My family and I are fortunate enough to attend a few San Francisco Giants games a year, which are held at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Sometimes there is a large group of us (~35 people) and sometimes just a few. AT&T is a beautiful ballpark and we usually sit in some cheap seats high above the home plate that offers us an incredible view of the San Francisco Bay and McCovey Cove. There are often some interesting floatation devices In McCovey Cove, such as inflatable couches, with the people on board hoping to catch a fly ball.

No matter what the size of the group, you can always be sure there is plenty of food. Someone will always have a big bag of peanuts to share with the group, containers of homemade cookies or brownies make their rounds, red vines and other candy is shared. Best of all is the fare offered at the concession stands. The traditional stadium food is available, such as hamburgers and hot dogs, but at AT&T you can find quite a variety of other really good food. A crowd favorite are the Gilroy garlic fries. My sister Susie’s favorite is the grilled crab sandwich. My daughter Laina almost always gets the clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl. I like Orlando’s cha cha bowl, which is grilled chicken on top of a black bean and rice mixture covered with a pineapple salsa. 

In addition to the food, you can get some pretty good beer and cocktails too. As a tradition, my sisters and I always top off our day with a Buena Vista Cafe style Irish coffee. You can make your own with the recipe below.

Nancy Calhoun Mueller and Merry Calhoun Carter enjoy Irish coffees in 2010

All three of the Calhoun sisters with their Irish coffees 2006

Irish Coffee

 – serves one

Ingredients

• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 part Irish whiskey
• 2 parts hot coffee
• Lightly whipped cream

Directions

Pre-heat your glass by filling it with very hot water. Empty the glass. Pour the coffee in and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Add the whiskey. Float the cream on top by pouring it over the back of a spoon.

Go Giants!

~merry~