Without our striped, winged friends, countless fruits and veggies would cease to exist...and what a boring world that would be! At the Honey Festival in New York City's Union Square, I sampled delicious honey, visited with local beekeepers and learned more about how crucial these tiny creatures are to our world’s ecosystem.
Tremblay Apiaries traveled 240 miles from the Finger Lakes region of New York to deliver jarred honey and honey-infused beauty products including body exfoliants made from raw honey.
These sculpted candles made from beeswax are a market favorite. The candle I purchased is guaranteed to burn for at least 30 hours!
Did you know that each beehive contains 40,000 bees? This beehive case from Just Food (a Community Supported Agriculture group), is used in NYC classrooms to teach bee enthusiasts about the hive culture and honey production. Never taking a day off, these multi-tasking pollinators are always on the job.
I recently visited the Dan'l Webster, a quaint little New England style inn down the Cape in Sandwich, Massachusetts, and experienced a treatment at their Beach Plum Spa that I’d never had before: an energy massage. This unique 90-minute treatment combines gentle touch with their Orgone energy wands to heal your energies and clear your chakras. The massage also relaxes your muscles in a way that you might think is only possible when you’re worked over by a strong-armed therapist -- not an energy wand.
I can’t explain why or how it worked, but it was amazing! I went into that zone where you don’t know if you’re awake or asleep, and what stood out to me was how hot I felt when I woke up. And there was no heating element involved?! Yet, you could have fried an egg on my skin. My bodyworker told me I clearly had some energy to release. I should say so. But I felt utterly relaxed, centered, and focused for hours, even days afterward.
The quaint Dan'l Webster Inn, located on Cape Cod, about an hour and a half from Boston in Sandwich, Massachusetts.
These wands are the key to the energy massage. They “glide across the body and in the air around you, collecting and transferring deep, penetrating energy while drawing out stagnant energy blocks.” A little too Harry Potter for you? I don't care how it sounds...it feels fantastic!
When was the last time that you really helped to make a difference in your community? If you're like me, we're so busy with our own day-to-day lives that once in a while you stop to think that there's a bigger community out there that needs our help. Every so often the Martha Stewart Living Radio team puts all of our other work on hold to get out into the community and make a difference.
This was our second time volunteering with City Harvest, a food rescue organization that gathers unused food from markets and restaurants and shares it with a neighborhood in need. We arrived early in the morning in the Bronx -- there were crowds lined up around the corner waiting for us. With a handful of volunteers at each booth, we prepared to weigh and bag fresh produce (such as sweet potatoes and plantains) for the customers. Each family received a specific amount of produce in pounds, based on need.
Lauren Gould, associate producer and Greg Kleva, host of "It's a Dog's Life" prepare bags of sweet potatoes.
"Morning Living" co-hosts Betsy Karetnick and Kim Fernandez give out potatoes.
From left to right: broadcast assistant Katie Macpherson, "Everyday Food" co-host Sandy Gluck and "Morning Living" producer Maureen McMurray distribute plantains. I'd love to hear Sandy's recipe ideas for them!
Whenever music journalist Tom Moon joins us on "Whole Living," it’s a party. A summer soiree can't be complete without a rockin’ playlist, so we asked Tom to suggest tunes guaranteed to keep everyone happy at a dinner party, a backyard cookout, a family reunion, and a dance party. Take a listen.
What's "Entertaining Week" without a few cocktails? Allen Katz is out this week, but mixologist Tim Cooper fills in with just the drinks you're looking for. The Reserve Luxury Punch would be perfect to make in large batches for your punch bowl, and the Samba and Platinum nectar have the "wow" factor that you need for your next party!
We've been celebrating "Entertaining Week" on the radio. So for this week's Fruit & Vegetable Challenge, we picked out healthy recipes that are perfect for parties! On this week's menu there's a delicious Roasted Eggplant Dip you can indulge in, and enjoy with tons of fruits and veggies. We've followed that up with a fresh Arugula and Fig Salad, and topped it off with a seasonal Peach and Red-Onion Relish idea.
For new listeners: If you're interested in making your meals a little healthier by using more fruits and vegetables, then you might want to sign up for our Fruit and Vegetable Challenge. The goal of the program is to incorporate more produce into your busy schedule. If you want more info on the challenge, read our first post about it.
Don't forget: Keep track of the amount of servings you are eating throughout the week. Simply email us -- everydayfoodradio@yahoo.com on Thursday night with the fruits and vegetables you've consumed and the number of servings per day.
It's been a rainy, dreary June but it hasn't stopped my colleagues and I from celebrating summer! This past weekend, TJ Pitre, web developer for emerils.com and marthastewart.com and his wife, Katie, hosted a "Signature Dish" dinner party. Everyone had to bring his or her favorite dish to the food fest.
