When Martha Stewart first released Entertaining in 1982, she didn’t just share recipes. She quietly, confidently reset the standard for what it means to welcome people into your home. Her vision was elegant but never showy, thoughtful but never fussy. Even now, more than 40 years later, you can feel the ripple effect of that book every time someone sets a beautiful table, bakes a perfect loaf of bread from scratch or decides the “good” linens are worth using on a Tuesday.
I’ll admit my bias up front. Martha is one of the reasons I fell in love with cooking—and why an arguably unreasonable portion of my free time is spent poring over tableware, arranging flowers and convincing myself that yes, I really do need another serving platter. I was born a few years after Entertaining came out, but her influence still found me—proof of how deeply her ideas permeated home life. She taught so many of us that taking care—real care—is not frivolous. It’s generous. It’s how we show love.
So when I heard that Entertaining was being reissued this November, just in time for the holidays, I was elated and genuinely moved to see a new generation discovering Entertaining.
Of course, the pages of this deeply influential book reflect the style of the early ’80s, but the heart of it—the grace, the attention to detail, the belief that beauty belongs at the table—still feels modern. First editions have been known to sell for hundreds of dollars (even approaching four figures), which tells you everything you need to know about the cultural weight of this book.
More than four decades after its debut, Entertaining continues to guide how we host: with purpose, warmth and the kind of effortless confidence that only Martha could make feel attainable. Here are five lessons from those pages that still shape the way I, and so many others, welcome people in.
Via Williams Sonoma.com
1. Hosts Should Plan So They Can Actually Enjoy the Party
In Entertaining, Martha returns often to the value of preparation. Many of the menus include dishes meant to be finished before guests arrive—cold first courses, simple room-temperature mains and make-ahead desserts—letting the host be present at the table.
This was revelatory. Hosting didn’t have to mean disappearing into the kitchen; it could mean refilling a glass, joining a conversation or lingering over the final bites of dinner. Martha showed us that preparation is the gift that allows everyone, including the host, to feel at ease.
2. Seasonal, Thoughtful Menus Are Best
The menus in Entertaining are rooted in season and place. She wasn’t preaching novelty; she was teaching attentiveness. What’s beautiful right now? What tastes good today? Her menus are anchored in the season, guided by what’s naturally abundant and at its best. This quiet practicality is what makes her approach endure. A well-planned menu doesn’t show off; it listens to the ingredients themselves.
3. Simple Ingredients Can Feel Luxurious
Looking back, one of the most striking things about Entertaining is how unfussy many of the ingredients are. Martha elevates what’s readily available, showing that simplicity, when handled with care, can feel luxurious. The luxury comes from technique and attention, not exclusivity. Food is plated with intention, the flavors are balanced, the presentation is honest and beautiful. She showed that elegance is thoughtful, not expensive or pretentious.
4. Treat Flowers and Nature as Essential Decor
It seems like every page of Entertaining highlights flowers. The blooms aren’t exotic imports, but what’s growing nearby: lilacs in spring, peonies in summer, branches clipped just so. Martha often keeps arrangements simple—one flower, one color, gathered loosely—allowing nature to speak for itself.
Her philosophy was quietly revolutionary: Beauty doesn’t require grandeur. A handful of tulips from the yard, a bowl of pears, a branch with turning leaves…these elements bring life to the table. It’s a form of decorating that feels generous, grounded and unmistakably heartfelt.
5. Details Make Guests Feel Cared For
Small gestures are woven throughout Entertaining. Linens chosen with care, flowers gathered with intention, menus composed to put guests at ease. None of it is fussy for its own sake. It’s hospitality expressed through attention to detail. Details that tell guests, I thought about you. I’m glad you’re here. At its heart, Entertaining isn’t about perfection; it’s about the quiet things that make people feel welcomed and seen.
The reissue of Entertaining is more than a nostalgic nod. It’s a reminder of how Martha reshaped the way we gather. Her lessons endure: plan ahead, cook with the season, keep beauty simple, and let the little details show you care. It’s a philosophy that still feels modern, and one I return to often, whenever I’m setting the table, stirring a sauce or tucking fresh flowers into a simple vase.
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