MUSEUM HOTELS

Laura Lee Brown & Steve Wilson

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

When Kentuckians Laura Lee Brown and her husband, Steve Wilson, set out to spark commerce in downtown Louisville, they enlisted an unlikely tool: contemporary art. In the minds of these lifelong collectors, exposure to culture is a basic human right, and they’re providing it with 21c Museum Hotels. The first boutique property opened in Louisville in 2006; there are now six, in places like Oklahoma City and Durham, North Carolina, with more to open soon in Miami, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Kansas City, Kansas. “We go where we can make a difference,” says Brown. Each has free gallery areas, open 365 days a year, featuring thought-provoking works in every available space, even elevators and bathrooms, by the likes of Kehinde Wiley and Alexandre Arrechea. Collectively, the hotels have hosted almost 100 exhibits and are home to 50 sitespecific works. Conservation is another focus: Almost all are set in restored historic buildings (a hardware store and a Ford Motor Company assembly plant, among others). “At first I thought we couldn’t do more than one because we’re so much about individuality,” says Wilson. “But we discovered the architecture dictates the character of the hotels, and the art binds them together. We feel good about the fact that we can make a thriving business out of something so creative.” —Brooke Porter Katz EYE CANDY

Act of Faith, a work by American artist Brian Paumier, at the 21c Museum Hotel in Durham.

the fruit whisperers

HARRY’S BERRIES

Molly & Rick Gean

OXNARD, CALIFORNIA

One bite of a Harry’s Berries strawberry—sweet, tart, fragrant, juicy, and red through and through— tells you why this farm has a cult following in food circles. (Most supermarket kinds are bred not for flavor but to travel long distances and sit on grocery shelves.) But there’s another big reason: Since thin-skinned strawberries readily absorb pesticides and chemicals, Harry’s Berries is dedicated to growing them organically. Owner Molly Gean and her family, including her husband, three children, grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews, are carrying on the tradition of Gean’s father, Harry Iwamoto, who planted the first seeds in Oxnard, California, in 1966 after emigrating from Japan. Fifty years later, the 57-acre farm is bordered by wildflowers, which provide habitat for the beneficial insects used to combat pests; nitrogen-rich cover crops, like cowpeas, help feed the soil. The family also keeps the fields healthy by diversifying what they grow, planting haricots verts and yellow romano beans as well as tomatoes. The Geans sell mostly at local farmers’ markets, where they’ve gotten close to their customers and loyal area chefs. “We’ve had a whole generation of kids grow up on our food,” says Gean, who adds that while more and more small farms around the country are being folded into big ones, this tribe is determined to stay solo: “Farming is not just an occupation,” she says. “It’s our family heritage.” —M.O. JUST PICKED

Above: Molly and her husband, Rick Gean, with their son Kris. Right: They sell their prized strawberries at farm- ers’ markets in the Los Angeles area and in select shops across the country, like Eataly in New York City, and HyVee grocery stores in the Midwest.

the ethical anglers

LOKI FISH COMPANY

Pete Knutson & Hing Lau Ng

SEATTLE

Decades before the localfood movement hit the mainstream, Seattle native Pete Knutson envisioned a gentler, more sustainable way to get seafood from ocean to plate. A rebel at heart (he was expelled from Stanford for protesting the Vietnam War, but returned to get his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology), Knutson worked on big fishing boats to pay for college and didn’t like the way they handled their catch. “My dad became alienated— you might pull 20,000 pounds in one set, and most of it gets smushed,” says his young- er son, Dylan. “So in 1979, he and my mom bought the Loki.” The Loki is a 38-foot gill-netting boat that Pete ran to the waters of southern Alaska and Puget Sound. Nearly 40 years later, the family still operates its wholesale and retail business out of Seattle, and sells fresh, smoked, and canned wild salmon at four local farmers’ markets (and via mail order, at lokifish.com). And the fish are as unprocessed as ever: “We dress them on board and immerse them in 30-degree seawater so they get shock-chilled,” Dylan says. “The faster you handle them, the more pristine they stay.” —J.T.

A FRESH CATCH

The Loki Fish family (clockwise from left): mom Hing Lau Ng, Pete Knutson, and sons Jonah and Dylan. They harvest more than 100,000 pounds of wild salmon and halibut a year.

the salad spinners

SWEETGREEN

Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman & Nathaniel Ru

LOS ANGELES

Pizza, burgers, fries—the typical college diet is far from nutritious. But rather than just moan and groan about the lack of healthy, convenient options around, Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman, and Nathaniel Ru, then juniors at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., launched Sweetgreen. It’s been nearly 10 years since the first location of their fast-casual concept began serving wallet-friendly seasonal salads near campus; today, there are more than 60 in eight states, with six more in the works. “We wanted to create a clean, transparent dining experience and celebrate food that’s good for you,” says Jammet. They’ve achieved that by building local supply chains and sourcing ingredients from nearby farms—currently 2,000 of them. “Our relationships with farmers allow us to experiment,” Jammet says—which is why customers in Boston recently found hubbard squash in their salads instead of butternut. Design is also a key part of the trio’s ethos. All outposts have a spare look and open kitchens, and details like extra space for strollers reflect the needs of the communities they serve. The com- pany hopes to impact the next generation through its Sweetgreen in Schools program, which has reached more than a thousand students through hands-on wellness workshops. These forward-looking touches set Sweetgreen apart, but Jammet describes them humbly: “There’s no secret formula—it’s just a new way of thinking about food and creating access to it.” —B.P.K. VEGGING OUT

From left: Sweetgreen founders Ru, Neman, and Jammet. Customers see staff prepping local ingredients from start to finish.

