A Year In the Country (via suds)

Working at one of Canada's three new Anthropologie stores has numerous perks, not the least of which is being surrounded by luxuriant scents for the entirety of my time on duty. Within the store is a glorious selection of home and personal fragrances, carefully chosen by our offices to reflect the image of our brand, including candles, perfumes and soaps.

I was thrilled when I learned several months ago that two friends of mine had joined the numerous vendors that Anthropologie brings on board on a continuous basis. Dr. Brent Ridge (a former health editor at Martha Stewart Living magazine) and his partner Josh Kilmer-Purcell (a novelist and advertising executive) are owners of the prolifically productive Beekman Farm in Sharon Springs, New York. They now sell various examples of their fine, all-natural goat's-milk soaps at Anthropologie, including an exclusive new boxed collection of 12 handmade soaps, straight from the mills of their farm.

Their "A Year In the Country" soap collection features all twelve of their custom-formulated scents (12 soaps with particular scents that reflect seasonal fragrances) and comes in a beautiful, sturdy wooden box.

I adore the label on the tin!

When I told Brent about my little scream of delight when I received the delivery of his soap at our store in Toronto, he informed me that he personally made, by hand, each of the metal lids on each of the hundreds of boxes that are being shipped to Anthropologie stores across North America, and to the new store in London, England. He also had to hand cut each of the small holes on the lids, which act as gripping mechanisms to slide the lid open. His effort paid off -the collection is beautiful!

Underneath each monthly soap is a description of the scent and the natural derivatives that were used to achieve it. All the soap is handmade at the Beekman farm by Brent and Josh (with help from Farmer John!) using the milk from their prized goats.

In any case, the soaps are delightful and are so beautifully packaged that I will naturally be buying myself a box. I urge you to seek them out at the Anthropologie nearest you or order them online at anthropologie.com

NOTE: I will be visiting Brent and Josh at the farm in December, so I'll have a full report about their beautiful little piece of earth, with photos!

MSLO Posts Third Quarter Losses

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's third-quarter loss widened on lower revenue and a continued slump in advertising in its publishing division, the company's most profitable department. Each of the core elements of its business was hit with losses, including merchandising as the company transitions out of its lucrative deal with Kmart.

For the third quarter, the company posted a loss of $12.1 million, or 22 cents a share, compared with a loss of just $3.7 million in last year's third quarter. Total revenue decreased 25% to $49.8 million. Ad revenues in the company's magazines declined by 22% and a slump in newsstand sales and subscriptions was also noted. MSLO's merchandising division saw sales fall by 39% this quarter as the segment's profit dropped by 59%.

On the up side, the company has expanded its retail business by incorporating new relationships with Home Depot and PetSmart in recent months with the announcement of exclusive products at these stores. These partnerships, in conjunction with new product launches by Hain Celestial Group (Martha Stewart Clean) and an expansion of the company's line of prepared foods, are expected to help bolster merchandising revenue.

Martha in Rachel's Kitchen!

The seventh sign? Maybe. An addition to the list of deadly sins? Possibly. All I know is that when I read this morning that Martha Stewart would be a guest on the Rachel Ray Show on November 12th, I actually screamed out loud. It was a mix of excitement and dread, rather like the feeling one gets on approach to a roadside accident: "Should I look?"

Of course I will try to tune in just to see the odd dynamic between the two domestic gurus. I am not a Rachel Ray fan in the slightest, but Martha standing next to her in her studio, surrounded by canned tomato sauce, is enough to get me to watch.
Above, Martha and Rachel pose for a photo at the New York City Food and Wine Festival last month.

The two have been set up by the press as arch rivals, with abundant rumours about how they cannot stand each other. Rachel and Martha, for their parts, have been mostly mum on the subject of their supposed rivalry over the years, but they have let it slip that they respect each other, despite some very pointed differences, which they also proudly acknowledge.

In any case, it will be worth watching. Here is the commercial touting Martha's appearance: click here.

UPDATE: Rachel will appear on Martha's show the following day (November 13th) to make a Thanksgiving dessert. Fair is fair!

Art-Angels Stationery

On a recent stationery-buying binge I discovered a fantastic new UK stationer that specializes in distributing greeting cards featuring the work of English and Scotting printmakers who primarily specialize in linocuts. (Linocuts are prints derived from an inked slab of thick linoleum that have been skillfully carved to create a relief pattern, which catches the ink and creates the image, once printed through a press onto paper.)

