By Paul Reitano
There are some people in this world that just do more than the rest of us. They work, they volunteer, they committee; squeezing each and every potentially productive second out of their day. Meghan Murphy Gould is one of them. She’s a fantastic music teacher at First Presbyterian Nursery School, an accomplished photographer, the former president of West PTC, board member on youth football, and was just honored with the Community Foundation Award for her volunteer work. Meghan even bakes her own Sourdough. As a life-long New Canaanite, and as such an accomplished and involved person, I figured she didn’t have time to waste on bad food.
Me: Meghan – You are a very busy person. Why so busy?
Meghan: I started volunteering in middle school – I was part of the inaugural National Charity League – I guess it’s just part of my DNA. Also, volunteering is such a nice way to meet a diverse group of people.
Me: Ever volunteered for something and immediately regretted it?
Meghan: Not yet.
Me: I first met you years ago walking the halls of First Presbyterian Nursery School with your guitar. What keeps you teaching music?
Meghan: I teach at Frist Pres and I volunteered playing music at Waveny Lifecare. Melody is one of the first things children learn and, when memory loss sets in for the elderly, it’s one of the last things they lose. Musical memory sustains. So music is just kind of a thread in life and one that I love being a part of.
Me: You’ve taken pictures of my children and they’ve flashed teeth I didn’t know they had. How do you get kids to smile?
Meghan: I can’t give away all of my secrets – but I’ll give you one. If you tell them not to do something, they’ll probably do it.
Me: Will that work on my wife?
Meghan: Next question.
Me: I’ve run into you at Walter Stewart’s – but I’ve also run into you at ACME. What are you getting at each place and why?
Meghan: Walter Stewarts’ produce and ingredients for my sourdough. Also I love artichokes and year round they have the greatest artichokes. I eat them several days a week.
Me: Do you dip your artichoke in the ketchup/mayo?
Meghan: I never dip.
Me: Why do you think artichokes aren’t more popular?
Meghan: Nobody wants to work to eat a vegetable – but with work comes great reward. But that’s probably the type “A” in me talking.
Me: And ACME?
Meghan: Hmmm…cereal, Entenman’s for my kids, and ribs for my husband, Jeff to cook on his Green Egg.
Me: What do you remember eating in New Canaan as a kid?
Meghan: In high school, I remember there was a deli on Forest Street called Forest Street Deli. Back then, open campus (leaving campus for lunch) was only for juniors and seniors. It was a point of pride to go there. Also Connecticut Muffin was a huge thing. We called it the Muf.
Me: Tell me more…about the Muf.
Meghan: All my friends in high school would go. This was pre-cell phone. Soup was a huge deal for us, so I’d go early to check out what soups they had. If they had Potato Leek, I’d let all the girls know and everyone would go.
Me: I knew you were a good choice for this. Any other food memories?
Meghan: I went to many a sweet sixteen at Stone Horse – it was this huge Bennigan’s type family place where Halo is now.
Me: All of Halo was a restaurant?
Meghan: Most of it. The Racquet Club was still there.
Me: Ok, what is your favorite thing to eat in New Canaan right now and why?
Meghan: I love the Grilled Artichoke at Elm.
Me: Again with the artichoke.
Meghan: They steam it and then finish it on the grill – and there’s an aioli for dipping.
Me: I knew you dipped.
Meghan: I don’t dip. But I do complain every time they take it off the menu.
Paul Reitano is television producer who lives in town with his patient wife and exasperated children. He’s created and produced multiple TV series including Alaskan Bush People for the Discovery Channel – which ran for 14 seasons. These days he’s making fancy sandwiches for his kids lunches and bemoaning why people only watch Tik Tok.