JEAN GENIE

Clockwise from top left: Bellos makes sustainable plant-based dye in Tennessee. After the indigo is harvested, it’s brought to her factory, which was formerly used to process tobacco. The leaves are turned into a powdered dye via Bellos’s accelerated technique. The dye is then shipped to denim mills. the indigo girl

STONY CREEK COLORS

Sarah Bellos

NASHVILLE

At just 34 years old, Sarah Bellos is trying to revolutionize the fashion industry, starting with the most ubiquitous piece of clothing around: your denim. “For the past 100 years, we’ve been wearing jeans dyed with synthetic colors made from petroleum and hazardous chemicals,” she says. “It’s time for a change.” In 2012 she founded Stony Creek Colors, a company devoted to making plant-based dyes on a commercial scale. While the traditional natural dye-making process can take over a year, this graduate of the Cornell University College of Agriculture masterminded an accelerated process. “We start with the plant in the morning and have dye by the end of the day,” says Bellos, who works with local farmers, many of them former tobacco growers looking for an alternative crop, to plant and harvest indigo for her. She now supplies denim lines such as Citizens of Humanity, 3x1, and Taylor Stitch, with more deals signed but not yet announced. “By 2020, we plan to replace 1 percent of synthetic indigo with our dye—that’s millions of pounds of chemicals made from petroleum with dyes made renewably and naturally from plants,” she says. Now that’s our kind of American dream. —Natalie Warady

chocolate- caramel truffles

SWEETS FOR YOUR SWEETIE

A box of chocolates is anything but cliché when they are handmade with love and heart-meltingly gorgeous. These eight creations taste as delicious as they look—and they’re sure to surprise and delight.

dark- and white- chocolate shortbread hearts

LOVE BITES

Chocolate-caramel truffles are a Valentine’s Day triple threat. They’re amazingly quick to make (the mixture comes together in 10 minutes), long-lasting (they keep in the fridge for weeks), and beyond divine. Inspired by brigadeiros, the supersweet Brazilian dulce de leche treats, these beauties enlist bitter chocolate and cocoa to balance out the rich condensed milk; then they’re rolled in cheery sprinkles. For recipes, see page 112.

HYPNOTIC HEARTS

These striking shortbread cookies were made with two doughs: one flavored with cocoa and espresso powder, and the other with white chocolate. Using a set of nested cookie cutters, we stamped out heart shapes in descending sizes and fit them together like puzzles before baking (the smallest one is solid). For crisp lines, chill the dough twice— after cutting and after assembling.

no-bake chocolate–peanut butter cup bars

DECADENCE, SQUARED

Our creamy no-bake bars are the sophisticated older sisters of peanut butter cups. Use a smooth supermarket PB rather than chunky, which won’t have the same melt-in- your-mouth effect. The swirly-heart designs look fancy, but they’re simple to create. Just dot the chocolate surface with spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture and drag a tooth- pick through them.

PARTY IN A BOX

Think of puppy chow as the dessert version of Chex Mix, that crunchy, addictive childhood snack. Also referred to as muddy buddies, the classic recipe calls for chocolate and peanut butter; however, we’ve replaced the latter with Nutella for a grown-up hazelnut twist. And instead of dusting it only with confectioners’ sugar, we added unsweetened cocoa powder to the coating.

hazelnut puppy chow

chocolate- dipped Luxardo cherries

BON(BON) MOTS

To make chocolates like a pro, you need to master one skill: tempering, which is the process of heating and cooling chocolate to particular temperatures (for instructions, see page 114). The result is a snappy texture and a glossy sheen that’s showcased in these charming peppermint patties, marshmallow- pretzel-almond rounds, and Luxardo-cherry truffles.

THE DETAILS: Gold candy inserts, from 35¢ each, nycake .com. Gold gift boxes, from $6 each, paperpresentation.com.

chocolate- peppermint hearts

CRUNCH TIME

Turtles—caramel, nut, and chocolate clusters—are a candy-shop classic, but they can be time-consuming in the kitchen. We remixed the ingredients into an easy toffee studded with pecans and drizzled with chocolate. Toast the nuts to a very deep brown to punch up their flavor, and sprinkle them over the hot toffee right away to ensure that they stick.

turtle brittle

The marigold and white lines of this abstract, art deco–inspired design (a notso-obvious letter H ) stand out on a classic gray front door.

DIY TIP

PERSONAL EFFECTS

The most striking—and memorable—homes reflect the unique people who inhabit them. Add your style to everything from your front door to your fireplace with our customizable ideas that will fill every single room with heart and soul.

Photographs by Stephen Kent Johnson Text by Sara Morrow

DIY TIP

For easy and stable stenciling, flip chairs over onto a drop cloth (just don’t forget you ’re working upside down!).

Put your name on it

WELCOME THEM

Greet guests with an artful rendition of your last initial. For this bright monogram, we ordered a custom design from Designer Stencils, which will create a personalized letter in any style based on a sketch, photo, or example you submit. We chose a bold orange paint to emphasize the crisp geometric pattern.

THE DETAILS Custom stencil, from $15.50, designerstencils.com. Martha Stewart Crafts multisurface satin acrylic craft paints, in Pumpkin and Lake Fog, $2.50 for 2 oz., michaels.com. Behr exterior paint, in Elephant Skin, homedepot.com.

ASSIGN SEATS

Everyone gravitates toward a specific chair at the table, so make those spots official. Starting with the middle letter of each name, affix stencils to the center of chair backs. Fill in the letters with a stencil brush, let the paint dry, and work your way outward.

THE DETAILS Serena & Lily Tucker chairs, in Geranium, $188 each, serenaandlily.com. Martha Stewart Crafts Typewriter stencil set, $8; and multisurface satin acrylic craft paint, in Wedding Cake, $7 for 2 oz., michaels.com.

