Trader Joe's Products (2017–)

[Katie Meadow]

If anyone is a big fan (like me) of the TJ's Thomcord Grapes we just nabbed some early season ones a few days ago. No idea if all the stores get them. This seems a bit early in the year, but they were really delicious. Somewhat later in the season they tend not to be as crisp. And if you don't know what they are, they are a cross between Concord grapes and a Thompson seedless grape of some type, making them a bit less intense than regular Concords, less jelly-like inside and almost totally without seeds. I love grapes, but I'm fussy about them; I don't like huge ones, I don't really care for plain Thompson seedless, and I don't like them soft and squishy or too sweet. These are on the tart side and with good pop. Short season!

[lemniscate]

On 8/10/2019 at 1:55 PM, Katie Meadow said:

If anyone is a big fan (like me) of the TJ's Thomcord Grapes we just nabbed some early season ones a few days ago

 

Concord is my all time favorite grape, but very rare in SW due to climate and demand.   I love the juice and the gel under the skins.  I eat the whole thing, even the seeds.   They ARE grapes.  Thompson and other seedless are just sweet, not grape-flavored to me.  

 

The Thomcord scratched an itch.  Almost, but not quite, but close enough to an idea of a Concord.

[rotuts]

the other day , on the google news-feed  there was a ref.  to "  77 things you have to try at TJ's "

 

or something like that.  didn't bookmark it , big mistake

 

couldn't find it again.    some interesting things turned up , but can't remember them

 

so I prowled around this AM at Tj's , and found this :

 

 

I was very much prepared to like this.

 

some time ago , someone posted about Cara Mia artichokes 

 

http://shop.starfinefoods.com/cara-mia-artichokes/c/star@artichokes

 

maybe 

 

@Margaret Pilgrim

 

can't remember   but the CM artichokes seem to be only available on-line.

 

now this TJ's version has one good point , and several not so good points

 

a good point is that its not salty at all !

 

bad points :  its very oily , and most of the oil is safflower oil , bland and insipid.   there is the claim on the label

 

that there is Virgin Oilive Oil  but I could not taste it at all.

 

and the second nail it its coffin :  there is enough artichoke leaf fiber in this to make it unpleasant.

 

get your detail floss out !

 

so its  going back.

 

 

 

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

@rotuts, I totally agree with your assessment of that jarred artichoke antipasto.  TJ's used to sell a refrigerated Lemon Artichoke Pesto that I loved.  When it went away, as TJ's stuff does, I hoped I might be able to doctor up that jarred stuff to substitute.   No way.  No good. 

Had to figure out my own recipe for the pesto instead.  

[rotuts]

@blue_dolphin

 

my view is this:

 

being a California Native Son

 

some time ago

 

Artichokes are difficult to process in mass

 

we want the ' Heart "  which BTW extends down the  root core

 

but its a bit of work to get this done

 

even is you can get fresh artichokes

 

and i indeed love them !

 

I made many for my father in is later years in California 

 

but I never enjoyed the peeling etc

 

but in the end  

 

it was worth it for me and my father.

 

[rotuts]

TJ's has a new ' Curry  ' :

 

 

I had to try it.   I lille several of their Fz offerings.   

 

 

out of the box.  note the Frost Heaves , upper L   

 

Micro'd :

 

 

 

Sauce has a nice deep color !

 

and how I eat it :

 

 

this technique seems to be also used N.of the Border.   on similar , if not identical items !

 

I may have not Micr'd it perfectly.  some of the chicken was a little tough .  I have not had that problem w the butter chicken or Fish Curry.

 

this was hotter than the other TJ's offerings ive tried.  not blisteringly hot , just hot.

 

however , the extra heat didn't really add any other subtle flavor(u)rs to the dish  black plastic

 

I prefer the Butter chicken , and I can add green tabasco if I want more heat.

 

but if this is the sort of thing you like to try ,

 

try it.    its doesnt cost an Arm nor a Leg.

 

 

Edited August 22, 2019 by rotuts (log)

[Hassouni]

On 7/5/2019 at 10:04 PM, HungryChris said:

These seem to be the best tamales available around here. They are good, but not great. I keep them in the freezer and we break them out from time to time. I do wish I could do better.

HC

 

 

Just tried these, and unlike the frozen ones which I microwave, I steamed these for 13 minutes, and I thought they were fantastic

[rotuts]

@Hassouni

 

those tamales used to come to my Local only before Christmas , or new years

 

Im not in the Tamale Belt

 

and I do love TexMex and Mex food.

 

I find these are so much better than the Fz.

 

as an Original Thinker , and a Dummie to boot 

 

I micro these w  some TJ's refried beans , some TJ's cheese that melts

 

and some Green Dragon ( green siracha ) etc

 

decent TexMex  for me

[HungryChris]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

@Hassouni

 

those tamales used to come to my Local only before Christmas , or new years

 

Im not in the Tamale Belt

 

and I do love TexMex and Mex food.

 

I find these are so much better than the Fz.

 

as an Original Thinker , and a Dummie to boot 

 

I micro these w  some TJ's refried beans , some TJ's cheese that melts

 

and some Green Dragon ( green siracha ) etc

 

decent TexMex  for me

We serve them with homemade salsa and good sour cream. As I have said, they are good, but I wish I could find better. Ever since I visited the "Tamale Guy" at the La Jolla Farmers Market, while on vacation in San Diego, I have been searching for a great tamale near me, and these are the best I have found to date. 

HC

[Smithy]

Woe is me, I finished off my last jar of TJ's Marinated Grilled Artichoke Halves tonight. The marinated artichoke hearts available for antipasto platters just aren't the same; their flavor isn't bad, but these artichoke halves are meatier, more savory and less acidic than the typical "marinated artichoke hearts" I find in the grocery store.

