Trader Joe's Products (2012–2015)

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Hmmm?

 

I tried TJ's version and went back to the ones from S-Mart, my local Korean owned pan-Asian store. Their pork and leek dumplings are cheaper AND tastier to me.

 

I like them well browned, not steamed, no matter the variety. I despise cleaning the grease pops on the stove, but the flavor is worth it.

 

But thanks for the info, Shel_B because lots of folks have access to TJ's, while only a couple I know of on the board can easily get to "my" S-Mart. 

[Lindacakes]

I am liking the Turkish Honey.

[Shel_B]

Very Good!

 

[Hassouni]

if only they have it in stronger variants...

[rotuts]

i hesitate mentioning these little items :

 

 

they had them yest. for sampling. 

 

they are delicious and addictive.  mine barely made it home.

 

with a little vanilla ice-cream .............

 

they are $ 3   

[Maison Rustique]

i hesitate mentioning these little items :

 

CMEggs.jpg

 

they had them yest. for sampling. 

 

they are delicious and addictive.  mine barely made it home.

 

with a little vanilla ice-cream .............

 

they are $ 3   

Thank goodness I don't have time to get out there to TJ's for a while. Maybe they won't have them any more by the time I get there. If only they were 3 calories!!

[Maison Rustique]

Eating a piece of this right now on Easter morning and it is delicious!

 

http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/classic-colomba-di-pasqua

[Jaymes]

Eating a piece of this right now on Easter morning and it is delicious!

 

http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/classic-colomba-di-pasqua

Gosh, that looks wonderful. I'm going to get over there first thing in the morning and hope they still have some. I'd hate to have to wait until next pasqua.

[Maison Rustique]

Gosh, that looks wonderful. I'm going to get over there first thing in the morning and hope they still have some. I'd hate to have to wait until next pasqua.

I wish I'd gotten a couple of them!

[Jaymes]

I wish I'd gotten a couple of them!

I'll bet they freeze well. If they have some, I'm going to lay in a supply. Looks like just the thing to have on hand for impromptu houseguests.

[Kerry Beal]

I like to pick up some of these after easter at various stores - make great bread pudding!

[Jaymes]

Eating a piece of this right now on Easter morning and it is delicious!

 

http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/classic-colomba-di-pasqua

So, dashed over there first thing today. Looks like I indeed am going to have to wait until next pasqua. All sold out. But I did stand around the "sampling kiosk" chatting with assorted passersby about such things as the macarons, preserved lemon slices and pickled beets that were on the shelves immediately adjacent. The woman offering the samples is also a big fan of the beets and I bought some. I agree that they are tasty but, frankly (and listen up pickled-beet aficionados) I think the pickled baby beets from Lovera's Italian market are considerably better:http://www.loverasmarket.com/Loveras-Original/Lovera-Marinated-Vegetables/Loveras-Pickled-Beets

Another lady happened by, saw the Organic Red Palm Oil and immediately lapsed into rhapsodic swoons. Said she'd been looking all over town for the stuff. Said she takes two spoonsful a day for her health, and to lose weight.

Sounded pretty silly. But she was thin. I ain't. So of course I had to buy some.

I'll let you know.

[Maison Rustique]

I bought the red palm oil, too. AND, the preserved lemons. I served the lemons with grilled swordfish with moroccan spice rub and similarly-spiced veggies with couscous. Everyone loved the lemons! I used red palm oil in the veggies (eggplant, tomatoes, onions & ??) and I guess because of the tagine sauce I used with them, couldn't really taste the oil. It's certainly colorful! :-)

 

Edited to add that now that I know the oil is supposed to help make me thin, I'll be eating a spoonful daily!

Edited April 6, 2015 by Maison Rustique (log)

[Toliver]

Bought some Trader Joe's Blister Peanuts last night. Super crunchy and tasty, too. Thumbs up!

[Shel_B]

Trader Joe's Tunisian Preserved Lemon Slices

 

 

I don't recall the price on these, but they were reasonable, at least by my standards.  Ingredients are lemon slices, water, salt, acetic acid and ascorbic acid (vitamin C for freshness).  13.5 ounces ...

