Martha Stewart's 1980s Cookbook Debut Is Still On Shelves Today

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Martha Stewart has published over a hundred books covering everything from flower arranging and home renovation to wedding planning and gardening. However, her area of expertise lies firmly in the cookbook arena. Stewart's debut collection, "Entertaining," is still on shelves today, highlighting her commendable longevity as a recipe developer and cook.

Stewart was commissioned to write the culinary guide back in the 1980s after she catered a party in the literary world (her dishes and serving style impressed one of the head honchos at Crown Publishing). The book kickstarted Stewart's colossal career and led to the publication of a myriad more cookery books on appetizers, wedding cakes, cookies, power foods, and more. In an interview on her website, Stewart said the book "really changed my life. I found my voice—and I think I'd found my career."

Last year, Stewart announced the re-release of her debut on her Instagram page after a Netflix documentary about her life took off, reigniting a curiosity in her early work. Her post stated, "Entertaining was first released in December 1982. And now after nearly 43 years, it's out again, identical to the first edition with all 300 recipes and 450 full-color photographs." However, genuine first editions in hardback are available on eBay and on Amazon if you want to get your hands on an original print.

The cover of "Entertaining" features Martha Stewart (sporting a voluminous 1980s hairstyle) sitting at the edge of a tablescape consisting of printed crockery, blue glassware, and orange flowers. Inside are recipes and guides titled "Clam bake for thirty", "Hawaiian Luau for twenty," and "Russian buffet for twenty-four," highlighting Stewart's ambition and creativity. There's even a section for "the at-home wedding", which includes a blueprint for setting up an afternoon cocktail reception and catered wedding luncheon for 270 guests. Stewart herself describes it as a long and complicated book that took an immense amount of energy and time to put together in the acknowledgments. So, this book definitely has a different appeal to modern cookery collections collated for the average at-home cook, which focus on minimal ingredients and speedy prep; as the title suggests, it's all about considered and thoughtful entertaining that takes time versus no-fuss home cooking.

That said, the book does include some sensible serving-size options, such as an omelet brunch for eight, and a section on crudite and fruit platters as easy entertaining options, showcasing the breadth of the collection. The cookbook also features tips on planning cocktail parties, ideas for table settings, and the importance of making lists (which happens to be Martha Stewart's initial step when hosting any party), so it has earned its keep as a classic. Meanwhile, Martha Stewart's favorite cookbook of all time — Joy of Cooking — is a classic too.