LowSodiumLiving.tv

I was distressed to find this past weekend that my local grocery store (Giant Food in Purcellville, VA) no longer carries Francesco Rinaldi No Salt Added Pasta Sauce.

I inquired at the customer services counter and they recommended I contact the Grocery Manager and yell at him. I called "Charles" this afternoon and yep, the product has been discontinued and replaced with Giant brand sauces.  Apparently, the Francesco Rinaldi No Salt Added was a low seller. "Well maybe if it wasn't on the bottom shelf you would have sold more" I countered. "That is the only pasta sauce I can eat and now I'm doomed."

I kindly suggested maybe they should have a low sodium section. After all, they have a whole aisle dedicated to "health" foods most of which are incredibly high in sodium for medically induced low sodium eaters. (It seems that any time you remove fat from food you also remove its flavor. Salt is the ingredient of choice to replace lost flavor.)

Charles did indicate that they had a gluten-free section but that doesn't really do me any good now does it? I'm a fan of gluten. I don't know what it is, but it sounds tasty.

With minimal empathy Charles said he would check to see if The Francesco Rinaldi could be brought in from another store. I replied that I would rather they just carry it all the time or I will have to find another store to shop at.

After all, a new Wegman's is opening up soon....

I'm not sure exactly what my inspiration was, probably a recipe I saw or the salmon with whiskey glaze I ate at a local Irish restaurant several years ago, but I was thinking that it would be fantastic if the Food Network show, "Iron Chef," had whiskey as one of their theme ingredients. There are many ways to prepare food using whiskey and the chef gets to taste test as she goes! In lieu of a dramatic whiskey battle on TV, I decided to hold my own with husband Leo as sous chef. It is true that while I wasn't battling anyone but myself, I think that for a first time whiskey culinary adventure, I was victorious.

The weather was perfect, the company fun and the wine freely flowing.  Cheers to the 2007 fall Virginia Wine Festival!

Autumn brings all color, new outfits and, in Virginia, wine tasting. At only 5mg of sodium for a glass of wine - indulge!