One of MrMartha's New Kitchen's

It's certainly a case of Back To The Future for MrMartha.

Here are a few BEFORE photos of one of the two kitchens in MrMartha's new MidCentury digs....
Basically good bones, appliances run a bit of the gamut, some have been updated fairly recently, some not so recently. The 'Space Age' (circa 1967) push button cooktop is going to require a rather interesting learning curve, no question there....but MrMartha reserves judgment for the time being.

Funny thing, the wall oven is exactly the same one in MrMartha's Mother's kitchen...so that is certainly familiar.

There is also an in-counter Nutone Kitchen system from the 50's which is presently not working....if any readers have any information about repairing or replacing this bit of formerly futuristic time capsule, MrMartha would love to hear about it.

Like any new kitchen, there will be adjustments, and readjustments....especially after cooking in the same kitchen for sixteen years and knowing the way around it blindfolded! But, hey, life is about change -- right? and it's not just a kitchen, it's an adventure.

MrMartha is anxious to get some new paint on the walls, cupboards, and trim; to change the cabinet pulls, and a few other minor things that will give the space a fresh and totally new look!

The next week is going to continue to be crazy with the relocation, but MrMartha will keep updating progress on the blog as time allows.

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Laura Petrie would LOVE both of them.....

MrMartha just survived a whirlwind several days of preparing for, and hosting, a Moving Sale last weekend... YIKES!! More about that little 'Comedy of Errors' to follow soon.

MrMartha does want to share with you -- two of the bathrooms in the new house... "new" -- as the photos will confirm -- being a relative term.

MrMartha is going to have a lot of fun transforming these spaces -- with just the most basic paint and ingenuity... as they say: a lot of paint and a little ingenuity will take you far (or is it the other way around?).

What the baths lack in the most current level of modern convenience -- like deep multiple sinks, and a large separate shower stall with multiple showerheads (Shower in the current house: MrMartha will miss you most of all !!) -- they more than make up for in functional charm.

How will this end up? Keep checking back.....MrMartha isn's quite sure, and Laura Petrie, if she knows, is keeping quiet for the time being....she just doesn't want anyone getting their big toe stuck in the bath faucet.

Read More for a pic of the second bath, and more of MrMartha's thoughts....

MrMartha will be following his own advice from the "Million Dollar Bathroom" post a few weeks ago....and will of course be sharing the completed results here......this is just a little BEFORE preview.....who says things were dull in the 50's?

Laura Petrie would feel right at home in either of these Mid Century Spas -- the epitomy in their era, of both ease (the abundance of tile), and elegance (the fashion forward -- for the time -- colors). But, the question is, how to keep the integrity of the period, and still drag them carefully forward towards the present day --

MrMartha has a rotating color wheel of paint chips clicking through his brain right now, for both baths.....deepest burgundy? the exact same blue of the fixtures? (probably not -- reinforcing the pink and baby blue theme would make that bath seem like a very sterile nursery!), taupey gray? the same Tiffany-ish blue as the bath in the current house? (MrMartha does love that color, and the pink/oxblood tile combination is exactly the same as the current house) .....or, as they would say in Monty Python --"and now, for something completely different".
If readers have ideas or suggestions, send them by email!

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Thoroughly (Mid Century) Modern MrMartha

MrMartha apologizes in advance that his postings will be a bit erratic over the next couple weeks --
MrMartha is relocating to a FABULOUS Mid Century Modern 1950s home, and that will limit ability to keep up the daily posting that MrMartha tries to maintain.

MrMartha has loved his current home, but is running out of new projects -- both with interiors and in the garden. So, difficult as it will be to say goodbye, the exciting new challenges of:
Decorating the fresh spaces,
Rehabilitating wonderful period details in the home,
Planning and realizing a revitalized garden (from a somewhat currently neglected and tired yard),
will soon be filling MrMartha's project book to capacity.

It will be wonderful to share all of that with the readers of MrMartha's blog... along with the Great Food, Style, and other content and tips you have come to expect from MrMartha...
please bear with MrMartha during this short transition period, and the future will be amazing.

MrMartha will be back to full speed quickly, with tons of new posts -
packed with ideas and suggestions.
Plus, of course, awesome recipes and entertaining ideas -- brought to you from MrMartha's TWO new KITCHENS -- yes, the new house has two kitchens, so MrMartha will have one for everyday cooking, and a second dedicated to entertaining and producing blog posts......how exciting is that? MrMartha is THRILLED!

PLEASE KEEP CHECKING BACK, you never know just what you will find on MrMartha.com --but it will always be interesting, useful, fun, and with MrMartha's definite point of view!