Charissa Melnik, food stylist for Emeril Lagasse, brought a pasta salad and grilled jerk chicken!
Timothy Cooper, a freelance food writer, made a grilled cheese concoction with five-spice butter and honey. In this photo, Tim is prepping the sandwiches.
Then he puts them on grill.
And voila! Here's the treat, ready to be consumed by hungry party-goers.
It's summer, which means quality time with the grill! And eating more burgers and hot dogs than you'd like to admit (trust me, I had five burger sliders this past weekend). Today on "Morning Living," producers Jennifer and Maureen had a fierce debate over their favorite grilled grub -- hamburgers vs. hot dogs. What do you like better? Vote in our poll, and check out their arguments below!
Hamburgers are Heaven Jennifer Sendrow, producer for "Morning Living" and "Whole Living"
My opponent will try to scare you with predictions of overcooked meat, or perhaps by citing statistics about food poisoning from undercooked meat, but my question is this: Do you want to make decisions based on fear? I want to make decisions based on trust in pure deliciousness! Besides, the only real mystery is what goes inside your typical tube steak. Hot dog labels are not always clear as to the ingredients therein, I’m afraid.
The hamburger has gotten American mouths watering for more than a century, appearing everywhere from roadside takeout windows to the menus of five-star restaurants. Each year, more than 8 billion hamburgers are served in restaurants worldwide -- that’s more than one for every man, woman, and child on earth -- not to mention the countless patties cooked up at home.
This popularity is a testament to the burger’s appeal and its versatility, taking to toppings from the basic lettuce-tomato-and-ketchup variety to more exotic variations such as tzatziki. Hamburgers give us room to express ourselves in the kitchen and on the plate.
Hot dogs are simple and fun, no doubt, but it’s burgers that most of us really crave when it’s time to grill.
Hooray for Hotdogs! Maureen McMurray, supervising producer for "Morning Living"
Here are my top five reasons why hot dogs are king of the grill:
1. Hot dogs are truly a summer treat. You can have a hamburger any old time. If you're craving a hamburger, you can get one at your local diner. Or in desperate times, you can simply visit a fast food joint. Hot dogs, however, can only be enjoyed in the summertime, ideally from a grill. It's like waiting for that first batch of blueberries at your local farmers' market -- it only comes but once a year, and when it does, it's divine.
2. Hot dogs are a sure bet. They're so easy to prepare, and you don't have to worry about whether a hot dog is rare, medium, or well-done. Simply stick it on a grill, turn it over a couple of times, and it's good to go. It's much easier to screw up a burger. Have you ever had a burger that is overdone? Of course you have. Now what about a hot dog? The law of averages is in your favor when you go with the hot dog.
3. Hot dogs can be eaten with a single hand. Lets face it, when you're at a cookout you should be able to enjoy a cold beverage while you eat. How can you partake in a refreshing drink if you're hands are occupied by a giant hamburger? Also, hot dogs don't require a plate, therefore they aren't as messy as hamburgers.
4. You can dress up a hot dog any way you'd like, from sauerkraut to chili.
5. Hot dogs can be eaten on a stick; burgers cannot!
Nancy Soriano, lifestyle expert on ABC's "Good Morning America," visited "Living Today" to share her affordable floral ideas.
Here's a simple, small cake stand topped with various vintage cups. They are filled with inexpensive carnations and tiny, faux green apples from the crafts store! Adorn extra petals around the edge.
How about a small rose bush in a pot that's painted with inexpensive, metallic craft paint? They can become a gift for your guests.
It's entertaining week on Martha Stewart Living Radio! On "Living Today," we enjoyed a visit from the amazing Serena Bass, caterer to the stars (Sarah Jessica Parker and Nathan Lane are among her clients) and author of "Serena, Food & Stories: Feeding Friends Every Hour of the Day."
Serena is a James Beard Foundation award winner and shared some great tips for entertaining. For example, think of texture and contrast. After soup, serve something grilled or roasted. Also, if you serve a tart for a first course then don't serve another pastry for the rest of party.
Serena also says it's a wonderful idea to incorporate food with bright colors such as an emerald pea soup, borscht with fuschia tones, and grilled salmon on a bed of carrots.
In regards to summer entertaining, she mentioned that we should be thinking of basil, cilantro, macadamias, and pine nuts.
Finally, Serena wants to let us all know that it's okay to be a little late when attending a party. But arriving early puts extra pressure on the host/hostess as they prepare for their party. Thanks Serena for your fabulous tips!
What's your tried-and-true summer entertaining tip?
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