DIY TIP

Choose art that’ s roughly the size of the firebox, in a color that plays up your accent paint.

Spotlight your signature color

GO BIG

If your favorite hue is a strong one, don’t shy away from it; use it to make a room’s focal point pop. After covering this fireplace with a primer tinted the same color (which helps deliver a vibrant finish with fewer coats of paint), we brushed on a cobalt shade to turn ho-hum woodwork into a work of art . This trick can also transform trim and hallways.

THE DETAILS Parima Studio “Lula” art print in white wooden frame, 30" by 40", $354, minted.com. Benjamin Moore interior paint, in Southern Belle, benjaminmoore.com.

GET EDGY

In places where you want a less-is-more effect, paint the edges of a desk, a table, or even bookshelves with a thin sliver of a punchy hue that piques your interest. For extra credit, we gave this lamp’s dome a matching upgrade with spray paint.

THE DETAILS France & Søn Standard chair, in Red, $235, france andson.com. Sherwin-Williams interior paint, in Habanero Chile, sherwin-williams.com. Krylon ColorMaster gloss enamel spray paint, in Banner Red, $7 for 12 oz., michaels.com.

Rim your desk’ s top with painters’ tape and rub it hard with a credit card to ensure you get a strong seal and sharp lines.

DIY TIP

DIY TIP

Since the floating shelves hide the wallpaper edges, there’s no need to be ultraprecise about trimming it to line up perfectly.

Trim the fabric so it wraps around the lamp shade, allowing an inch or so of excess on top and bottom; then lay the fabric finished-side down, spray it with multipur- pose spray adhesive, and carefully roll the shade over the fabric, folding in the excess as you go.

DIY TIP

Play with a favorite pattern

PANEL IT

Why pick just one wallpaper if you love many? Simply keep the palette cohesive and any prints can work together when used to line open shelving.

THE DETAILS Peter Fasano Woodblock Collection wallpaper, in (from top) Piccha, Pintade, Ravi, and Jaya, from $147 for 5 yd., peter fasano.com. IKEA Lack wall shelves, in Birch Effect, $15 each, ikea.com. Covered bowls (top shelf), from $35 each, sarahkersten.com. Blueand-white ceramic bowls (similar to shown), from $8 each, pearlriver .com. Hobnail cast-iron teapot, $70, teavana.com. ABC Carpet & Home Cocina tumblers, in Ivory, $25 each, abchome.com.

TAKE COVER

Mix and match textiles in similar motifs to give a bedroom serious style. A custom cover adorns this basic upholstered headboard, and a bolster seconds the statement. A third print on the lamp and bedside table (we used multipurpose spray adhesive to attach it to the face of the drawer) makes the diverse patterns feel deliberate.

THE DETAILS Farrow & Ball interior paint, in Plummett, us.farrowball.com. Kravet Echo Design Bansuri fabric, in Slate (on headboard), $39 a yd., calicocorners.com. Mood Fabrics Spanish Orange Geometric woven fabric, $40 a yd., moodfabrics.com. Quadrille China Seas II Blue Ikat fabric, in Camel Chocolate on Tint, $162 a yd., quadrillefabrics .com. Garnet Hill Eileen Fisher Washed Linen Collection sheets and pillowcases, in Muslin, from $78, and Rippled organic-cotton coverlet and shams, in Sea Salt, from $98, garnethill.com. Threshold Wren accent lamp, in Cream, $35, target.com.

Colorful, easy- to-remove washi tape lets you switch up your kids’ artwork regularly.

DIY TIP

Put family front and center

SHOW THEIR TRUE COLORS

Draw décor inspiration for a playroom or reading nook from the little ones who use it the most. We scanned two kids’ paintings and had them enlarged and printed on heavy-duty linen; then we fashioned them into oversize floor pillows.

THE DETAILS Linen Cotton Canvas Ultra fabric, $27 a yd., spoonflower.com.

EXPRESS YOUR EMOTIONS

To create a gallery of your happiest memories, gather your favorite vacation photos and experiment with a variety of crops. Zoom in on faces, for instance, and play up natural elements like sky and sand. First, hang an anchor image (in this case, the big photo printed on canvas) slightly off-center, and build an organic outer border with the remaining pieces.

THE DETAILS Krylon ColorMaster gloss enamel spray paint (on frames), in Classic Gray, $7 for 12 oz., michaels.com. CanvasPop custom print, 24" by 24" by 1½", originally $139, now 40 percent off for readers with code MARTHASTEWART40, canvaspop.com.

DIY TIP

Framing isn’t just for photos: Mount objects with sentimental value—like vintage ceramics too special for everyday use—rather than storing them away.

P HOTOGRAP HS BY Paul Sirisalee / TE X T BY Melissa Ozawa / ILLUSTRATIONS BY Michael Kirkham

HIT THE BOOKS!

If there’s one resolution we can keep this year, it’s to spend less time scrolling and more time reading. Books have the power to transport, entertain, enlighten, inspire, and comfort— and sometimes one page-turner does all of the above. So whether you devour fiction or history, sci-fi or self-help, start the year with a rich list. Turn the page for life-changing picks from artists, influencers, and tastemakers, as well as titles to anticipate and a coast-to-coast guide to indie bookstores we love.

READS THAT RESONATE

We asked a comedian, a chef, a poet, a novelist, an entrepreneur, a seasoned gardener, and our own Martha for the tattered, dog-eared volumes that have moved them beyond words.

