Behind the Scenes at a Photo Shoot and Pierre's Pumpkin

On Friday, my farm in Bedford was buzzing with photo shoot activity. I had my assistant take a few shots of one particular shoot that took place in my vegetable garden. It was rather chilly outside, but Pierre, my chef, made us all a fabulous warm meal that you will most certainly enjoy viewing. As always, please leave your comments! I truly enjoy your feedback.

Equipment being set up in vegetable garden: 

Karena Gallagher (wardrobe, left) and Vinnetta Scrivo (makeup, right) both making sure I look great!

Jon the photo assistant looks like he could use some gloves:

Brilliant photographer Victoria Pearson shooting the scene while Art DIrector Matthew Axe looks on

And another:



Pierre's Pumpkin
Look what Pierre made for our lunch! It's been a great year for many things in my garden, including all sorts of unusual pumpkins and squashes. Pierre found inspiration when looking at this bright-orange potiron. Potiron is a European variety of pumpkin. It's known for its squat, flat shape and for its deep, nutty flavor. Pierre decided to put this potiron to use as a serving vessel for a really delicious creation of roasted root vegetables, chestnuts, and roasted chicken pieces.

He started by cutting around the top of the pumpkin, creating a lid, and then scooped out the seeds. He rubbed the inside with some softened butter and then placed the pumpkin and its lid in a 375-degree oven for 45 minutes, removing the lid from the oven after the first 20 minutes when it was tender. Pierre then cut carrots, red potato, turnips, parsnips, celeriac, and kohlrabi (all from my garden) into 2-inch chunks. He tossed them with some olive oil, spread them on a roasting pan, and seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper. He roasted the vegetables in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. In another pan, he also roasted chicken thighs and legs seasoned with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a skillet with some olive oil, Pierre sautéed a couple of diced onions and crushed garlic, and then added some peeled chestnuts. He transferred all the vegetables to a large bowl and tossed them with chopped fresh parsley, chives, rosemary, and chervil. Then, he placed half of the vegetables in the bottom of the roasted pumpkin, followed by the roasted chicken pieces, and then the remainder of the vegetables. He returned the whole thing to the oven to heat through for about 20 minutes.

Pierre also made leek and potato soup that was so comforting and warming on a cold and dreary day. After the soup, we got to eat this most wonderful presentation. And because Pierre first roasted the pumpkin before filling it, the flesh of the potiron was so tender and wonderfully tasty.

    
   

   

   

Comments

[Kim Benn, Indiana]

That looks so delicious! I am loving your blog and look forward to your posts and pictures....especially of your "new" home....beautiful.

[Elizabeth]

Martha, love your blog, of course very informative and the pictures are wonderful. I have been listening to Whatever with Alexis and Jennifer for 2 years now and enjoy their blogs also!

[elle]

I LOVE your new blog!! It's my new favorite spot on the internet. The pictures are magnificent - a perfect compliment to your magazine/TV show. As always - everything is BEAUTIFUL and INSPIRATIONAL. You've changed so many things in my own life Martha - I just LOVE you - and now here is an entirely new platform to say, "Wow. I'm going to try that." I'm doing Pierre's pumpkin dish next weekend for sure. (P.S. I love the way everyone looked cold at the photo shoot except for Martha! She rocks!)

[Shaun, Minnesota]

I was pleased to come across your new blog. I really enjoy the crafty-cooking blogs that are springing up out there, and am glad to add this one to my list. I especially love the food pics!

[Janie]

What a beautiful presentation! This just screams fall and halloween time. I am so inspired by your ideas and look forward to the many avenues that you have layed out for us. (website, shows, books, blogs,) WOW! Thanks for the beautiful pix of your garden!

[Jon Walters]

Oh my gosh, I want to make this. It look insanely delicious!

[Finbar]

Martha,
What a beautiful lunch. I am enjoying reading your blog each day, thank you for sharing with us. I have a great idea for a contest, a lunch/dinner made by your chef!

Enjoy this beautiful fall weather

[jamaila]

Here's my dorky question: how on earth did Pierre transfer the pumpkin from the pan to a serving dish? It looks delicious, but awfully large and wobbly. ;)

[Claudine]

Roasted vegetables are one of my favorite things. There is nothing better when it first gets cold to make. Next time I may need to put it in the pumpkin. Maybe for Thanksgiving! Thanks for the behind the scenes pictures of the photo shoot.

[Chadwick Garner]

Martha,

Both the vegies in the dish and in your garden look amazing. A warm, healthy lunch is always preferable to a microwaved option. I would gladly eat the leftovers for dinner!!! My expereince with pumpkins this year has not been as good. The squirrels on my street ate both of my pumpkins and carted off my decorative gourds resting on the front steps. They did not like the gourds as much, though. They were left abadoned in the street. I love the blog, too!!!

