Trader Joe's Products (2017–)

[Alex]

TJ's Dubai Chocolate -- anyone tried it yet?

[Kerry Beal]

44 minutes ago, Alex said:

TJ's Dubai Chocolate -- anyone tried it yet?

If the picture is to be believed - it's got a pretty thick layer of dark chocolate on the top that's going to be a bit hard on the teeth!

[pastrygirl]

22 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

If the picture is to be believed

 

I think it's just an awkward illustration.

 

I was finally considering jumping on the trend, but now that TJ and Costco have it, maybe it's too late.  🤷‍♀️

[patris]

On 5/29/2025 at 11:41 AM, Alex said:

TJ's Dubai Chocolate -- anyone tried it yet?

I picked some up today - I like it a lot. The chocolate isn’t too thick, to @Kerry Beal’s point - seems thinner than the chocolate in a Caramello, for example. It’s a darker chocolate, but not too dark, and it’s a nice counterpoint to the filling. It has good pistachio flavor. My only quibble is that the katayifi is not crispy enough, and there’s not enough of it to get the textural experience I want out of it.

[curls]

5 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

 

I think it's just an awkward illustration.

 

I was finally considering jumping on the trend, but now that TJ and Costco have it, maybe it's too late.  🤷‍♀️

 

Just saw this video… didn’t know that so many companies were making Dubai chocolate items! May still be time to add your own version to the mix. 

 

 

[rotuts]

@curls

 

thank you for posting that video.

 

maybe a few people need to get a life.

 

I say that , as I don't care for pistachio .

 

Im please Dubai didnt make a version w pecans.

 

P's prices have gone up enough recently.

[Shel_B]

The "Ultimate" Trader Joe's Cheese Tasting

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

On 5/30/2025 at 3:44 PM, Shel_B said:

The "Ultimate" Trader Joe's Cheese Tasting

 

 

This video popped up in my YouTube feed the other day.  While she doesn’t taste ALL the TJ cheeses (some of my go-tos are missing), I’m seriously impressed at her ability to taste so many cheeses while wearing very bright red lipstick 💋

I thought she was fair in evaluating the flavored cheeses that weren’t to her taste.  I don’t really love cheeses with added flavors either. And I like all of her top picks. 

As far as convincing me to try a TJ's cheese that I haven’t already tried, that might be the goat cheese with herbs.  The basic Silver Goat chèvre is my go-to from TJ's and I avoid the flavored stuff. 

I was a little surprised that she deemed the TJ's full fat ricotta gritty and, honestly, on her insistence that ricotta be “full fat” since the original Italian stuff that we rarely, if ever, see here is made from whey. Whatever. I make a full fat ricotta-like stuff from  the recipe in Bestia that's very creamy and delicious but I find the TJs stuff better than any supermarket option I’ve tried. 

[Kerry Beal]

14 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

This video popped up in my YouTube feed the other day.  While she doesn’t taste ALL the TJ cheeses (some of my go-tos are missing), I’m seriously impressed at her ability to taste so many cheeses while wearing very bright red lipstick 💋

I thought she was fair in evaluating the flavored cheeses that weren’t to her taste.  I don’t really love cheeses with added flavors either. And I like all of her top picks. 

As far as convincing me to try a TJ's cheese that I haven’t already tried, that might be the goat cheese with herbs.  The basic Silver Goat chèvre is my go-to from TJ's and I avoid the flavored stuff. 

I was a little surprised that she deemed the TJ's full fat ricotta gritty and, honestly, on her insistence that ricotta be “full fat” since the original Italian stuff that we rarely, if ever, see here is made from whey. Whatever. I make a full fat ricotta-like stuff from  the recipe in Bestia that's very creamy and delicious but I find the TJs stuff better than any supermarket option I’ve tried. 

What are your go-tos that are missing?