TREVOR NOAH

TheDaily Show host and author of the new memoir Born a Crime

The Bible | “In my childhood, church was every Sunday, and every Sunday was church. My mother didn’t allow R-rated action movies; the Bible was my action movie.” The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis | “Being a mixed-race kid under apartheid, I wasn’t allowed outside much, because my very existence was a crime. I lived in my head, and I loved fantasy books—anything with imaginary worlds where I could get lost.” Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela | “Mandela was as great a writer as he was a leader.” Born Standing Up, by Steve Martin | “Probably the best memoir about the life and craft of a stand-up comedian.” To Quote Myself, by Khaya Dlanga | “Khaya is one of the great South African writers of my generation. His memoir is a fantastic look at life in the country today.”

JUDY BLUME

Iconic author of children’s and adult novels who has sold more than 85 million copies of her books

Them, by Joyce Carol Oates | “I had two small children. They were playing in the backyard sandbox. It was summer. Bathtime came and went, suppertime came and went. But I could not put down this book. It was unlike anything I’d ever read. When my then-husband came home and found me reading and the children still playing outside, he was not happy. But I was.” Prep, by Curtis Sittenfeld | “My daughter told me I had to read this book. And she was right. Sittenfeld’s debut novel is one of the best and funniest (if you can stand the heartache) coming-of-age stories ever told.”

American Pastoral, by Philip Roth | “One of my go-to novels for inspiration. It never fails to amaze me.”

MARCUS SAMUELSSON

James Beard Award–winning chef and author, most recently of The Red Rooster Cookbook

The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Malcolm X, as told to Alex Haley “I find him fascinating, and his influence on the black rights movement was so significant.” Charlie Trotter’s, by Charlie Trotter “One of my favorite cookbooks; I love how layered and complex it is.” Go Tell It on the Mountain, by James Baldwin “This was one of the first books I read when I moved to New York City.”

DOMINIQUE BROWNING

Book author and senior director and co-founder of Moms Clean Air Force, a program of the Environmental Defense Fund

Merry Hall trilogy, by Beverley Nichols | “These books set the stage for the best garden writing of all: the kind that connects with what it’s really all about—love, laughter, revenge, solace, you name it.” We Made a Garden, by Margery Fish | “Written in 1956 about an English garden Mr. and Mrs. Fish created and tended together, it is as much about their marriage, and the negotiation of boundaries, as it is about borders.” The Gardener’s Bed Book, by Richardson Wright | “A delight, meant to be read at the end of a long day of work (in office or pasture). Each of the 365 essays is charming; many are funny or poignant.” Green Thoughts, by Eleanor Perenyi | “This is the book that got me started down the garden path. Perenyi is an elegant, witty, intelligent, wry, and compassionate writer, who also loved to cook and eat what came out of her garden. Recipes included!”

RANDI ZUCKERBERG

New York Times best-selling author of DotUncomplicated and founder/CEO of Zuckerberg Media

Me, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being, by Brian Little | “This book is for people like me who are actually introverts (shocker!) and have learned to act like extroverts to pursue their goals and succeed in the workplace.” Find Your Extraordinary: Dream Bigger, Live Happier, and Achieve Success on Your Own Terms, by Jessica Herrin | “An inspirational book on entrepreneurial success and leadership from the amazing female founder of Stella & Dot.”

Overwhelmed: How to Work, Love, and Play When Nobody Has Time, by Brigid Schulte | “In this age of overconnectivity, the first thing that vanishes is our ability to put down our device and play and be creative. Read this if you want to bring more fun, creativity, and play into your life in order to be happier and inspire better ideas.”

JUAN FELIPE HERRERA

The U.S. poet laureate, and author of several books, most recently Notes on the Assemblage

Complete Works, by Federico Garcia Lorca | “I first read this when I was an undergrad and noticed the words; the dreamlike, liquid images; and the haunting music and inner rhythms of each poem. I followed his embers for decades.” The Survivor, by Tadeusz Rózewicz | “Written by one of the great postwar Polish poets, this book is most present, most alarming, most piercing.” Snake Poems, by Francisco X. Alarcón | “I hold up this book to everyone I meet. It stands out and moves me beyond casual reading into the realm of deep ‘invocation,’ a kind of quantum imagination.” The Poet, the Lion, Talking Pictures, El Farolito, a Wedding in St. Roch, the Big Box Store, the Warp in the Mirror, Spring, Midnights, Fire & All, by C. D. Wright | “Hold her book. See things, think things, notice and document things: the poets, the questions, the mind and its images, writing, art, and all of us, here and never, in an unexpected meeting, of deep, clear, life arrangements.”

PAGE-TURNERS FOR 2017

As executive director of the National Book Foundation, Lisa Lucas gets a sneak peek at everything coming down the pipeline. (Lucky woman!) Take note of the titles she’s most excited to lose herself in this year, and remember: It’s never too early to pre-order.

Difficult Women, by Roxane Gay with bated breath for his first novel, which is 1 9 Augustown, by Kei Miller (Grove Press, January) inspired by President (Pantheon, May) “I cannot wait for this story Lincoln’s reaction to his “Set in the backlands of collection, which I hope son Willie’s death.” Jamaica, this is a magical is chock-full plex, strong, of the comunexpected, 5 All Grown Up, by Jami Attenberg and haunting novel of one woman’s struggle and wonderful female (HMH, March) to rise above the concharacters Gay’s so good “Attenberg knows how straints of history, race, at capturing and cele- to make a reader laugh class, collective memory, brating on the page.” and feel. This novel takes violence, and myth. 2 A Separation, by Katie Kitamura a hard look at means to be what it a woman Miller’s storytelling is moving, poetic, and (Riverhead, February) living on her own terms.” inventive.” “This novel I love in a has everything book: love, 6 White Tears, by Hari Kunzru 10 Blind Spot, by Teju Cole loss, a journey, and stun- (Knopf, March) (Random House, June) ning writing.” “The blues, friendship, and “Cole’s fiction and essays 3 Animals Strike Curious Poses, race explored in I’m super-sold.” a novel? are incredible, and beautiful; unexpected, he’s also by Elena Passarello (Sarabande, February) “Passarello is brilliant, and these essays exploring famous animals that have been named and immortalized by humans look like they will not A Little More Human, by Fiona Maazel (Graywolf, April) “I absolutely loved her dark and funny Woke Up Lonely and can’t wait to dive into her third novel.” 7 a spectacular photographer. His first collection of photographs, each image accompanied by his stunning prose, promises to show us the world through his eyes, which always seem disappoint in intelligence, quirkiness, and delight.” 8 Imagine Wanting Only This, to see things new light.” in a brilliant by Kristen Radtke 4 Lincoln in the Bardo, by George (Pantheon, April) “Starting off with the death Saunders (Random of her uncle and the House, February) sight of an abandoned “Saunders is one of my mining town, Radtke’s favorite writers, and every- gorgeous, graphic memone I know is waiting oir ponders ruins and the people and places that are left behind.”

