Q: My parents are leaving for a fairly long road trip in their RV, and there’s not a lot of space. Both of them like Sugar In The Raw for their coffee and tea. I want to get them a box of the small packets, I think there’s about 200. I don’t want to have to order it, and I haven’t found it in stores. Is there anywhere you might suggest? Thanks. Cathy Smith, Atlanta
A: Cathy, those sugar packets are a great space-saving idea for a home on wheels. I found Sugar In The Raw, natural cane sugar from Hawaii, locally. You can buy boxes of 200 packets for $11.99 at Staples, 4351 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker, 770-621-3013.
Q: I always enjoy your column. I get a kick out of the strange things that people ask you to find, and I’m always impressed by how well you do at finding these things. I have been consuming two squares of dark chocolate — 70 percent or more cocoa — a day, as I understand that dark chocolate has health benefits. However, recently I have read that the flavanols (powerful antioxidants) in cocoa are destroyed if the cocoa is processed using alkali, which is called the “Dutch” process. As recommended, I have been trying to find dark chocolate bars that say non-alkali or non-Dutch processed on the label. So far I have not had any luck. Can you tell me where I can buy dark chocolate bars that are non-alkali or non-Dutch processed? Thank you. Carolyn Farley, email
A: Thank you, Carolyn. There are several dark chocolates on the market that aren't processed with alkali. You easily can find a steady stock of two choices at your nearest Trader Joe's, including the location at 3183 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, 404-842-0907. Check out Trader Joe's fair-trade organic, 72-percent Belgian dark chocolate bars for $1.99 per 3.5-ounces. The ingredients listed are short — organic cocoa mass, organic cane sugar and organic cocoa butter. The stores also stock Dark Chocolate Lover's chocolate bars, 85-percent cocoa. The ingredients listed are cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor. A 3.5-ounce bar costs $1.69. You'll find these bars at the cash registers.
Q: I am looking for 64-ounce bottles of Faultless liquid starch. I would like to buy it locally but it seems to have vanished from the Atlanta area. Can you find it? I think Purex makes Sta-Flo, my second choice, but I can’t find that either. Lou Brackett, email
A: Lou, I didn't find the jug of Faultless liquid starch locally, and the shipping charges when your order online are prohibitive. However, I did find your second choice, Purex Sta-Flo liquid starch for $2.97 for 64 ounces, at Walmart, 1871 Chamblee Tucker Road, Chamblee, 770-455-0422.
Q: Some time ago, I was out of state on business and bought a coffee from an outdoor vendor near my hotel. I don’t remember the coffee, but I remember that I really liked the cups. I’ve never been able to find them, nor does anyone around here seem to use them. I don’t have a name, but they were tan, disposable coffee cups that seem to have ridges that ran up and down, all along the outside, that kept you from getting burned. I remember the inside of the cups were white. They were 10-ounce cups. Do you think there’s any chance you could find out what these are? I don’t expect to find them in Atlanta, but if I knew the name of them, and where to order, I’d be thrilled. B. Graham, email
A: The cups you're looking for are called Genuine Joe insulated ripple hot cups, and they come in a variety of sizes, including the 10-ounce. The texture sort of resembles corrugated cardboard. You can order them through Amazon.com, and a pack of 25 10-ounce cups sells for $6. Oddly enough, if you want the lids, which are sold separately, you'll pay $9.33 for a package of 50 lids, which is the minimum you can buy through Amazon. But, for the price, you easily can splurge for two orders of the cups.
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