Q: Where can I find escargot in cans in Atlanta? Tom and Laura Lightcap, email
A: Although, to some degree, escargot might sound exotic, this venerable French bistro dish couldn't be simpler to prepare when you have a can of cooked and cleaned snails in the pantry. You also can prepare them ahead of time and freeze for future use. Simply cook the snails according to directions, stuff the escargots back into their shells, seal the opening with a knob of garlic-parsley butter, place them in an air tight plastic bag, and stash them in the freezer until needed. Escargots de Bourgogne, available in a 7.5-ounce can, cost $9.99 at Buford Highway Farmers Market, 5600 Buford Hwy., Atlanta, 770-455-0770.
Q: I always read your column and appreciate reading where you find items. I’m hoping you can help me. A month or two back, I found baking soda in a round, plastic, resealable container. I think it was Arm & Hammer, and it was at Publix at North Druid Hills and Lawrenceville Highway. They no longer carry it, and told me they can’t get it. I also looked online and could not find it. The cardboard boxes get limp when they get damp, they cannot be sealed, and the baking soda often leaks out of the bottom. I would love to find the plastic containers. Thank you. C. Eves, email
A: Arm & Hammer pure baking soda in the 12-ounce plastic shaker can is so handy that you might expect it to be readily available. While it's difficult to find, it's not impossible to get. You can order a 12-ounce plastic shaker can of Arm & Hammer baking soda for $1.48 through Walmart.com, then have it sent to a Walmart store near you, and pick it up without paying shipping charges. It arrives within three days. I have another option for you to consider that doesn't involve ordering online, but it's not baking soda in a plastic can, either. Check out Trader Joe's baking soda, 99 cents, which comes in a 12-ounce round heavy cardboard can with a metal bottom and a releasable plastic lid. You won't have to worry about moisture or leakage. You'll find it in the baking section at any Trader Joe's location, including the one at 3183 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, 404-842-0907.
Q: I have inherited some books of antiquity. Are there any rare book stores that buy from individuals? I prefer to sell locally and not via eBay. The books are dated from the 1930s-1940s. Thank you. Laura W, Woodstock
A: Laura, take your books to Atlanta Vintage Books, 3660 Clairmont Road, Chamblee, 770-457-2919. Owners Jan Bolgla and Bob Roarty will be more than pleased to take a look at your collection.
Q: Please help me find the strawberry cream cheese that comes in a squeeze bottle. I think my kids would love this on their toast, but I can’t find it. I can find strawberry cream cheese in a tub, but that’s not what I’m looking for. Thanks. Nan Lawrence, email
A: Arla makes a strawberry cream cheese spread without artificial flavors or preservatives, and it comes in a 6.2-ounce squeeze bottle, priced at $3.29. You'll find it stocked with various cream cheese items at the end of the aisle near the dairy section in Publix, 3535 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, 404-848-0344.
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