 

 

[Shel_B]

Yes, there were some cheeses with which I'm familiar that were missing, but overall i was a nice tasting and review.  I made some pasta this afternoon and use a very nice Grana Padano from TJ's.  It had those little crusty bits in it, just like you'd see in a good Reggiano. I didn't see her mention that one.

 

She piqued my interest with the Thousand Day Gouda. I'm defiitely going to look for that.

 

Overall, a pretty good and fair job.  I'd not expect everyone to agree with all of ger opinions and observations.

[Shel_B]

23 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

What are your go-tos that are missing?

 

+1

[blue_dolphin]

7 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

What are your go-tos that are missing?

 

 

Aside from the Silver Goat chèvre that I mentioned, the stores in my area carry both a Greek and an Israeli sheep’s milk feta in brine that are both excellent and way better than the cow feta she tasted.  Both were MIA for a while but have been back for some months. 
She tasted a New Zealand ‘sharp’ Cheddar and found it wanting.  I agree that one  is not very sharp but it’s not a bad cheese and they usually have good, sharp options from Canada, Vermont or New York.  I’ll check what’s available next trip and update. 
She gave props to the Parm, I agree, but I also regularly buy the Pecorino Romano and think it’s excellent. 
I’ll pop in to the store tomorrow to refresh my memory!

[Dave the Cook]

I am sure I won't be alone in nominating TJ's Unexpected Cheddar as a go-to for several of us.

[blue_dolphin]

50 minutes ago, Shel_B said:

She piqued my interest with the Thousand Day Gouda. I'm defiitely going to look for that.

Yes, that’s another of my favorites , though it’s not always available.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 01:49 AM by blue_dolphin
Typo (log)

[Shel_B]

32 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

the stores in my area carry both a Greek and an Israeli sheep’s milk feta in brine that are both excellent and way better than the cow feta she tasted.  

She gave props to the Parm, I agree, but I also regularly buy the Pecorino Romano and think it’s excellent. 

 

I've never seen those feta's in my area, although Berkeley Bowl carries a wide range and variety of feta: French, Greek, Israeli, Bulgarian, and others, meaning they're available here

 

While she mentioned the Strevecchio Parm, I'd have liked to have seen mention of the other cheeses afen associated with it: the regular Reggiano, the Pecorino Romano, and the Grana Padano.  I've tried them all, and they're all good, but it would have been aducational had she discussed their differences and general use. They're far from the best I've had, but they're good, and better than many supermarket variants.

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, Dave the Cook said:

I am sure I won't be alone in nominating TJ's Unexpected Cheddar as a go-to for several of us.

Agreed!

[blue_dolphin]

13 hours ago, Shel_B said:

I've never seen those feta's in my area, although Berkeley Bowl carries a wide range and variety of feta: French, Greek, Israeli, Bulgarian, and others, meaning they're available here

These are the Israeli and Greek fetas in brine that I get at TJ's.  Both much better than that cow feta she tasted.  

The Israeli stuff has a cute little plastic basket inside the tub so you can easily lift it from the brine but the Greek gives you more cheese for the same price.  The Greek is my go-to but both are good. 
 

When it comes to sharp cheddar-type cheeses, the Cabot Extra Sharp $7.99/lb) English Coastal Cheddar ($8.99/lb) and even the Kerrygold Dubliner ($9.99/lb) have more oomph than the New Zealand Sharp Cheddar ($6.99/lb) that she tasted which is a nice cheese but very soft and mild.

I bought the English Coastal, some Unexpected Cheddar and 1000 day Gouda.
 

New to me this AM are these French butter cookies ($3.49) pictured here with the St. Michel brand I usually pick up elsewhere.

I will conduct a side-by-side tasting and report back.  

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

I will conduct a side-by-side tasting and report back.

My money is on the St. Michel.

[rotuts]

@blue_dolphin

 

thank you for posting that info.

 

i used to get Bulgarian feta , some time ago , in an area on the way to Boston , that had several middle eastern stores.