 

The local TJ's seem to be carrying a number of new and interesting items, and the plan is to try many of them, posting pics here and, when possible, my impressions of the items.

 

These lemons have a somewhat salty taste, and very little sweetness.  Never having had preserved lemons before, I can't really comment on whether they're a good, poor, or average version.  Maybe someone else has tried them, or will try them, and be better able to comment on quality.

[rotuts]

what re you suing them for ?  what do they go with ?

[Maison Rustique]

The preserved lemons are very good--be sure to rinse them to reduce the saltiness a bit. I served them with grilled swordfish steaks that I'd rubbed with Moroccan spices. They were delicious!!

[Shel_B]

The preserved lemons are very good--be sure to rinse them to reduce the saltiness a bit. I served them with grilled swordfish steaks that I'd rubbed with Moroccan spices. They were delicious!!

 

Yesterday I made a big pot of vegetable soup.  Often when making soup, I add some lemon juice.  This time, since the soup needed a scosh more salt, I chopped a couple of the preserved lemon slices into the mix, stirred, let sit a bit, and was delighted with the result.

[andiesenji]

Preserved lemons are excellent with chicken.

These would be ideal (after rinsing a bit) slipped under the skin of a whole chicken roasted or braised.

Loosen the skin over the breast and thighs and arrange 4 or 5 of the lemon slices between the skin and the meat and include a few sprigs of thyme - or a couple of bay leaves. 

[Toliver]

The last time I was in Trader Joe's I bought a container of their Soup Starter veggies in their produce section (not to be confused with their mirepoix veggies). I wish I could recall the laundry list of veggies (I think there were 8 or so) that were diced up in the mixture but reading it I thought they would be good in a salad mixed with some lettuce/greens. They looked a little dry when I opened the container so I refreshed them in some ice cold water. I drained them, added them to salad greens and added some canned albacore tuna and tossed it all with some salad dressing. Quite tasty! The container is large so I had enough diced veggies for more than a few salads.

[ElsieD]

I'm lucky enough to be able to shop at a Trader Joe's this weekend. I have never been to one of their stores and am looking forward to it. I have started reading this thread and have been making notes as I go along but it is a very looooong thread and I don't know if I will be able to get through it all. So I am looking for suggestions - what should I absolutely buy? It will be about a three hour drive home from there and while I have a cooler with me, I'm thinking frozen items won't be practical but some refrigerated items are fine. I am particularly interested in items unique to Trader Joe's or of a particularly high quality that you won't find in your average grocery store. Thanks!

[rotuts]

TJ's has a number of 'regular-ish' items at much better prices :

 

Wine, if they have that in your area,  Cheese, its the same stuff that's about 40 % more at one of my major stores, Nuts and dried fruit

 

don't pass these up, I 'depend' on them.  why throw away % 40?  cookies are nice, esp if you are not a home baker.

 

TJ's large Choc Bars  ( 70 % or w nuts )  I think they are 1.5 lbs

 

study their jams and jellies, and other 'jared' items.  In CA they have Hard Liquor too.  not in MA.

 

since you are from North of the Border, perhaps the Lunch Ladies will chime in.

 

save the containers of what you don't like.  You'll be back !

Edited April 28, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[cakewalk]

I always stock up on their dried fruit and nuts. And butter, which I freeze.

[Smithy]

I am fond of their Aioli Garlic Mustard. It's redundantly but aptly named: a very garlicky mustard, well suited to mixing in sauces or coating chicken prior to baking. When our family first discovered it we went through a few jars just using it as a dip for chips and crudites. I don't know whether I'd still enjoy that now.

I also very much like their jars of bruschetta topping, and their interesting pasta sauces. It's easier to find jarred vodka pasta sauce in regular grocery stores now, but once upon a time TJ's was the only source I knew.

Edit: oh yes, and their sundried tomato pesto! I always go away with jars of that stuff: perfect in pasta sauces and skillet dinners.

[rotuts]

big fan of their Dijon Mustard. better I think than poupon. nice bite.