[Andrew Ritchie]

I love little previews of articles to come! Now when I see it in the magazine I can say I saw 'behind the scenes' of that photo shoot.

Thank you for taking the time to share with us.

And that pumpkin concoction...oy vey!!...delicious!

-Andrew (Canada)

PS: I love that your farm has so many Canadian elements, from fences to horses!

[Chris]

Looking great!!! What an excellent blog!

[Darci]

That looks so delicious! You new blog is amazing...I look forward to reading it everyday!

[Christian]

Martha,
I am thoroughly enjoying your blog! Thank you for sharing these little details of your life with us, and for continuing to be the icon of hearth and home tempered with lighthearted fun for our society. I treasure and respect what you and the offerings of MSLO stand for.

[karen]

Hello Martha
What a delicious looking lunch. Wish I could share it with you. Any your garden is beautiful.
Enjoy!

[Nina]

Martha, your blog is perfection. My family thanks you. I'm making potato and leek soup this week and the pumpkin creation on the weekend.

[Carolyn]

What a great Garden!!!

The food looks awesome too!

Carolyn Barber

[Vera Milunovic]

Your blog is amazing, and i dont have words to explain what I feel about this food! Wowwwwwwwww!
Visit my blog
And thank you to sharing your life with us!!!!!!
A big hug

[ann wood]

Such beautiful inspiration from Pierre's pumpkin; put me into an autumnal frame of mind....can't wait to see what else Martha and Pierre "cook up" from Bedford.

[Jenna]

That Pierre is great. The pumpkin dish looks delicious. Thanks for including how he made it.

[Simone Smith]

It is such a treat to see what's behind garden photo shoots! Seeing all the work that goes into the beautiful pictures that end up in your magazines really adds to their value. Thank you for writing about it.

[Andrew]

That reminds me of the Turkey pot pie you created while doing your Ask Martha episode on Sirius Martha. I think this will be included in our Thanksgiving Dinner this year...
-Andrew

[Norine Molnar]

Martha,
I wrote you quite awhile ago and said that I wasn't sure if I liked your new show at first, but I felt you were really connecting more now to your audience. I have to tell you that this blog is another extension of you that endears all of us to you even more. You really are such a good teacher and the way you are extending yourself in new and exciting ways makes you an even better teacher! I wasn't sure you could become much better, but you have. You light up the screen - and now the internet - more and more each day. I thank you for this and more. You have changed my life in so many ways and I'm sure you'll continue to do so.

[Susan Stewart]

Glad to hear that your hip replacement went well. I have had 2. The first at age 27. Can you still ride horses as my doctor told me no?

[Toni Ferreira]

Martha, I adore your blog!

That pumpkin looks fabulous. Today (here in Boston) was the last Farmer's Market of the season, and I bought several squash varieties as well as parsnips, turnips, onions and carrots. I'm looking forward to roasting them tonight!

[Dan Walsh]

Martha,
I love your new Blog, thank you for always keeping us up to date.
I am looking forward to making the dish that Pierre made over the upcoming weekend.
Your simple the best.

[Bridget Pehrson]

Hello Martha,

You continue to inspire me! The blog is just another facet in your multi-dimensional empire! Thank you for sharing all that you know to enrich my life. Love Alexis's blog, too. Her baking and packaging is amazing!

[Stephanie Thiess]

Thank you for your lovely blog. My 5 year old son and i enjoy watching your show in the mornings, and now we have more fun stuff to read and see what goes on behind the scenes. I am inspired by the soup, as it is cold here too, I will have to try making it soon. : )
~Stephanie in Cincinnati
P.s. My 5 year old LOVES your Macy's commercials, and yells out "Hey Mom, LOOK that's Martha Stewart!" everytime.

[Bethie]

Awesome food! It looked so creative and interesting. That would be wonderful for Thanksgiving (claudine's post). Looks cold at the photo shoot!

[Trish Henderson]

I love your Blog! I enjoy seeing pictures of your gardens and of your Cantitoe Farm landscape. Your Blog is a place that I hope will provide yet another opportunity to view such pictures. You are an inspiration!

[Catherine]

Thanks for the daily blog--love looking and knowing that you'll have something new for us to enjoy.

Oven roasted veggies are a family favorite--Pierre's creation looks fabulous--you have inspired us all.

[scoopy (Emily)]

Love your new blog! Thanks for taking the time to share with us and for providing such wonderful inspiration.

[Candy Abel]

Martha, I LOVE your blog. I hope to meet you someday. But, until I do your blog is almost like talking to you and you talking back! You inspire me and enrich my life. I share so many of the same passions you have. This pumpkin spread is great! Wait until I tell my friends! Candy

[judy]

Whenever I see pumpkins I recall your earlier video tapes 'vintage' as you refer to them.
You were making a Thanksgiving meal and on your way to pick a pumpkin you were saving for that special meal.
Who could not enjoy your programs after that, I thought I was the only nut that did things like that.