MARTHA STEWART

Our founder and the author of more than 80 books

One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez | “It is difficult to believe it was 46 years ago that I discovered this novelist and his masterpiece. To this day, I envy anyone who hasn’t yet read it; they have an amazing treat in store.”

Romola, by George Eliot | “Learn about the de Medici family, the Renaissance, and the life of a woman in 15th-century Florence in this introspective novel that incorporates historical figures and actual events.” My Antonia, by Willa Cather | “Beautifully written, this eloquent book delves into the challenges and vicissitudes of prairie immigrant life at the end of the 19th century. It makes one dream.”

The Queen’s Necklace, by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet | “Picturesque, descriptive, and historical, this novel is full of intrigue and cunning about the court of Louis XVI.”

TAKE A BOOK, LEAVE A BOOK

That’s the motto of the Little Free Library (littlefreelibrary.org), a community-driven free-book exchange started in Wisconsin in 2009 by Todd Bol. As a tribute to his mother, a former teacher, he built a wooden box shaped like a one-room schoolhouse and filled it with volumes for his neighbors to enjoy (and add to). Today there are more than 50,000 such “libraries” around the world. Order a premade one or a kit (from $150), and start spreading the word.

PALMER, AK

Fireside Books

Rare Finds

Whether you’re looking for a used first edition or a hard-to-find collectible, James Goldwasser, owner of Locus Solus Rare Books (locussolusrarebooks .com), has the ins and outs of how to track down special books.

WHERE TO LOOK

Buy the best version of a book you can afford. Abaa.org offers only items from members of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA), meaning quality and satisfaction are guaranteed. The selection on AbeBooks.com, owned by Amazon, is vast and uncurated, so you can find everything from inexpensive paperbacks to valuable rarities. And Vialibri .net aggregates all sites into a single search.

WHAT TO KNOW

Beware of online shenanigans. Use advanced search options (such as first or signed editions) to focus your results, and opt for reputable dealers, such as members of the ABAA or those with good references.

HOW TO CARE

Keep books out of direct sunlight so they don’t fade, and avoid extreme heat and humidity. No matter how often you clean, books attract dust. Carefully wipe them with a soft cloth or chamois, such as a Dust Bunny dust cloth ($10, gaylord.com).

W H AT A M ER I CA’ S READ I NG

The Elliott Bay Book Company

PORTLAND, OR

Powell’ s Books

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

City Lights

BERKELEY, CA

Mrs. Dalloway’ s Bookstore

Bookworks

2016 was a big year for twisty thrillers, historical fiction, tearjerkers, and—no surprise—a wizard named Harry, according to Amazon’s top Kindle sellers of the year (through last November). Join the crowd and order up a little escape.

Booked Up, Inc., owned by Larry McMurtry

HOUSTON, TX

Brazos Bookstore

The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins The Girl in the Ice, Robert Bryndza Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, J. K. Rowling

BE INDEPENDENT

When you shop at your neighborhood bookstore, you support your local economy and also join a community that cares deeply about the written word. Behold our list; for a shop near you, go to indiebound.com.

Birchbark Books, owned by Louise Erdrich

MANCHESTER CENTER, VT

Northshire Bookstore

TRAVERSE CITY, MI

Brilliant Books

BUFFALO, NY

Talking Leaves Books

NARROWSBURG, NY

One Grand Books

BLUE HILL, ME

Red Gap Rare Antiquarian Books, co-owned by Jonathan Lethem

CAMBRIDGE, MA

The Grolier Poetry Book Shop

IOWA CITY, IA

Prairie Lights Women and Children First

WASHINGTON, DC NEW YORK, NY

Three Lives & Company McNally Jackson

Books of Wonder

Idlewild Books

Kitchen Arts & Letters

Dashwood Books BROOKLYN, NY Greenlight Bookstore

ST. LOUIS, MO Left Bank Books

NASHVILLE, TN

Parnassus Books, co-owned by Ann Patchett

OXFORD, MS

Square Books

NEW ORLEANS, LA

Octavia Books

FAIRHOPE, AL

Page and Palette

ASHEVILLE, NC Malaprop’ s Bookstore

CHARLESTON, SC

Blue Bicycle Books

KEY WEST, FL

Books & Books, co-owned by Judy Blume

The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah Me Before You, Jojo Moyes

DOWNLOAD THIS

Whether you’ve read on a Kindle, Kobo, or iPad for years or you’re just transitioning from paper to screen, up your digital game with these apps and services.