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Tomato Plant Update

MrMartha's Tomato Plants are growing like proverbial weeds....
Here's an updated photo....with a second one taken at planting time for contrast.

View MrMartha's previous post about planting tomatoes HERE.

It's not too late to add some tomato plants to your garden and still enjoy magnificent red ripe fruit this summer...now that we are well into June, just buy bigger plants at the garden center. Make sure to fertilize regularly!

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MrMartha's Freeform 'Double Apple' Tart

Here's a favorite of MrMartha's -- perfect for the upcoming July 4 celebrations, a nice summer dessert when entertaining, or an indulgent weekend treat anytime.

It's known as 'Double Apple' because, before baking, the filling is comprised of both precooked and raw apples. The finished tart has a wonderful contrast in textures, as well as incredibly rich and complex flavors.
The freeform crust shaping is simple to achieve and gives the tart both a casual feel, and a certain easy elegance. Just about any type of apple can be used, adjust your sugar amount up and down a bit depending on level of tartness or sweetness of your variety. Golden Delicious are always easily available, and hold their shape fairly well when cooked....but dont be afraid to experiment.

By combining the two different apple preparations in the same tart, you get an intensely flavored, softly textured apple mass as the main focus, with a decorative, slightly chewy, layer of thinner apple slices above. The freeform crust holds it all together nicely. While there are a few steps involved to get a beautiful result, it is really not that difficult, and well worth the effort.

A hint to save time -- you can easily use prepared refrigerated pastry dough...it's not quite the same as homemade, but if you are dough-o-phobic (get over it!) or short on time, it will work. Just be sure to allow it to come to cool room temperature and roll it out slightly thinner than it comes from the package before using.

Read More for the Full Recipe, Step by Step Instructions, and More Photos.

1 Recipe of Pastry Dough for 9" double crust pie, or package of premade refrigerated Pastry Dough (if you dont have a favorite recipe, some excellent options from well known cooks and chefs are HERE. )

6-10 apples depending on size. about 6 cups overall when prepared.
1/2 to 1 Cup Sugar (to taste)
Pinch of Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour (adjust a bit if needed, depending on liquid amount exuded from apples.)
1/2 Teaspoon (or to taste) Ground Cinnamon or Apple Pie Spice Blend (optional)
Good squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice (optional)

Additional sugar and butter to top tart before baking

1 Egg beaten with 1 Teaspoon of Water -- for Pastry Glaze
2 Tablespoons Apricot Jam -- to Glaze Apples

Peel and pare the Apples. Slice into 1/4" wedges, until you have a generous 4 cups worth.
Melt the butter in a non stick pan that will hold the apples without over crowding.
Add the apples and cook over medium-low heat until the start to release their juices and just start to change texture and become slightly translucent.
Stir and toss carefully, so as not to overwork the apples -- you want nice slices, you dont want them to disintegrate.
Add the sugar, flour, and salt, add cinnamon and lemon juice if desired.
Continue to cook briefly till the juices of the apples thicken.

Remove from heat, transfer to a heatproof bowl in a shallow layer, and allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, slice the remaining apples approx 1/8" thick, and toss lightly with a little lemon juice and sprinkle of sugar.

Roll out pastry to a round approx 16" diameter for a single large tart. Working with a round of pastry that size takes a little dexterity, so you can also divide the dough in half and make two smaller tarts, or into quarters and make four tarts.

Position the dough onto a sheet of baking parchment , a Silpat, or directly on a flat baking sheet.
Place the cooked apple filling into the center of the pastry so there is a border of pastry remaining 2-3" all the way around.

Place the remaining raw apple slices in a decorative radiating pattern over the cooked filling as shown in photo. Carefully fold the pastry up and over the center filling, being careful not to break or rupture the crust. Do this slowly, deliberately, and -- as Julia Child would say, "with the courage of your convictions" -- and it should go just fine.

Sprinkle a little more sugar over the raw apple slices, dot a few thin slices of butter around the apples as well, and lay a round of waxed paper lightly over the exposed filling. If the crust seems very soft, pop the baking sheet into the freezer for just a couple minutes to firm it, prior to baking.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Remove the tart, take off the waxed paper round, and quickly glaze the crust with the egg wash. Return to the oven and bake till the crust is nicely browned, and the sliced apples are just starting to color and carmelize. LIkely about 30 more minutes, depending on your oven.

Remove baking sheet, and allow to cool. If desired, glaze the apples with some heated, slightly thinned Apricot Jam. touch the apple slices lightly with the brush to glaze. if you try to 'paint' the glaze on, the apple slices may shift.

