"marthastewart" news and stories

Martha Stewart says her five-month prison sentence cost her $1 billion.

Speaking with "Nightline," Stewart says the "legal mess" was devastating to her personal worth.

"Oh, it's inestimable -- probably more than a billion dollars, of course, and if you add in what the company was worth, absolutely," Stewart says. "And I'm a major shareholder in the company. When you are prosecuted in such a way and a great portion of wealth is dissipated, all I could think so much is 'What I could have done with all of that for the good of mankind?'"

"Nightline" followed Stewart for a day in a news piece that aired Thursday. In it, Stewart dishes on Rachael Ray as well as her 2004 legal troubles.

"I knew we had a really good thing going, and I really knew that I was not guilty of anything that could possibly harm my company," Stewart tells Cynthia McFadden. "I was pissed, OK? Pissed that something could actually affect that. The company had nothing to do with anything, but yet because I am the face and the brand -- my person -- it certainly had a harmful effect."

She says she's put that period of her life behind her.

"How can I kick myself?" she says. "There are other people to be kicked. Enough. Let's get on with the future."

Chard. Photo: La Grande Farmers' Market, Flickr

• Delighting in chard with history, love and recipes.
• Texas State prof James E. McWilliams discusses the flaws of locavore living in his new book, "Just Food: Where Locavores Get It Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly."
• New York chef Tom Valenti, diabetes and his new book, "You Don't Have to Be Diabetic to Love This Cookbook."
• One more tome to ponder: Martha Stewart's new book, "Cupcakes."
• Food Matters in Austin: the Hot Sauce Festival, new restaurants on the horizon, Hudson's Sausage Co., outdoor movies, wine and food fests, free kids' meals at IHOP, 24-7 food at Twenty Four, June-Ann Rodil's title as Texas's Top Sommelier and Chisholm Trail Longhorn Beef co-op.

Martha Stewart. Photo: Mario Tama, Getty Images.

Martha's got the blight! Martha's got the blight!

At first, hearing that the doyenne of domesticity has fallen prey to the same late blight that struck thousands of gardens might produce that "it can happen to all of us" smirk -- like when the popular high school cheerleader got a zit.

But to look at this photo gallery is heartbreaking to anyone who has ever gardened (including this journalist) or enjoyed a succulent August tomato. Martha lost 70 percent of her 50 varieties of tomatoes. Beautiful, plump fruits suddenly went leafless in July, and now look horrendous -- like an outtake from an "X-Files" episode.

It's worth surfing through her gallery for tips on how to properly stake plants or simply to see what this unusual blight looks like close-up.

[Via The Martha Blog]

Amazon.com

'Everyday Food: Great Food Fast'
From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living
Clarkson Potter -- 2007
Buy it on Amazon

Launched in 2003, "Everyday Food" was designed for home cooks who didn't have a lot of time on their hands to make elaborate weeknight dinners but did have a desire to make high-quality, satisfying meals.

The diminutive magazine, which was put out by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, gained a devoted following thanks to its practical recipes, approachable ingredient lists and low-fuss food that yielded great flavor.

"Everyday Food," the cookbook, offers these same qualities, with 250 recipes that put both the seasons of the year and multiple variations on favorite foods front and center.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

'Martha Stewart's Cupcakes'
Recipes from the editors of Martha Stewart Living
Photographs by Con Poulos and others
Clarkson Potter -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

If there's one thing in the food blogosphere that provokes as strong a reaction as the words "Martha Stewart," it's "cupcake." So when we heard that Martha was busting out a brand-new book containing 175 of the suckers, we knew we had to get behind the scenes.

Martha's test kitchen cooks are both notoriously talented and fussy about their recipes, so we went straight to the top of the editorial food chain to find out which of the tome's 352 pages contained the best palm-sized cakes. (If you just can't wait, it's after the jump).

As with "Martha Stewart's Cookies," this is a thorough, imaginative and utterly vibrant paean to a beloved member of the baked goods family. The title truly does say it all: there's nothing but cupcakes as far as the eye can see. There's cupcake frosting, cupcake decorations, cupcakes for every season and occasion -- there's even a recipe for "Creepcakes" for, yes, Halloween. It's a candy-colored rebuke to the cupcake haters, those who view the craze as an infantile indulgence or see the diminutive desserts as the cloying, edible equivalent of those tiny dogs who travel around in handbags. Cupcakes, as done by Martha and her team, are a force to be reckoned with. The cover photo says it all: Cupcakes are here and they're not going anywhere, except maybe to your mouth.

See what we tested, what a top test-kitchen toque recommends and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.