And by this I mean: I don’t know how I got invited to a Martha Stewart event, but I did. Way up on the the 36th floor of some giant midtown skyscraper, there I stood with about 60 other people, some of them Martha’s minions, to celebrate Martha’s new interview show on Sirius Satellite Radio. Oh, and Jean-Georges was there too.
How did I get invited to such a function, you ask? Well, I’m as clueless as you are. One day about a week ago, I opened my inbox and there it was, an electronic invitation (not quite an Evite) beckoning me to attend a recording of Martha and J.-G. chattin’ it up on the radio. Cocktail attire was not stressed, however hors-d’oeuvres would be served from J.-G.’s restaurant, Vong. So I though to myself, washing my hair can wait for another evening. I’m game to snack on crispy spring rolls, [...]

When I saw this recipe in August’s issue of Martha Stewart Living, I thought it was one that I would have to try. Some of you may remember that Martha and I have a rather contentious relationship. As I thumb through the pages of the magazine, gazing at the beautifully styled food, and wondering just how one person is supposed to do it all, there is a voice inside my head, forcing me to remember that Martha’s food, though beautiful to look at, never really works out for me. I think it’s a case of a finicky recipe. But Saturday morning, a day sticky with summer rain here in New York, I decided to give it one more go, and tried these Nectarine Shortcakes.
And I’m glad that I did. I had purchased some less-than-ripe, nectarines at the market the day before, with the intention of letting them set and [...]