Sometimes Even the Master Doesn't Get it Right

Let me preface this post by saying that I LOVE Martha Stewart.

I'll never forget the first, and only, time I met her. It was 1984 and her first book had come out about a year before. No one really knew who she was. I was working for a recherché little French housewares shop off Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia called Le Cook Nook. We carried her cookbook, Entertaining. 

A photo of yours truly in my retail housewares days.

As a promotion for the local restaurants, the city Chamber of Commerce was trying to get off the ground a week long event called the Cook and the Book that paired cookbook authors with restaurants around the city. An author would go into the restaurant's kitchen then prepare a meal from their own recipes to a special audience that purchased tickets to the event. All the proceeds went to charity.

That year Martha was invited as a new author to participate in the Cook and the Book promotion. To kick off the event they had a big book signing extravaganza at a local department store's gourmet food hall. As a member of the "business" I went to the big book signing to see some of the celebrity authors who were on hand to sell their cookbooks.

As I walked around the hall I saw a number of famous faces swarmed by admiring fans. Right in the center of all this activity was this gorgeous, statuesque blond with long hair under a canopy standing all alone. I walked over to her and immediately recognized her from the photo on her cookbook, Entertaining. She seemed bored and slightly annoyed that no one was speaking to her so I went over and made some small talk with her without mentioning that I had recognized her from the photo on the cover of her book. After a few moments one of the Cook and the Book organizers came over to her and grabbed her attention away from me so I just wandered off to see the other famous faces in the room.

That was my one brief interaction with the Grand Dame of entertaining and dining. I still chuckle when I think of her all alone, beautiful and rather sad standing unknown in that crowded department store food hall. My how things have changed for her!

Eight years later and Martha is now a household name with her own magazine. In the February 1992 issue of her magazine, Martha did a small piece on serving with majolica. She then created a food tribute to one of her favorite majolica patterns, Griffen, Smith and Company's Shell pattern. This cake, which she called Mocha Majolica was decorated in the Shell pattern. 

Etruscan Majolica Shell dessert stand

I have no idea what it tasted like but as a former professional cake decorator it looked like a decorating train wreck if I ever saw one! I know it sounds cruel but I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face it was just so bad. I wish I had kept my copy of the issue because the photos of the majolica were lovely. Unfortunately it had this hideous "majolica" cake covering the pretty Shell dessert stand.

Martha Stewart's Mocha Majolica from Martha Stewart Living

For many years that recipe was posted on her web site but unfortunately it is no longer available. I bet it tasted much better than it looked. Martha's recipes are usually quite dependable. What will stay with me always though is that memory of her standing alone and unknown in that great crowded hall.

Bon Appétit!