The company is called Art Angels and is based in Norfolk, England. It also sells gift wrap printed with images by contemporary illustrators and designers. It was founded in 1993 by Chris Cordingly, who has worked for years in stationery design and distribution.

There are several things I admire about the company, not the least of which is that they are open to submissions by everyday artists and illustrators. All of the cards are also printed in the most ecologically-sound way possible, using only 100% recycled board, or they're board manufactured using elemental, chlorine-free pulp from managed forests that have sound replanting programs in place. The envelopes are also made of recycled paper, and even the cellophane wrapper the cards are sold in are made of a corn starch derivative and are completely biodegradeable.

The cards are now available for export to North America, and I was lucky to find these cards below at a local, independent stationery store. You can see my lovely purchases below!

I love the folksy look of linocuts, with their rough edges and boldly printed patterns. These ones are perfect for fall birthdays or special occasions. Having worked as a printmaker myself in the past, I also understand the amount of work that goes into painstakingly carving the linoleum and courageously inking it in multiple colours to hopefully achieve a beautiful image on paper once it's put through a press. It's a tricky but rewarding process.

Mark Herald, "Salad Days."

Robert Gillmor, "Winter Lapwings."

Robert Tavner, "Village." 1966.

Angie Lewin, "Loch with Dandelions."

Edward Bawden, "Autumn." 1950.

Edward Bawden, "Ives Farmhouse, Great Bardfield." 1956.

Martha Stewart Holiday Issue

Watch the newsstands this week for the newest special Holiday issue by Martha Stewart Living - a supplement to the monthly publication that is not part of the subscription. This new glossy issue, which is free of advertisements, is a collection of 100 sweet recipes for the holiday season, hand picked by Martha. From Thanksgiving to New Year's, you'll have your desserts covered.. Cupcakes, pies, tarts, truffles, petits-fours are all part of the parcel, as are a series of delicious cakes. Be sure to get your copy!

Martha Stewart Clean

Monday, November 2, marks the launch of Martha's new all-natural cleaning products, produced by Hain Celestial Group. The products will be available at numerous retailers across North America later this month but are currently only available to buy in bulk at Amazon.

Shown here is the laundry detergent, the all-purpose cleaner and the carpet stain remover. Also available is a wood floor cleaner, a fabric softener, a bathroom cleaner, a toilet-bowl cleaner, dish detergent and dishwasher detergent.

Cookbooks by Omnistaff

I recall Martha saying in an interview once that one of her greatest rewards as an employer is seeing her staff grow and develop, and that she encourages them to start their own enterprises and projects. It seems that guidance has paid off for a number of Martha's food editors, many of whom now have their own cookbooks and independent businesses.

Below are a few cookbooks by Omnimedia food staff that you may want to check out.

John Barricelli, a food editor at Martha Stewart Living, host of Everyday Baking and co-host of Everyday Food, has a new coming out in March. It is a compilation of some of his most beloved recipes from his bakery (the SoNo Baking Company and Cafe) in Norwalk, Connecticut. I'm really looking forward to this book. It has a foreword by Martha.

Matt Lee and Ted Lee, writers of the wine column in Martha Stewart Living magazine, devote most of their time to the traditions and flavours of Southern cooking. Their new book "Simple, Fresh, Southern" is a collection of time-honoured Southern classics with a modern twist.

Lucinda Scala Quinn, ediorial director for food at Martha Stewart Living and co-host of the Everyday Food program on PBS, has written a fantastic new book about a topic that concerns many moms out there: feeding men and boys! Dealing with the ravenous appetites of the male stomach, the book humorously (but effectively) compiles strategies and survival techniques to get the boys fed and full each night on a reasonable budget, while not foresaking nutrition and good health. My friend Kenn recently attended one of Lucinda's promo lectures for the book. Please take some time to read his account here. "Mad Hungry" is not Lucinda's only cookbook. She has also written two excellent books about Jamaican cookery and a book on Italian cooking at home.

Susan Spungen, former editorial director for food at Martha Stewart Living, is currently a freelance cook and food writer, working primarily for film and television. (She was the creator of all that delicious food on screen in the hit film "Julie & Julia" last summer!) Her cookbook, simply titled "Recipes," has a foreword by Martha Stewart and is a collection of some of her finest creations. I always loved Susan's work at the magazine. I found it simple, fresh and beautiful.