Q: We recently had Sweety Drop peppers as a garnish on a dish at a restaurant. We had never seen these little tear-drop shaped red peppers but we liked them and asked the waiter. He said they are grown in Peru and come to them in a can. We thought for sure Buford Highway Market would have them, but no luck there. Do you know of a source in the Atlanta area? Thank you. Philip Limonciello, Atlanta
A: Philip, I have the ideal location where you can buy as few or as many of these cherry-size peppers shaped like lipstick-red teardrops as you need. Make your way to Fresh Market, 2480 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, 404-321-3751. You'll find the Sweety Drop peppers next to the blue cheese-stuffed olives on the antipasto bar. All items on the bar are priced at $10.99 per pound.
Q: Can you help me find a company near Ellenwood that specializes in sharpening garden shears, loppers and other tools? We’ve tried sharpening them ourselves, but they ended up being even more dull. I usually go to Ace Hardware in Decatur but, unfortunately, the gentleman has retired. (He always did a fabulous job!) I tried the Ace Hardware in Conyers, but the shears were not as razor sharp as I’d like. Thank you. (Love reading WCIFI each week.) Linda Calloway, email
A: Thank you for reading, Linda. You might consider having a sharpening service come to you. Check out Premier Sharpening, 404-394-6101. This mobile sharpening service handles garden tools (including hedge trimmers, machetes, lopping shears and lawn mower blades), pet grooming shears as well as tools for barber shops and hair salons and, of course, knives and various processor and slicing blades for restaurants and home chefs. Call Premier Sharpening for a quote.
Q: Please help. I discovered a new gum when I was out of town and I’m hoping you can find it for me locally. It’s Tic Tac freshmint. It comes in the same plastic dispenser that the mints come in, and that makes it easy to keep gum in my pocket. Thanks. Ron Garcia, email
A: Ron, the gum, which looks just like Tic Tac mints, is newly launched by Ferrero, the same company that brings you Kinder chocolate eggs and Nutella. Last year, Tic Tac gum won the Most Innovative Product Award in the gum-and-mint category at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago. Tic Tac sugar-free gum comes in three flavors: spearmint, freshmint and cool watermelon, with 56 gum pellets per box. They're packaged in threes for $2.69 each, and are available in the candy aisle at Target, 2400 N. Druid Hills Road, Atlanta, 404-267-0060.
Q: I always look forward to reading Buyer’s Edge. Now it’s my turn. I have a Maytag washer, and the manufacturer recommends using Affresh every few months to clean residue left behind by previous washings. Problem is I can’t find it at the grocery stores. I’ve gone on their website with no help. Perhaps you can find it for me. Thanks. Sally Sarkin, email
A: Sally, I found Affresh washer cleaner tablets at Bed Bath and Beyond, 1 Buckhead Loop, Atlanta, 404-869-0457. You can buy a pack of three tablets for $6.99, and a six-pack will set you back $11.99.
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