Tweet

QFC - University Village Kosher Spirits
Posted: January 5, 2013 By: Leah Jaffee

I usually wander into liquor stores about once a year around Honey Cake season. I'm far too much of a control freak to let alcohol gain a foothold on my psyche. A little of the low alcohol content Bartenura's Moscato d'Asti now and then at shul is nice. But then, that whole designated walker thing is an issue when you live 2 miles away.

One couldn't even buy beer on Sunday between 2:00 am and noon or something crazy like that up until very recently. I find that out when I need beer for beer batter fish and chips. Brother. Feeling humiliated and demeaned as I'm chastized for attempting to purchase alcohol, it is unseemly to get belligerent. It has been said that sleep deprivation has the same affect as a high blood alcohol content. Hard to argue that I look like I do because I cooked all night....and, oh by the way where I go to pray everyone drinks and that was yesterday. Yes, I'm not much fun sober and I don't think it would be any better if I drank.

Well, many things changed with the last election. I did not vote to allow liquor to encroach on the produce section of every store in town. I try not to huff and puff at my big box retailer now that I have to fetch potatoes and onions down by the lawn mowers. I feel for the independent shops that are folding under the stiff competition of chain store pricing. Yes, my self-righteous indignation is getting a workout.

That said, I am in the party business. Washington liquor laws are such that my clients must provide the alcohol for events. I dutifully refer everyone to the CRC official list of approved brands. I don't want any issues over alcohol. The upside of the new law is that I now have a personal spirits manager to hassle! My local QFC, purveyor of kosher meat, kosher fish, and lots of other kosher items maintains its liquor store with a separate entrance. They simply took over the adjacent liquor store leaving the supermarket intact. Thank you!

Basket of new inventory

Running into the liquor store section prior to my last wedding, I'm wandering looking for kosher triple sec. I want to add it to a pomegranate punch, along with a ton of vodka. Frank, pictured above, stops and says, "YOU!" At the mention of 'kosher', he tells me he's been looking for me (yeah, I've heard that before). Apparently, in my previous visit months back for honey cake whiskey, I gave him the link to the CRC liquor list and asked him to help make my life easier.

Voila! Mr. Frank Graves, Quality Food Centers Spirits Manager took it all the way to the top. He is searching out and ordering a collection of unusual, highly recommended spirits. Excitedly, he takes me to the back room where he's been selling yet to be displayed inventory off of a storeroom table. He's genuinely thrilled at his finds. He also wonders how so many people have found out about his project already. Yeah, I wonder, too......nothing like a secret in the Jewish Community!

Let's support Frank's efforts!

Thank you Frank and QFC for making my job easier!

Permalink   Comments (1)   Send to a Friend