REVISIT THE LIBRARY The free Overdrive app connects you to your local branch. Log in with your library-card number and you can borrow e-books, audiobooks, and videos. STAY TUNED The latest trend in e-books is serialization, according to Michael Kozlowski, editor in chief of the blog GoodEreader.com. Like Charles Dickens, who published his novels in monthly installments, the free Pigeonhole app is a virtual book club, sending daily passages and bonus content (interviews with authors, playlists, photographs) to facilitate reading-group discussions. REDISCOVER THE CLASSICS Want to carry the complete works of Shakespeare without lugging around a 20-pound tome? Download them for free through Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org), a volunteer-run website of public-domain books. GET WELL VERSED Sign up for the poem of the day from the Academy of American Poets (poets.org). SIMPLY LISTEN “Audiobooks are the fastestgrowing segment in publishing,” says Kozlowski. Sites like Audible.com, Downpour.com, and Audiobooks.com are bringing books to life in full sound, with A-list celebrity narrators such as Natalie Portman, Morgan Freeman, and Colin Firth.

THE WORKBOOK

Recipes From This Issue

Good Things

PAGE 19

SUGAR-COOKIE HEARTS

Active Time: 1 hr. 30 min. Total Time: 2 hr. Makes: 2 dozen

Rolling the dough between two sheets of floured parchment keeps it from sticking to the rolling pin. Dip the cutters in flour as well before each cut, and dust the spatula, too, before transferring the uncooked dough to the baking sheets. 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 325°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Remove 1 disk of dough; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out ⅛ inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting with flour as needed. Cut shapes with 2½-inch heart-shaped cookie cutters. Using a spatula, trans- fer to prepared baking sheets (if dough gets too soft, refrig- erate 10 minutes). Reroll scraps and cut more shapes. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. 3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. (If bubbles form, tap baking sheet firmly against oven rack a few times during baking.) Let cool completely on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 1 week.

ROYAL ICING FOR SUGAR-COOKIE HEARTS

Active/Total Time: 15 min. Makes: 1½ cups ½ pound confectioners’ sugar (2 spooned and leveled cups) 1 large egg white, or 2½ tablespoons meringue powder

Gel food color (optional)

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners’ sugar and egg white on low speed. Add a scant ¼ cup water, then increase speed to medium- high and mix until icing holds a ribbon-like trail on surface for 3 seconds when you raise paddle, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix 1 minute more to eliminate air bubbles. Add food color, a drop at a time, until desired color is reached. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days. Stir well before using.

GOLDEN-GLOBES SHANDIES

Active Time: 20 min. Total Time: 50 min. Makes: 8 drinks The cranberry syrup can be made up to three days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries ½ cup sugar 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (from a 2-inch piece)

Ice 4 bottles (12 ounces each) Pilsner

1. Bring cranberries, sugar, ginger, and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and mixture has thickened slightly, about 8 minutes. Let cool completely, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve, gently pressing on solids (pressing too hard will make mixture cloudy). 2. For each drink, fill a pint glass with ice. Add 1 ounce cranberry syrup. Top with Pilsner (you’ll need about half a bottle per drink) and stir; serve.

SUPER-BOWL NACHOS

Active Time: 20 min. Total Time: 25 min. Serves: 6

1 bag (8 ounces) kettle potato chips, such as Cape Cod 2 ounces cream cheese ½ cup whole milk ½ cup crumbled blue cheese 1½ cups shredded Gouda (5 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank’s 1 thinly sliced jalapeño (¼ cup) ½ cup sour cream 2 tablespoons chopped chives (from 1 bunch)

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment; spread chips out in a single layer. In a small saucepan, whisk together cream cheese and milk over medium heat until combined, 2 minutes. Whisk in blue cheese and ½ cup Gouda. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and hot sauce.

2. Drizzle cheese sauce evenly over chips, then sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Gouda. Bake until bubbly and crisp at edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Top with jalapeño, sour cream, and chives; serve.

OSCARS POPCORN

Active Time: 20 min. Total Time: 35 min. Makes: About 12 cups To make the process seamless, make sure you have all your ingredients measured out and ready before starting your caramel. 10 cups popped corn

Vegetable-oil cooking spray 1 cup sugar ¼ cup honey

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil ¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ cup black or white sesame seeds, or a combination, toasted

1. Place popcorn in a large bowl. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a small saucepan, combine sugar,

THE WORKBOOK

honey, 2 tablespoons water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to mediumhigh and cook, swirling occasionally but not stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is deep amber in color, 7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter, sesame oil, and baking soda (mixture will bubble up). 2. Quickly drizzle caramel over popcorn; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and ¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste). Spread popcorn out on baking sheet and let cool completely, then break into pieces and serve.

PRO TIP

DEVEINING SHRIMP PAGE 71

To remove the veins from shell-on shrimp, gently run a paring knife from head to tail along the center of the back to expose the vein. Use the tip of the knife to remove the vein in one piece. Rinse shrimp; pat dry.

Sweets for Your Sweetie

PAGE 90

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL TRUFFLES

Active Time: 40 min. Total Time: 4 hr. 45 min. Makes: About 3 dozen

These truffles are inspired by brigadeiros, a confection popular throughout Brazil. 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup heavy cream 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (a scant ⅔ cup) 3 tablespoons unsweetened

Dutch-process cocoa powder 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

White, pink, and red sprinkles, for rolling

1. In a medium saucepan, bring condensed milk, butter, and cream to a boil over mediumhigh heat, stirring until butter melts. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly and turns pale golden, 4 to 6 minutes (do not let it get too dark, or mixture will separate). Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Add chocolate, cocoa powder, and vanilla, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and combined. Transfer to a pie dish or a wide, shallow bowl and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours. 2. Scoop 1 tablespoon of chocolate mixture into your palm and roll into a ball. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; repeat with remaining mixture. Place sprinkles in bowls (one for each color). Roll truffles in sprinkles until thoroughly coated. Place in paper mini baking cups and serve, or store in refrigerator, covered, up to 1 month.

