Q: I have a recipe for barbecued ribs that calls for saba. I cannot find saba in the local supermarkets, only balsamic. Any help will be appreciated. — Linda Werner, email
A: Saba is similar to other ancient fruit syrups used as substitute sweeteners when refined sugar was a staple saved for the upper crust. Made by reducing Italian wine grapes, the unfermented juice, or must, doesn’t contain any alcohol. It’s cooked down slowly, resulting in a fragrant, sweet, syrup. You can use it in sauces or simply drizzle saba on cheese, grilled fruits, meats and vegetables. I found Gorrieri saba, from Italy, in 8.45-ounce bottles for $25.99 at Toscano and Sons Italian Market, 1050 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta, 404-815-8383. While it isn’t inexpensive, saba is used sparingly, so a bottle should last you quite a while.
Q: The snack machine vendor at my workplace recently added Boulder Canyon Rice and Bean, chipotle cheese flavored snack chips. They’re outstanding, but I can’t seem to find them anywhere else. Short of asking the vendor to order some additionally for me, I wanted to first ask you. — Scott MacLean, Forest Park
A: Scott, these all-natural snack chips are a gluten free, non-GMO food. They do contain adzuki beans, which gives them a little bit of sweetness. You can get 5-ounce bags for $2.99 each of Boulder Canyon chipotle cheese chips at Sevananda, 467 Moreland Ave., Atlanta, 404-681-2831.
Q: I have been purchasing Better’n Peanut Butter in chocolate at Target in Roswell. The store no longer sells the chocolate flavor. Is there somewhere in Atlanta that sells the chocolate flavor? — Carl McGaffic, email
A: Boasting 85 percent less fat and 40 percent fewer calories than regular peanut butter, Better’n Peanut Butter chocolate flavored peanut spread offers a sweet alternative to traditional flavored spreads. While the original flavor isn’t that difficult to find, the chocolate took a bit of sleuthing. I finally found it at Ingles Market, 4815 Rockbridge Road, Stone Mountain, 404-299-0698. A16-ounce jar costs $5.78.
Q: My son recently got a summer job at a fast-food restaurant, and his clothes smell like grease when he gets home. I’m trying to find Zero Odor for laundry, which is supposed to get rid of the smell in clothing. Please help me find this. Thank you. — E. Williams, Dunwoody
A: Zero Odor makes a line of odor eliminators, including a formula that works in top or front loading washing machines. You can find a 16-ounce bottle of Zero Odor for $12.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond, 130 Perimeter Center West, Atlanta, 770-673-0171.