Enjoy the wonderful combination of deep apple flavor in the soft filling, with the slightly chewy texture of the apple slices on top. A little vanilla ice cream, or some lightly whipped cream are all you need to complete this wonderful treat.

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One Strawberry Loving Squirrel

During Strawberry season, MrMartha is visited often by the world's most industrious Squirrel. The quirky rodent lives one lot over, in a stand of Maple trees that dip down close to the north side of the roof here.

The little fellow is very adept....he jumps from the trees down onto the roof, scampers across, navigates down to the deck via a trellis....and proceeds to select only the very nicest, absolutely perfectly ripe Strawberries in MrMartha's potted Strawberry patch. When the berries are at their apex, he visits several times a day, leaving behind his calling card -- the closely chewed hull and remnants of his berry of the moment.

He is absolutely fearless, and apparently has developed a taste for the luscious berries that rivals MrMartha's own passion for the delicious morsels. While store bought commercially grown strawberries have improved in quality and taste by leaps and bounds in recent years, there is still nothing that can compare to the perfection of homegrown, just picked, berries. One just has to be quicker than the Squirrel. MrMartha has eased the competition a bit by planting additional pots of the carefree and easy to grow plants, and remains glad that MrSquirrel has not seen fit to share his secret stash with a bunch of his bushy tailed buddies.

Growing strawberries in pots is simple, can be done on a deck, patio, side of the house or even an accommodating windowsill.

Read More for Details, Tips, and more photos.....

MrMartha has the potted berries growing on a west facing deck that gets good southern exposure and the afternoon sunshine. The pots range from 12" to 16", and have 4 to 6 plants per pot. Currently there are about seven assorted pots, planted with an everbearing variety of strawberry.

The yield repeats every couple weeks, and is enough for snacking straight off the plants, to create a nice dessert, have indulgent breakfast cereal -- and at the first and heaviest fruiting, make a batch of incomparable jam!

Different parts of the country do better with different varieties. Check with your local garden center for suggestions. MrMartha prefers varieties that produce berries on arching chandelier like stems, they stay out of the soil and look lovely lazily dripping over the edges of the pots. Two good varieties for the Northwest are Quinault and Nisqually.

The plants do well with minimal attention. Good basic potting soil, regular applications of liquid fertilizer, and snipping off the runners as they appear are really all that is needed. At the end of the season, allow some runners to grow and develop, tuck those into new pots, to increase your plant count. Strawberry plants do well for up to five seasons, depending on variety, and then start to decline....so if you get into the habit of starting some new plants each season, you will be able to discard older plants that have stopped producing as heavily, while still maintaining a good number of prime healthy plants.

One other secret -- MrMartha top dresses the pots regularly with a mulch of coffee grounds, scratching it into the first inch or so of the soil. The strawberries love a little acid and it helps to retain moisture in the soil, though it does nothing to discourage MrSquirrel!

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Ask MrMartha...Some Wedding Conundrums

Dear MrMartha,
I enjoyed your post of the vintage wedding gown sketch. I have my own wedding coming up later this year, and am thinking about a vintage wedding gown. Do you have any suggestions in that regard? Also, my fiance and I have been having some issues about grooms and ushers attire....how do we understand the options? Is it true that tuxedos should never be worn for a daytime wedding? Thanks for any suggestions.

Dear Reader,
MrMartha congratulates you on your upcoming nuptials, and wishes you a wonderful day, which will, of course, run smoothly as a result of your careful advance planning!

A vintage wedding gown is such a charming idea.....the thought of wearing mother's or grandmother's gown on your own special day is a dear and precious tradition. Often however, the realities of style and sizing -- not to mention how the gown was stored, its condition and level of fragility, can get in the way of that lovely dream. Buying a vintage gown that has no family connection can also be a solution, or be fraught with peril....

MrMartha has some good suggestions for you about gown options in the expanded post, but first some quick notes on dressing your groom.

Wedding attire in general, and especially what the groom and groomsmen wear, has gained a lot more latitude in recent years. In the strictest sense, men should never wear tuxedos before five in the afternoon, but then men should also never wear a wristwatch with a tux....so the rules are indeed tough to enforce!

Traditionally, for a formal daytime wedding, Cutaway coat with striped pants would be worn, and a dark business suit for less formal ceremony. Unless you are marrying royalty (in which case, Congratulations!!) it is unlikely that you will get the gentlemen of the wedding party to wear, what are somewhat demurely referred to, as Morning Suits. It's also likely you may see a basic business suit as not special enough for the occasion. MrMartha sees no problem with your groom and groomsmen wearing simple black tuxedos with understated shirts and basic accessories, especially for a wedding that is after, say, two o'clock, or if the reception will continue past five.

