Martha Stewart Living April 2022

AS I LOOK FORWARD to April, I’m filled with new hope and energy. (And frankly, my winter coat and I have grown tired of each other.) This is a month about birth and renewal, and Mother Nature plays a starring role. It’s time to crack open those windows, let the fresh air in, and hatch some good plans for spring. In this issue, we celebrate all the season has to offer, starting with the colorful produce that’s beginning to flow into farmers’ markets. You’ll want to load up on carrots after seeing senior food editor Lauryn Tyrell’s vibrant ideas for the vegetable in “Root Camp” (page 84). We also make meatless Mondays—and Tuesdays, Wednesdays … and you get the picture—super-easy when you have our vegetarian “What’s for Dinner?” recipe cards in…

ON THE ROAD GREAT ESCAPES Spring-break romps aren’t just for undergrads. Soak up rays and old Florida glamour at the White Elephant Palm Beach (right), a luxurious new boutique resort in a renovated 1924 Mediterranean Revival landmark. Then check out some sleek physiques at the nearby Norton Museum of Art sculpture garden. Here, three more restorative, grown-up getaways. CHARLESTON, S.C. Catch gospel concerts and “rosé and roses” at the Festival of Houses & Gardens through April 9, and relax on the roof deck at the Loutrel, a charming new hotel in the historic district. NASHVILLE This March, the 112-year-old Hermitage Hotel unveiled a major refresh that includes Drusie & Darr by Jean-Georges, Chef Vongerichten’s first restaurant in the South. JOSHUA TREE, CALIF. View wildflower season in Joshua Tree National Park from the Bungalows, three restored midcentury homes near…

FRESH IDEAS FOR A HAPPY SPRING Easter Crafts marthastewart.com/easter Cleaning Tips marthastewart.com/cleaning Gardening Advice marthastewart.com/gardening Passover Recipes marthastewart.com/passover MUST-SEE VIDEO Everyday Food Dinner is infinitely more doable when you have Living editorial director of food and entertaining Sarah Carey in your corner. Her new videos spotlight versatile pantry staples that deliver maximum flavor. Watch and learn how she elevates inexpensive ingredients like chicken broth, spaghetti, and humble canned tuna to delicious new heights in recipes you’ll make again and again. TUNE IN To watch new Everyday Food videos, go to marthastewart.com/EDFyoutube. Let’s Keep in Touch! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube. Facebook: @marthastewart Instagram: @marthastewart Pinterest: pinterest.com/marthastewart Twitter: @marthaliving YouTube: youtube.com/marthastewart LENNART WEIBULL (EGGS); NGOC MINH NGO (GARDEN); MATTHEW WILLIAMS (CLEANING); CHRIS SIMPSON (PASSOVER); CORY GREEN (SARAH)…

I STARTED RAISING MY OWN CHICKENS in 1968, in a small coop I created out of a plywood playhouse that Alexis had outgrown. We quickly became hooked on the taste and quality of the eggs the hens laid, and I vowed to always raise my own. Today, I have several hundred chickens, in almost every kind available to hobbyists for egg production. They produce eggs in multiple hues and many different sizes at my farm in Bedford, and I feed them organic grains and corn, supplemented with greens from my gardens and vegetable and fruit scraps from two local vegetable markets we collect from daily. This varied diet leads to large, hard-shelled eggs with rich, yellow yolks and thick whites. My grandchildren can eat five or six in a sitting! I…

RESCUE & REVAMP Blooming Brilliant Papering over problems isn’t exactly Living photo director Ryan Mesina’s style. But when he spotted a worse-for-wear 1930s mahogany wardrobe on the side of the road, he knew some découpage could disguise its scratches and pockmarks. Our man with a DIY plan pulled his favorite photographs from a 1921 horticultural guidebook, Wildflowers of New York, by Homer D. House; arranged them in a grid over the doors; and adhered them with Mod Podge. The result stores barware, and speaks volumes about Ryan’s love of gardening and unerring eye for upcycling potential. 1. Clean Dab a cleaner/degreaser, such as Spray Nine, onto a sponge and scrub the wood thoroughly to remove dirt and wax. Wipe with a wet rag; let dry. On surfaces that won’t be découpaged, apply a scratch…

Start Smart To wash up with a clean conscience, swap a standard showerhead, which uses a thirsty 2.5 gallons of water per minute, for the latest high-efficiency version, and use 20 percent less H20 with nary a drop in pressure. (This switcheroo could save the average family 2,700 gallons a year!) Just look for fixtures with an EPA WaterSense label, a guarantee that they’ll deliver a strong, suds-rinsing spray. Next, lower your water heater 20 degrees, from the usual default setting of 140 to a still-steamy 120, and you can save up to 10 percent on your annual energy bill. Then try to limit showers to 10 minutes or less, or bathe every other day. IN THE MORNING … Pregame Like a Pro If you’ll be on the go or at work, pack an…