DARK- AND WHITECHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD HEARTS

Active Time: 1 hr. 55 min. Total Time: 3 hr. 35 min. Makes: 32

You will need a nesting set of four to five heart-shaped cookie cutters for this recipe, ranging in size from approximately 3½ inches to ¾ inch (available at williamssonoma.com).

DARK-CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting ⅓ cup unsweetened Dutch- process cocoa powder 1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

WHITE-CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 2 ounces white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled ½ cup confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Dark-chocolate shortbread: In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Beat butter on medium speed until creamy; add con- fectioners’ sugar and beat until combined, then beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic, flatten to a 1-inch-thick disk, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. 2. White-chocolate shortbread: In a bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Beat butter with white chocolate on medium speed until creamy; add confectioners’ sugar and beat until combined, then beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic, flatten to a 1-inch-thick disk, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. 3. Remove both disks from refrigerator; let stand 10 minutes. Roll out dark-chocolate dough ⅛ inch thick between two pieces of floured parchment. Stamp out heart shapes with largest cookie cutter; transfer to a parchmentlined baking sheet. Gather dough scraps, reroll, and stamp out more heart shapes with largest cutter. Freeze cutouts until firm, about 15 minutes. Re- peat with white-chocolate dough. 4. Stamp out smaller hearts from larger ones, starting with second-largest cutter and working down to smallest cutter; transfer cutouts to parchment- lined sheets. Freeze cutouts until firm, about 15 minutes. 5. Preheat oven to 325° with racks in upper and lower thirds. Starting with smallest cutouts and working up to largest, fit together dark- and white- chocolate cutouts like puzzle pieces. (It’s okay if dough cracks or breaks in places; simply press back together as necessary.) Arrange completed hearts 1 inch apart on fresh parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze again until firm. Work- ing in two batches, bake cookies, rotating sheets and rack posi- tions halfway through, until dry and firm, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE–PEANUT BUTTER CUP BARS

Active Time: 30 min. Total Time: 4 hr. 30 min. Makes: Sixteen 2-inch squares These homemade bars taste just like the beloved classic confection.

Vegetable-oil cooking spray 16 ounces creamy peanut butter, such as Jif (1¾ cups) 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 cups confectioners’ sugar 6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (1 cup)

1. Coat bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom and two sides with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang. In a large bowl, stir together 1½ cups peanut butter, 1 stick butter, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time, until smooth. Transfer to prepared pan; press with your

hands to flatten and smooth top (if mixture is too sticky, dampen them slightly). 2. Combine chocolate and 4 tablespoons butter in a metal bowl. Set over a saucepan containing 2 inches of simmering water; stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from heat and let cool slightly, stirring gently, about 3 minutes. Pour chocolate over peanut-butter mixture in baking pan, tilting pan to ensure chocolate spreads evenly across top. 3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together remaining 2 tablespoons butter and ¼ cup peanut butter until smooth. Let stand until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Drop ¼-to-¾-teaspoon rounds of mixture on top of chocolate in baking pan in 1-inch intervals. Drag the tip of a wooden skewer or toothpick quickly through center of each round to create a heart shape. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or, loosely covered, up to 1 week. 4. Run a paring knife along edges of pan on the two sides not lined with parchment. Use parchment overhangs to lift from pan; cut into 2-inch bars. Serve cold.

HAZELNUT PUPPY CHOW

Active/Total Time: 20 min. Makes: About 14 cups 1 box (12 ounces) toasted rice cereal, such as

Rice Chex (10 cups) 13 ounces hazelnut spread, such as Nutella (1¼ cups) 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (⅔ cup) 3 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 cup unsweetened Dutch- process cocoa powder

Place cereal in a large bowl. Combine hazelnut spread, butter, and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set over a saucepan containing 2 inches of simmering water and stir frequently until butter and chocolate have melted and mixture is smooth and combined. Pour over cereal; gently stir until evenly coated. Toss in confectioners’ sugar and cocoa to evenly coat. Serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED LUXARDO CHERRIES

Active Time: 55 min. Total Time: 3 hr. 15 min. Makes: 32

The following recipes use tempered or faux-tempered chocolate (fauxtempered is faster to make, but the candies will need to be refrigerated). For the methods, see page 114. Use a fork to dip the cherries in the chocolate if you're not fashioning stems from floral wire. 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, or vegetable shortening 32 Luxardo cherries (available at williams-sonoma.com), drained and patted dry 32 lengths (2 inches each) cloth-wrapped floral wire (optional) 1 cup Tempered or

Faux-Tempered Chocolate (see methods, page 114)

1. In a bowl, stir together sugar, corn syrup, 1 tablespoon water, and butter until a dough forms. Transfer to a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar and knead until smooth, dust- ing dough with more sugar as necessary, until no longer sticky. Scoop 1 teaspoon of dough into your palm and flatten into a 1-inch round. Place a cherry in center of round and wrap dough around cherry, pressing with your fingers, if necessary, to enclose. Gently roll between your palms until smooth. Repeat process with remaining dough and cherries. Make a small loop in one end of each length of wire, then insert a looped end into center of each cherry (loop will prevent wire from slipping out when dipping). Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet. Let stand, uncovered, until hard and dry, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. 2. Using wire stems to hold them, dip each cherry into chocolate, then lift and let excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet and let stand until chocolate is hard and dry, about 1 hour. Serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.

CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT HEARTS

Active Time: 25 min. Total Time: 2 hr. 45 min. Makes: 26

If you use faux-tempered chocolate, allow these to set in the refrigerator, and store there until ready to serve. 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, or vegetable shortening 1 cup Tempered or Faux-

Tempered Chocolate (see methods, page 114)

1. Stir together confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, 1 tablespoon water, peppermint extract, and butter until a dough forms. Transfer to a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar and knead until smooth, dusting dough with more sugar as necessary, until no longer sticky. Form into a flat disk, place between two pieces of parchment, and roll out to a ¼-inchthick round. Remove top piece of parchment and generously dust with confectioners’ sugar. Replace parchment and flip. Remove parchment from other

Recipes

side and generously dust with confectioners’ sugar. Stamp out shapes with a 1½-to-2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Transfer cutouts to a parchmentlined baking sheet. Gather scraps, reroll, and stamp out more hearts. Let stand, uncovered, until hard and dry, about 2 hours and up to 1 day. 2. Balance one heart on a fork, with tip of heart facing end of tines. Dip into chocolate until fully submerged; lift up and gently shake fork back and forth to remove excess chocolate. Scrape bottom of fork against side of bowl to remove any remaining excess chocolate. Tilt handle of fork upward and allow heart to gently slide onto a parchmentlined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining hearts and chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is hard and dry, about 1 hour. Serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.

ROCKY-ROAD BITES

Active Time: 15 min. Total Time: 45 min. Makes: 30

If you use faux-tempered chocolate, allow these to set in the refrigerator, and store there until ready to serve. 60 whole almonds

1 cup Tempered or Faux-

Tempered Chocolate (see methods, page 114) 60 mini marshmallows ½ cup mini pretzel sticks, broken into pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spread almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant and slightly darkened, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely. 2. Place 30 mini foil baking cups on a rimmed baking sheet. Place 1 toasted almond in bottom of each cup. Carefully pour enough chocolate into cups to

THE WORKBOOK

Recipes

fill two-thirds of the way, stirring chocolate frequently while filling to ensure it stays tempered. Press 2 marshmallows into each cup to partially submerge in chocolate, then press 1 more toasted almond and several pieces of pretzel into each cup. 3. Let stand until chocolate is hard and dry, about 2 hours. Serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

TURTLE BRITTLE

Active Time: 25 min. Total Time: 2 hr. 30 min. Serves: 16 to 20

If you use faux-tempered chocolate, allow these to set in the refrigerator, and store there until ready to serve. 3½ ounces whole pecans 2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup sugar ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup Tempered or Faux-

Tempered Chocolate (methods follow)

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spread pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until dark and fragrant, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely, then coarsely chop. 2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts, then reduce heat to medium-high and continue cooking, swirling pan occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 280°. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until thermometer registers 298° . 3. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and let stand until bubbles subside, about 30 seconds. Stir once, then pour mixture into center of prepared sheet, using a small circular motion (mixture will spread toward edges in an oval shape). Immediately sprinkle evenly with pecans. Let stand until hard and dry, about 1 hour. 4. Drizzle half of chocolate evenly over top (reserving remaining chocolate for another use). Let stand until hard and dry, about 2 hours. Break into small pieces and serve, or store between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.

TEMPERED CHOCOLATE

Active/Total Time: 25 min. Makes: 1 cup You can also faux-temper the chocolate, which is quicker and simpler but then requires that you keep the finished candies refrigerated, to prevent softening and “blooming.” To faux-temper, bring a saucepan containing 2 inches of water to a simmer. Turn off heat; place a metal bowl containing chocolate over saucepan; stir until chocolate melts. Remove bowl from saucepan, stir in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or shortening, and use immediately. Transfer finished candies to the refrigerator to harden when done, and store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve. ¾ pound bittersweet or semisweet couverture chocolate, such as

Valrhona or Callebaut, chopped

ESSENTIAL TOOLS

Metal bowl

Rubber spatula Chocolate-tempering thermometer (we like the CDN TCH130; $10, amazon.com)

1. Place ½ pound chocolate in a metal bowl. Bring a saucepan containing 2 inches of water to a simmer, then turn off heat. Set bowl of chocolate over saucepan (don’t let bottom touch the water) and let melt, stirring gently with spatula until chocolate registers 118° to 120° on thermometer. Remove bowl; cover saucepan to keep water warm. 2. Add remaining ¼ pound chocolate to bowl, stirring constantly until chocolate registers 82° on thermometer. Remove any unmelted pieces of chocolate with spatula. Line bottom of bowl with a kitchen towel and return to saucepan, stirring constantly until chocolate registers 88° to 90°. (The towel will help ensure the chocolate does not climb above 90°, which would cause it to “bloom” when set.) Use immediately, stirring frequently while using to maintain temper and prevent streaking once chocolate hardens. If tempered chocolate thickens too much during use, place over simmering water again, stirring, 2 to 3 seconds.

TEMPERING TIPS

1. Use a high-quality couverture chocolate, such as Valrhona or Callebaut. Do not use chocolate chips or morsels used in cookies and other baked goods. 2. To temper milk chocolate, melt initially to 112° to 114°, then let cool to 80° to 82°, then rewarm to 84° to 86°. To temper white chocolate, melt initially to 112° to 114°, then let cool to 78° to 80°, then rewarm to 82° to 84° . 3. Never use a wooden spoon when tempering: Wood retains odor and moisture, which can compromise flavor and cause the chocolate to develop a white coating, or “bloom.” Always use a rubber spatula instead. 4. Do not let any water get into the chocolate; this will also

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5. Be sure to use a chocolate- tempering thermometer—it’s designed to register precise temperature and ensure properly tempered chocolate. Regular candy thermometers are not sensitive enough to register precise readings for lower temperatures, as required in tempering. 6. Do not let the thermometer touch the bottom of the bowl, or your reading will be inaccurate.

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