Things to stay away from -- very formal tuxes for a morning wedding (they would look like waiters at a fancy brunch) -- and sherbet colored tuxes with over the top accessories (unless the groomsmen will also be performing as a 70's cover band during the reception.)
For some really amazing information about men's formal wear -- the history, options, the rules (plus how to break them) and some really fun illustrations....check out BlackTieGuide.com.

Read More for additional information and some wonderful suggestions on Vintage Wedding Gowns and the alternatives.

The concerns with Vintage Wedding gowns are condition and fit. MrMartha understands that in general, gowns prior to 1960's vintage tend to be short waisted, tighter in the arms and shoulders, and often just too short for the modern woman's body.

Alterations can be done by a skilled seamstress, depending on the style of the dress. It is much easier to take in a dress that is too large, than to let seams out. Also, there may be visible difference in how the fabric has aged between the exposed portion of the dress and the inner seams. The evidence of the original seams themselves may be impossible to eradicate.

If it is a family gown that you have your heart set on, or a vintage dress you have already identified and fallen in love with because of its design or the lace or trims used, or if there is just a general style or era you have a fondness for, there are still options.

The best solution is likely to have a new dress made in vintage style by a good seamstress. A pattern can be taken from an existing dress, and if the dress is not a family heirloom, the original can be taken apart and the vintage lace and trims reused. Another good option is to find a design you love in a vintage sewing pattern, and have the dress made for you from that. That really gives you the best of all worlds....the vintage design (altered and adjusted as necessary for perfect fit), the ability to choose your fabric and trims (or reuse vintage lace), the security of knowledge that the dress is not overly delicate or of questionable sturdiness due to age (you don't want the arms to shred as you toss the bouquet), and the ability to have just EXACTLY the gown you want. MrMartha knows you will be a beautiful bride, whatever you choose.

A wonderful vintage pattern service, specializing in bridal and formal patterns can be found HERE.

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You'd Never Know She's Plastic....

MrMartha loves statuary in the garden.

There is something about large figures or abstract art works, that really lends a presence and a wonderful counterpoint to the foliage and flowers of the landscape. If used sparingly and properly, they can be wonderful exclamation points that draw the eye, and encourage the garden viewer to take a closer look at the plants around them.

One surprising material -- PLASTIC -- Don't laugh at MrMartha!
The lovely roman lady in the photos may appear to be terra cotta, but she is actually a heavy hollow recycled plastic, she is indestructible and fantastic. MrMartha discovered her at a Lowes Garden Center a few years back, priced under $50.00, and she has been happily ensconced under a Juniper arch ever since. MrMartha added about 15 pounds of sand through a plug in the base to add weight and stabilization. Almost five feet tall, a comparable statue of real terra cotta would be hundreds of dollars, easily subject to breakage and weather damage, and would age in an unpredictable way.

How well does the plastic mimic the real thing? A close friend who had visited the garden many times, and also happens to be an architect with a very good eye, commented about always liking the figure. MrMartha shared the 'plastic secret'. "NO WAY!" was the reply, and he promptly went over to touch the surface, turning back with an amazed look on his face. "Who would have guessed -- it fooled me".

Many other materials are also commonly used in garden sculptures -- we have all driven past the roadside 'cement festivals' where cast concrete in every form from small gnomes to giant Statues of Liberty are lined up. If you stop and look with a critical eye, there are often some gems tucked in amongst the kitsch that is usually prevalent. Cast cement is long lasting, but heavy and difficult to place, especially with larger works. Bonded marble and terra cotta are also frequently used as materials for garden sculpture but they are generally very expensive. Raw and finished iron or metal are also found, but usually in contemporary abstract pieces, or in structural elements like obelisks.

Careful placement is important. Any artwork should further the overall feeling and sense of your garden, not intrude on it. It needs to look like it has always been there, and that something would be missing without it. Sometimes placement is obvious, if you have a spot that just doesn't look 'finished' -- or an area where you are waiting for plant material mature and fill in -- or an obvious focal point that just doesn't look "focal" -- a piece of sculpture or garden art may be just what you need. In those instances, you can seek out and find a piece that is just exactly the right scale and volume for the specific location.