[Sue Mannel]

I wish my family would eat something like that pumpkin. It looks so good! But, I would be the only one eating it. We just got done carving our pumpkins. My 10 year old tried to carve one of the haunted houses that she saw on your special. Bless her little heart, I have no idea what it looks like.

Sue :)

[Kimberley Allan]

Dear Martha,
Thank you so much for your blog. I love the behind-the-scene photos in your vegetable garden. It is also wonderful to read about all the talented people behind such an undertaking.

I look forward to more inpspiring photos and stories.

Sincerely,
Kimberley in Vancouver, Canada

[Jon M]

Martha,
What a fun and entertaining blog. I really enjoy your personal photos. Martha, you have a great eye for photography. I have been a Martha Stewart devotee from the very beginning, and it truly is a pleasure to see MSL getting better and better all the time. I can not wait to see what's next!
I'm watching you on "The Big Idea" right now. You rock! Love ya!

[Amber]

Martha, one of the things I've learned from you is to revel in the process. It's not just about the finished product, it's about enjoying and experiencing the steps that get you there. Thanks for sharing so many of the processes in your day-to-day life with us here! I loved seeing the photos of the steps that Pierre took as much as seeing the finished dish.

[Lucia baretta]

Martha. You are the world's most beautiful woman in the world. You are also the most talented of all human beings...ever. You are God.

[Cat]

I am so very glad to see you doing a blog! It is truly a personal way to touch others! :O) I am looking forward to coming back and reading your updates.

Thank you...thank you for bringing back the joy of making our homes...home!

xo Cat

[Ruth Simons]

Martha,
I've subscribed to Living since the beginning, and now with the blog, I really feel like you are "in my life!" Thanks for being accessible and "real." Great blog.

[Mrs. Hamidah]

Dear Martha,
I enjoy reading your blog, tracking your interesting activities with the lucky people around you. I wish I am one of them... working with a talented perfect lady, and another wonderful chance is they could taste the food too....!
Those food look so delicious...!
Keep uploading your photos Martha...

Loves,
Hamidah, Malaysia.

[Laurie Sutton]

I was watching "The Big Idea" also, and with avid interest, until my cable went out! (How did it end?)

I mainly want to say that I'm a so-so cook and have no garden, but Martha inspires me to expand my limited skills and resources anyway. Pierre's pumpkin, vegetables and soup are simple but inspiring, and the ingredients are really easy to obtain from the grocery store.

Thanks for showing that "cuisine" is NOT complex!

[Becky from Wisconsin]

Martha,
Thank you for sharing photos of your home with your admiring fans. I can only dream of what your life must be like. You truly inspire me and countless others. Now I can live life vicariously through your blog. Happy Halloween!

[Heidi]

Mmmm! That looks delicious. I enjoy your blog Martha! It's always full of interesting and inspiring things.

[judy]

Do you grow lettuce between your cole crops- the cabbage?
What a great way to use space.

[Danielle]

Martha...you truly are amazing. I really love your show and magazine, but this blog is so much fun and so imformative.
I love seeing pictures of your home and what you are up to.
(Of course seeing your decorations for the upcoming holidays will be wonderful.)
And I LOVE to see your pets and what they are up to as well.
I would like to see some more recipes on your blog as well, maybe some of your favs for the holidays!!!
Thanks for sharing so much...
And loved your show with Rosie!

[Sol]

Martha you are a queen and i love you. I wish you were my mother :)

[Annie]

Martha, I really love how detailed and colorful your blog is. I hope that you keep this for a while. It is really touching to know that you are letting us in your personal life and getting to see what is going on with you! Thank you for your words each day.

Annie

[Sylvia]

I just ran on to this particular blog and I'm glad I did. The roasted vegetables look delicious but I can't get over the vegetables in your garden. What a gardner you are!! Is there anything that you can't do??? Bet there isn't if you really wanted to. Thanks for letting us into a little of your life and homes. You give things a personal touch that others don't. We who follow you really appreciate it.

[Ann Dugal]

Martha,
Thanks for letting me know.."I, too can do what you do:..only on my level..
Do you have any 1-2-3's of closing the yard for the fall/winter ?
And thanks for being up close and personal..you have done well Martha..
My sympathy too for the death of your Mommy..she was too cute for words.. Ann Dugal

[karen l. gohler]

thanks Martha for the many pictures of your farm, I too want to have a garden and farm to not only enjoy but to harvest and sell my products to local people. I do wish you"d some day devote a 2 week course on the planting of a good garden, also how does one start a business on a small income and make it successful. thanks for you and your show. k

[Tony Clark]

Wow, I haven't seen a film camera in a long time. Do you prefer film or was it the photographers choice?