 

they had probably 8 versions, swimming in their brine.   I was surprised how creamy the Bulgarian was. 

 

it was my go to feta.

 

Ill look for those cookies and the cheese you mentioned. next trip .

 

thank you again for posting.

[Shel_B]

@blue_dolphin  Thanks for all the info. Coincidentally, I was at TJ's this morning with the intention of grabbing a wedge of the 1,000 day Gouda. I put a wedge in the basket, and when I got home, it wasn't in my shopping bag. It wasn't on the receipt either, so somehow it got overlooked. At least I didn't pay for something I didn't get.

 

Now that I've got your information, I'll make a list, and return in a day or so to look for and hopefully buy and take home some new-to-me cheeses.

Edited 19 hours ago by Shel_B
typo (log)

[lemniscate]

A couple of TJ "misses" for me, the Parsley crackers and the whipped feta.   The crackers have a chalky texture to them, not crispy, but not tender either.  Not a strong herb flavor either.  Just a green color.  A weird mouthfeel.  The whipped feta was bland, I expected FETA flavor, but it's feta flavor.  I like the texture, I think I'll try making a home version with a stronger feta, like the ones @blue_dolphin highlighted.  

 

I saw an X post that stated the TJ's is mostly an adult snack store.   I gotta say, that made me stop and think a bit about what I buy there.  In every jest there is truth.

[Maison Rustique]

Now I need to work in a trip to TJ to get the St. Michel cookies. Costco doesn't have the ones I love right now and those look pretty close.

 

And I was happy to see the Fromage Pave mentioned in the video. I could eat that every day! But TJ doesn't always have it here.

[weinoo]

8 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

The Israeli stuff has a cute little plastic basket inside the tub so you can easily lift it from the brine but the Greek gives you more cheese for the same price.  The Greek is my go-to but both are good. 

 

I have, and use, that Israeli feta for years now. It's quite good. And I've always loved Bulgarian feta, but this Israeli is right across the street.

 

Pretty tasty dip here...https://www.seriouseats.com/whipped-feta-dip

[blue_dolphin]

My French butter cookie comparison was rather flawed. I have the smaller, classic St. Michel galettes and the TJ's are more similar to the larger St. Michel Grandes Galettes which I’ve had but don’t have on hand at the moment. Going from memory, TJ's are denser and kind of hard.  I’m not a dunker, but I would dunk these. The St. Michel are crisp but not as hard. As predicted by @weinoo, I give the edge to St. Michel. 

 

My flawed comparison photos: The TJ's box has 3 packets of 4 larger cookies (on the left) while the classic St. Michel has 4 packets of 5 smaller cookies (on the right). The St. Michel Grandes Galettes also come in packets of 4 like the TJ's.

 

Closer view:

Ingredients are similar.  

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

Here's another new item I tried, the Tarongino Frizzante Sparkling Orange Wine from Spain @ $12.99.   I can see this being popular at summer parties when you want something cool and festive but don’t want to get smashed.  It’s not a sugar bomb as I feared and I liked it more than I expected. 

This is not an orange wine that gets its color from skin contact but is actually made by fermenting muscadet grape juice and Valencia orange juice together after macerating them with the orange peels.  It also comes in a still version @ $9.99. They are both low alcohol, 6.9 ABV for this one and 51 calories/5 oz serving. 

 

I saw the still version a few weeks ago and thought it sounded awful, then read a review of the frizzante that sounded more appealing. As you can see, it’s the color of an orange popsicle and it has some of that taste, too.  There’s some sweetness but it’s not cloying and is balanced by the acidity and a hint of bitterness from the zest or peels. I enjoyed sipping a chilled glass on a rather hot afternoon.

TJ's has a nice Vinho Verde from Portugal that’s my choice for an afternoon sipper and for something a little more frizzante, I’ll take their Giardino Pinot Grigio delle Venezie Vivace Rosé, both $5.99