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In the made-for-TV movie, Martha, Inc., Cybil Shepard played a fairly unstable Martha, who snapped at a participant that had a bit of difficulty with a recipe of hers, saying “Maybe you just can't cook. There is nothing wrong with my tartlets!" The movie is not a very flattering portrayal, but I think that there is some truth to the statement, nevertheless. Martha wouldn't have gotten very far if she were not a talented chef and it doesn't seem like she'd settle for just tossing any old ingredient combination into one of her books.
Even the best writers are entitled to typos and the best chefs can cook a less-than-amazing meal, but it seems that there are some people who just cannot make Martha's recipes work. Personally, I have never had a problem with them and will turn to her books for inspiration and guidance when I'm looking to bake something. I have to believe that it is the chef and not the recipes that are the problem. I find that some writers connect with some readers better than others, so maybe there is a slight Martha wavelength that even excellent chefs can miss.
I propose a challenge. As a Martha Stewart fan, I would like you Slashfood readers to suggest a few Martha recipes that you want to see or have personally had problems with. Pumpkin cake? Marble Loaf? Let's go with something relatively simple, perhaps a cake. I'll make it and post my results on the site. If you haven't made the recipe of choice, let me know and we can arrange to have your results up here, too!
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12-01-2005 @1:32AM sarah gilbert said... I love this, Nicole. I've had a number of problems with Martha's recipes. If there are too many to choose from, I'll pitch in and cook a few, too :) mostly I've had trouble with her cookie recipes.
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12-01-2005 @9:30AM rosie said... The thing that you are missing here is that - most of these are not Martha's recipes. The real secret to Martha's success is that she hires underlings to do her bidding. I seriously doubt that Martha takes time out from managing her multi-million dollar empire to test every recipe that shows up under her banner. When would she have time? Like any large corporation - and that is what Martha Stewart really is now - there are people who "take care of the details" and how good or bad the recipes turn out is entirely dependent on them.
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12-01-2005 @9:38AM Nicole Weston said... Maybe Martha tests every recipe personally now and maybe she doesn't. That's not the point. She didn't just wake up one morning to find that there were several cookbooks published under her name. The level of success that she has now is a reflection of her hard work, not some conspiracy.
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12-02-2005 @12:33AM rosie said... My point is that "Martha Stewart" is a brand, not a person. Martha has worked hard to make herself a household name, but how much time does she have for every small detail? Does she proof every book? Does she test every recipe that appears in all the books and magazine that fall under her banner? I doubt it. That is not how major corporations work - no matter who is at the helm. She has people she trusts to oversee those details. She says "We need a book on desserts. It should cover these points. Now get to it." And they do. She asks for reports on how things are going, but by and large, being a "persona" takes up the majority of her time. Delegation is the true key to her sucess.
The best analogy I can make is the magician David Copperfield. David is a showman and he has people who do all the dirty work. I know the guy who builds all his stage props and the guy who hunts down all the magic tricks he does and the gal who does all his promotional materials, and I am sure he has people who schedules his tours and his personal assistant who makes sure he gets his personal life straight. He's got chops sure enough - but he can't do it all, nor does he want to. He knew enough hire the best and have them do the work for him. That way he can date the hot babes.
So in summary, I am not saying there is any "conspiracy". What I am saying is that Martha is a multi-billion dollar corporation and her products reflect that. All she can do is hire people and require they perform at a level so that her reputation is upheld. That is the secret to her success.
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12-02-2005 @7:04AM rosie said... My point is that "Martha Stewart" is a brand, not a person. Martha has worked hard to make herself a household name, but how much time does she have for every small detail? Does she proof every book? Does she test every recipe that appears in all the books and magazine that fall under her banner? I doubt it. That is not how major corporations work - no matter who is at the helm. She has people she trusts to oversee those details. She says "We need a book on desserts. It should cover these points. Now get to it." And they do. She asks for reports on how things are going, but by and large, being a "persona" takes up the majority of her time. Delegation is the true key to her sucess.
The best analogy I can make is the magician David Copperfield. David is a showman and he has people who do all the dirty work. I know the guy who builds all his stage props and the guy who hunts down all the magic tricks he does and the gal who does all his promotional materials, and I am sure he has people who schedules his tours and his personal assistant who makes sure he gets his personal life straight. He's got chops sure enough - but he can't do it all, nor does he want to. He knew enough hire the best and have them do the work for him. That way he can date the hot babes.
So in summary, I am not saying there is any "conspiracy". What I am saying is that Martha is a multi-billion dollar corporation and her products reflect that. All she can do is hire people and require they perform at a level so that her reputation is upheld. That is the secret to her success.
Reply
12-06-2005 @10:13PM Larissa said... Brand or person, either way the recipes that are published and that we buy should be proofread. I not only had trouble with a recent (November?) Living recipe for caramelized walnuts, I actually got injured making them. And I *know* that beyond the question ofmy ineptness there was something wrong with the recipe, because it started out by having you preheat the oven to 350, then never instructed you to bake anything. :)
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