Martha Does It Again: Martha Stewart's Cooking School

We all know Martha Stewart has built a media empire. Magazines. Websites. TV shows. Even satellite radio channels. (And of course she has the money that goes along with all that.) But what I find most interesting is the way she is building a CONTENT empire. She is fast becoming the go-to expert for all things "home." And her expertise is being codified into tomes of almost Biblical proportions that serve many of us just as a dictionary or Thesaurus did in our school days.

Last year it was the Homekeeping Handbook. And at least two of the Martha Stewart cookbooks have been republished. And the books on entertaining are dog-eared in many kitchen libraries. The most recent volley is Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook.


At just over 500 pages, it certainly would be a great gift for a new cook. But it's just as valuable to those of us who are proud of our kitchen skills. It puts tips and techniques all in one reference manual. What tools we should have in the kitchen. How to make classics like chicken and French onion soup. How to poach an egg and make the perfect omelet. And I understand from friends that the braising recipes are excellent.


What intrigued me most were the steaming recipes. I have a bamboo steamer that I had never used. So when I saw Martha and her co-author Sarah Carey steaming salmon and English peas on her tv show, I was intrigued. This despite the fact that salmon is not really my favorite.


I won't post the recipe here, but here's a link. It's a simple technique. And I've discovered I really like salmon prepared this way, especially when topped with a little yogurt and dill. I've been buying salmon pieces and cutting them into individual portions to have on hand for a quick lunch or healthy snack. With peas, broccoli, or whatever other veggies I have on hand.


It's started me on a bamboo steamer kick. Dumplings and the like. So stay tuned for more recipes.