 

 

I think I'll have an opportunity to visit a TJ's this fall. If I do and I can still find this product, I'm going to stock up.

[heidih]

My favorite TJ artichoke product = frozen hearts. IQF and flavorful. Easy to prep as you like.

[blue_dolphin]

The other day, I popped into the TJ’s in Burlington VT and spotted this Beecher’s Flagship cheddar from Seattle.

 

It was priced ~ $12.99/lb so not a crazy cheap bargain but it’s a delicious cheese.  I used to buy it often when I traveled to Seattle regularly for work. 

A good cheddar to try wherever you spot it!

[rotuts]

noted.

[Smithy]

@blue_dolphin, that Flagship cheese is a favorite cheese of mine also. I discovered it during a trip to Seattle and was delighted when I could find it in Duluth for a while. I haven't seen it around here in years. I'll add it to my list of things to look for at TJ's next time I go. Thanks!

[pastrygirl]

The Jerk Plantain chips are nice and spicy - if you like the plain ones but also like your tongue to burn, give them a try!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

The other day, I popped into the TJ’s in Burlington VT and spotted this Beecher’s Flagship cheddar from Seattle.

 

It was priced ~ $12.99/lb so not a crazy cheap bargain but it’s a delicious cheese.  I used to buy it often when I traveled to Seattle regularly for work. 

A good cheddar to try wherever you spot it!

 

Consider yourself a master shopper!    This, from my fridge, bought for dinner party last week.

 

[rotuts]

one nice thing about TJ's cheeses:

 

their prices are always better than elsewhere

 

they may not have what your a specifically looking for,

 

might have something close enough or not

 

but but always cheaper for much the same or same-enough thing.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

3 hours ago, rotuts said:

one nice thing about TJ's cheeses:

 

their prices are always better than elsewhere

 

they may not have what your a specifically looking for,

 

might have something close enough or not

 

but but always cheaper for much the same or same-enough thing.

 

and indeed cheese is something one might shop for as one does produce.   

Plan your menu AFTER you find the best product and price!    

 

TJ's used to be on our rat track, but after having spoilage problems with fresh dairy at our TJ's, our shopping pattern changed....to Grocery Outlet.   

Excellent fresh dairy, and many interesting cheese finds but not as much artisanal, small producer as TJ.

Must go back more often.   

Edited September 21, 2019 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[rotuts]

@Margaret Pilgrim

 

I grew up in the Bay Area South

 

Im a Native Son, back when 

 

Im not sure TJ's 

 

excels at Fresh

 

cheese : yes

 

Nuts : Yes

 

dried fruit : yes.

 

Fz fish :  just be careful here

 

Ill post on my SV Cod Fz from Tj's soon

 

and it decent

 

unless you r catch your own

 

 

[heidih]

I can not resist - I am the child of the first TJ in Pasadena in CA.  At the end of the oldest freeway in LA (110) nothin but good cheese, nuts and cheap champagne! I interviewed there once - what a cool bunch of peeps. 

[weinoo]

You all know I'm not a huge TJ's fan, though I succumb to cheese (by the way, Beecher's has a store in NYC, and it's also carried at TJ here), nuts, dried fruit, flowers, and a few other things on occasion.  For example, our TJ was carrying a bunch of local produce this summer, and corn at 29 cents an ear was pretty good, and saved me an hour round-trip to the farmer's market.

 

However, I also like to make sure there's an item or two in the freezer, which allows Significant Eater to prepare a little meal for herself, if I'm not around.  I kinda perfected this when she was working in DC during the week, as she often had to fend for herself.  Lots of Amy's burritos, other frozen product, etc. She loves southwester stuff (I blame it on her ABQ years), so that was always a mainstay.

 

So I figured I'd try a product from TJs, and purchased this (because Hatch chile), in case it might be needed:

 

 

Last night, we kinda stumbled home from our local a little hungry, and I remembered this was in the freezer.  Out it came, and into the CSO to cook conventionally.

 

And you know what - it's not bad - the macaroni actually maintained some texture, you could almost taste Hatch chile, and it's not a sodium bomb. Now that I think about it, a sprinkle of parmesan might've really livened it up. Next time.

Edited September 22, 2019 by weinoo (log)

[rotuts]

I like the HC-MC.

 

I keep one or so in the freezer , along w some of their Indian + / rice Fz stuff.

 

there is a little heater in the HC-MC , not too much.  I use the micro , and it comes out nice and creamy.

 

and quickly.

[rotuts]

this AM @ TJ's :

 

 

two items that were recommended , some smoked oysters , which I have not had in a while , and two Indian packs of Dahl-ish items.  on rice some of these

 

packs are quite nice.   Packing changes from time to time.

[rotuts]

I sampled the artichokes.

 

I was disappointed :  the oil was flavorless soybean oil , probably w one drop of EVOO.

 

and several layers of very fibrous leaves were not removed.   its probably going back.

 

I could remove a leaf or two , and  drain the oil off and place in a dish w some real EVOO  ....

[Smithy]

31 minutes ago, rotuts said:

I sampled the artichokes.

 

I was disappointed :  the oil was flavorless soybean oil , probably w one drop of EVOO.

 

and several layers of very fibrous leaves were not removed.   its probably going back.

 

I could remove a leaf or two , and  drain the oil off and place in a dish w some real EVOO  ....

 

Oh, how disappointing! Sorry, you probably feel I misled you. The jar I finished off used sunflower oil (and olive oil), the artichokes were firm but not tough, and the grilled flavor came through. I'm using the remainder of the oil in other dishes. I guess before I actually buy more at TJ's I'll see whether the label indicates it's changed. Maybe the formulations are different on the two coasts?