Sometimes the opposite is true -- you are at a garden show, or nursery, and you see a piece of sculpture that speaks to you. By all means buy it.....and then when you get it home, move it around the garden, testing in different spots until it shows you just where it is meant to be. Sometimes a bit of pruning or adjustment of the surrounding plants may be necessary to achieve just the right fit, and adding a base to raise and feature the work may also be necessary.

If you have a spot in the garden that is calling out for "something" -- perhaps a plastic lady is just what you need.

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Conception Classique de Mode de la Semaine

La Belle Mariee

And what a beautiful bride she is.

Another of MrMartha's collection of vintage fashion illustrations, this time a somewhat austere, but most elegant, bridal gown.

While most 50's wedding dresses tend to be thought of as giant ball gown meringues, dripping with lace and full of fussy details, this wonderful exception to the rule is in a class all by itself!

Incredibly simple, with high neckline and three quarter fitted sleeves, the detail and interest coming from gathers along the bodice seams down through the hips, and the attached train at the hips. One can imagine the gown made in heavy satin, or other ultra luxe but simple fabric. While the illustration shows only a small wrapped pillbox cap, it is easy to picture a long luxurious cloud of fine tulle trailing as a veil.

One other interesting note, the bridal bouquet, showing the then current fashion of large sprays of flowers tied with wide satin bows, a wonderful contrast against the simplicity of the gown.

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The Worlds Best All Purpose Glue

MrMartha LOVES Weldbond, The "Universal Space Age Adhesive", perhaps the best all purpose glue available.

MrMartha has used this product to successfully reattach loose slate patio tiles to a cement base, to glue objects onto glass surfaces, for wood bonding, fabrics, general crafts, and many, many other things.

The product will seal all porous surfaces, and according to the label, will also glue foam, plaster, laminates, cork, concrete, china, ceramics, porcelain, marble, corian, gypsum board, leather, and metal.

A favorite with mosaic crafters, the product can be found in larger home improvement and hardware stores, specialty craft stores, and online. MrMartha generally purchases via eBay, and a list of eBay sellers featuring the product can be found HERE.

The large container can be a bit unwieldy for more delicate applications and small craft projects, so for those, MrMartha decants some of the product into a smaller applicator bottle.

Get some now, and you will have it on hand when that next difficult glue dilemma presents itself, or when you are moved to jump into a spur of the moment craft project!
Note that when MrMartha recommends a product, it is only because that product is used by MrMartha, and because the product is judged to be the best option in the marketplace today.

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Rose of The Week - The Incomparable Cecile Brunner

What a magnificent rose. Cecile Brunner has been around since 1894, and for a few weeks every spring, is an absolute show stopper in MrMartha's garden.

MrMartha's plant is about fifteen years old and has grown into a huge magnificent pillar. Trained originally onto a fence, the bush is now at least three times as high as the original support, and holds shape by intertwining its canes. Most commonly thought of as a climber, some would call this rose a rambler.

Officially categorized as a Polyantha Rose, there are also non climbing and 'improved' versions which will flower repeatedly rather than the one grand show each year. The plant is covered with perfect miniature sized blooms in classic hybrid tea shape. Each bloom starts out a sweet blush pink, and fades to a pinkish white tone with age. Every bloom is perfection in its own right, and a large well grown mature specimen of the plant will be blanketed with literally hundreds, if not over a thousand blooms at its peak.

Read More for some additional details about this amazing rose, and more photos of MrMartha's showpiece in full glorious bloom.

The plant itself is nearly thornless, effectively disease free, will tolerate less than perfect soil, and even some shade. While it takes many years for Cecile Brunner to reach the amazing proportions found in MrMartha's garden, the plant will be well established and a beautiful addition to any garden after two or three years. It would do well planted against any fence, along the side of a house, on a strong structural support like an arbor arch or heavy pillar framework. It also takes well to being trained up into another tree as framework.

This rose is also commonly referred to as the "Sweetheart Rose" and also known as Mignon. The new growth appears as a deep rusty red tone, and the foliage when not in bloom is a leathery medium green that provides wonderful structure and background for other later blooming plants planted in front of it, or in the general vicinity. It is very fragrant, and a large mature plant in bloom will scent the entire garden, and probably most of the neighbors gardens as well with it's distinctive classic rose perfume.

Cecile Brunner was originally hybridized by Jean Claude Pernet, père (October 15, 1832 - March 31, 1896) was a French rosarian known for his cultivation of rose cultivars. He was born to a family of rose growers in Villeurbanne, Rhône, near the city of Lyon. His father, Claude Pernet, established a rose nursery in 1845. Cecile was apparently named after the daughter of another rose breeder.

Some lovely photos of Cecile Brunner used in rose arrangements are HERE.

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