Archive
Chicken Noodle Soup and the Recession
Whole Foods must be struggling, too. Yes this was, in fact, the only piece of chicken in my chicken noodle soup.
Baking for Bocce III: Chocolate Dump-it Cake
Our bocce team is no longer in last place. I think we’re second to last– but still, let’s celebrate the small victories. Chocolate seems to help. We definitely play a little better. I noticed this when I made Katherine Hepburn’s brownies a few weeks back–so…
Not My Bag
I’ve always said in an alternate life I’d like to be a baker. And seeing that I’m only 30, I keep telling myself it’s really not too late to make that happen in this life. So when I saw an ad for cooperative bakers at a pizza…
The Charms of Fair Food
I never wanted to go in the first place. The dogs needed to be fed, it was getting late, and we’d had a long day canoeing on the river. I wanted to go home and grill burgers, make a big salad with the tomatoes and wax beans…
Ode to Amanda Hesser
You know where to find Grains of Paradise (or even what they are) and smoked paprika. You love beets, fatty fish, and biscotti. You use the word “tangle” to describe salads, judge people for their restaurant choices, and hate doing dishes in the morning. You…
Baking for Bocce III: Chocolate Dump-it Cake
Our bocce team is no longer in last place. I think we’re second to last– but still, let’s celebrate the small victories. Chocolate seems to help. We definitely play a little better. I noticed this when I made Katherine Hepburn’s brownies a few weeks back–so last week, I…
Beets, Blog Headers, and the Future
I’ve had some unexpected new beginnings during the past month. First and foremost, I roasted beets a few nights ago. I have to admit that I always buy them pre-done at Trader Joe’s although everyone in my family tells me how easy it is to make a little foil…
The Charms of Fair Food
I never wanted to go in the first place. The dogs needed to be fed, it was getting late, and we’d had a long day canoeing on the river. I wanted to go home and grill burgers, make a big salad with the tomatoes and wax beans from the…
Chicken Noodle Soup and the Recession
Whole Foods must be struggling, too. Yes this was, in fact, the only piece of chicken in my chicken noodle soup.
Subtle Satisfaction in Ferry Building’s Mijita
The Ferry Building is one of those unique places in San Francisco that locals and tourists happily share. Residents run in for a loaf of bread at Acme or some oysters from Hog Island while tourists scoop up Scharffen Berger bars and snap photos of heaping…
Strawberry jam to ease a heat wave
On my ferry ride into the city Friday night, one of the drivers came on the loudspeaker announcing, “No we do not have air conditioning. No, the city isn’t any cooler. Have a lovely evening.” Yikes. Well, to his credit, we were all a bit grouchy. This past weekend,…
Pesto, Built on a Lie
In the Bay Area, we often have an Indian summer. It descends each year around this time. And each year, I always wonder why it’s heating up as we ease into September. Just when all the fall clothes pop up in store windows, when the morning light begins…
Food Memories
I would be a horrible game show contestant. In fact, I’d last all of five minutes. It’s not one of my strengths to come up with answers to anything quickly. I often know the answer but it takes me a second to conjure them up…Recently as I was…
Baking for Bocce II: Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies
For people who love brownies, these are legendary. There are a few different recipes floating around claiming to be the definitive one and there are different stories about how the brownies came to be. The one most commonly held to be true is that Liz…
After a Week, Still Thinking About Food Inc.
When I was eating my blueberries and kefir this morning, I noticed a label on the blueberry container: “Who Grew These Blueberries? Please visit www.oregonberry.com, click the lot code printed on the front of this label and find out information about the grower.” Wow. Really? Well, I…
Ben and Jerry’s “Flipped-Out” Fails
I can define certain moments of my life in Ben & Jerry’s flavors. In junior high, there was Rainforest Crunch (you know you miss it). I had to beat my dad to it or hide it in deep, dark tunnels in the back of the fridge.
You Are What You Eat
I remember a few years back observing my family eat at the Olema Inn in West Marin. I was so sick that weekend. I laid in bed sweating out a fever, having delusions that the stuffed squirrels on the mantle were dancing around my bedposts. So…
Winging it With Gazpacho
It’s finally hot here. Like really, really ‘summer has certainly arrived’ hot. As I write, the dogs are sitting at my feet panting away, the fan is blocking out all street noise, and things are very, very still. No breeze. No squirrels darting across the…
Stiff Drinks, Smokey Beans, & Really Good Posture
Sunday was basically a wash. I had a great run along the Mill Valley bike path. The sun was out. I felt strong. Stopped by Peet’s for a mid-morning latte on the way home, took a hot shower, watered the lawn and…
Baking for Bocce
Being relatively young and living in Marin often proves to be a bit tough…socially. Thank god for Friday night bocce league. Yes, there is certainly an older crowd, but there are also young couples and groups of coworkers, downing PBR, getting rowdy, and staying up…
Remembering Mobile Austin…Fondly
Ah…food out of Airstream trailers. What could be better than gathering around outside a parking lot with dozens of other Austin hipsters waiting for a savory crepe, a slow roasted green chile pork taco, or fried chocolate chip cookies? For my 30th birthday, I went…
Pizzaiolo
Pizzaiolo 5008 Telegraph Avenue Oakland (Temescal Neighborhood) Well…I finally did it. I convinced the ladies to hop in the car and head over to Oakland to try this thin, wood fired pizza I’ve been hearing so much about. Now let me start by saying…
Very First Post
Hi there! I’m so happy you’ve made your way to A Sweet Spoonful. My name is Megan Gordon, and I’m a San Francisco-based food writer. I work on this blog mostly at night or early in the mornings–recording the previous night’s kitchen fumblings or recent restaurant excursions. I…
Stiff Drinks, Smokey Beans, & Really Good Posture
Sunday was basically a wash. I had a great run along the Mill Valley bike path. The sun was out. I felt strong. Stopped by Peet’s for a mid-morning latte on the way home, took a hot shower, watered the lawn and got ready to head…
Baking for Bocce II: Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies
For people who love brownies, these are legendary. There are a few different recipes floating around claiming to be the definitive one and there are different stories about how the brownies came to be. The one most commonly held to be true is that Liz Smith of Better…
Remembering Mobile Austin…Fondly
Ah…food out of Airstream trailers. What could be better than gathering around outside a parking lot with dozens of other Austin hipsters waiting for a savory crepe, a slow roasted green chile pork taco, or fried chocolate chip cookies? For my 30th birthday, I went to Austin to celebrate.
After a Week, Still Thinking About Food Inc.
When I was eating my blueberries and kefir this morning, I noticed a label on the blueberry container: “Who Grew These Blueberries? Please visit www.oregonberry.com, click the lot code printed on the front of this label and find out information about the grower.” Wow. Really? Well, I did just…
A Sweet Spoonful
Hi there! I’m so happy you’ve made your way to A Sweet Spoonful. My name is Megan Gordon, and I’m a San Francisco-based food writer. I work on this blog mostly at night or early in the mornings–recording the previous night’s kitchen fumblings or recent restaurant excursions. I…

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