Costco

[victornet]

Also, I would mention the Kirkland Toscano extra virgin olive oil. It's a fall harvest, so last years crop has been sold out at my Costco, but the 2007 harvest will be available again, fresh and delicious, in the spring.

[llc45]

I definitely can't wait to see what I think of Costco olive oil. Two other things that I know of (from other people) are the frozen cream puffs and the super size box of yeast. My FIL's wife brings their frozen cream puffs to just about every party she goes to and sometimes passes them off as her own. She just defrosts, puts them on a nice platter, and drizzles them with chocolate sauce. I remember being quite impressed (thinking they were hers) the first time that I had them.

Also, I have a friend that bakes a lot that bought the industrial size box of yeast and just keeps it in her freezer. She figures that she's had it for 2-3 yrs and said it still works great. She never has to worry if she has yeast on hand and it is an economical alternative to buying the packets of yeast.

[Terrasanct]

I always get the yeast there. Even if you waste half of it, it's still lots cheaper than buying at the store. When I used to bake a lot, I would also buy the 50 pound bags of flour.

I just got back from Costco; a typical busy Saturday afternoon there. I saw a blue oval Le Creuset French oven for $150. I thought it said 8 quart, but could have been 5. It looks like a limited time item, probably for the holidays.

Another thing I got recently from Costco, not food related though, was financing for my car, at a lower rate than my long-time bank offered me. Hmm.

[llc45]

I always get the yeast there.  Even if you waste half of it, it's still lots cheaper than buying at the store.  When I used to bake a lot, I would also buy the 50 pound bags of flour.

I just got back from Costco; a typical busy Saturday afternoon there.  I saw a blue oval Le Creuset French oven for $150.  I thought it said 8 quart, but could have been 5.  It looks like a limited time item, probably for the holidays.

Another thing I got recently from Costco, not food related though, was financing for my car, at a lower rate than my long-time bank offered me.  Hmm.

←

How do you store the yeast? I am definitely not a prolific baker and worry that I would waste it. If you do not freeze it, do you have any idea how long it keeps?

[Matt_T]

I saw the Creuset Dutch oven too....it was $168 for the 8 qt oval at Vacaville Costco. That's a pretty good deal for 1st quality, though you can get a similar (maybe better) price anytime on a cosmetic second down the road at the Vacaville LC outlet. They had different colors, red and blue at least, at the Vacaville CC.

I also noted the Tramontina sku as promised, but unfortunately can't find the scrap of paper I wrote it down on! But it is definitely called the Tramontina 5 quart stainless deep saute, if that helps anybody.

[hsm]

as well as the dirt cheap whitefish salad.

My latest guilty pleasure.

I'm with many on the olive oil, vinegar, paper/cleaning products, bananas, limes, cheese and coffee.

Also

Kirkland Japanese Green Tea (ITO EN)

Ling Ling chicken/veg dumplings

The hoa kow when they had them (so sad they are gone)

Kirkland organic peanut butter

Garafalo spaghetti

Organic free range chicken broth (for starting Gai Pho on lazy days)

Empire frozen chicken breasts

First-cut brisket twice a year

Rotisserie chickens

Muir Glen organic diced tomatoes in winter

Books and DVDs

Canon printer ink cartridges

The latest purchase, a Bionaire 36-hour humidifier with permanent filter for under $50. But I did have my eye on the Le Creuset.

[onrushpam]

We'll have a Costco in Tallahassee sometime next year.

I'm most looking forward to the Kirkland brand dog food and their $19.99 42" dog beds (we have 14 of them, puchased at an Atlanta Costco)!

A friend in CA gets awesome bread at the Bakersfield store... it's called Portugese something... He owned a restaurant for years and is a genius in the kitchen. I assumed he'd made the bread. He fessed up and told me it came from Costco! I don't know if that's available at all the stores. I hope so.

[Jensen]

Gee, Pam, I can't imagine why you'd want that dog food and dog beds!

(God it's weird when your worlds collide...)

My local Costco is a great source for cheese: real Parmesan and even Rouge et Noir cheeses from the Marin French Cheese Co.

[Genny]

Family of 2 - 6.

I've always passed up on the olive oil thinking it was a second pressing or inferior quality, now I'll have to pick some up. Likewise on the chicken broth!

We always get meats there, break up the packages and re-seal using our Food-Saver. Great beef and lamb. I also love the Philips Lump crabmeat. At $14-$16 a pound, its a great deal and I try to keep a couple in the fridge for last minute entertaining.

We miss the Talking Rain sparkling water! And I LOVE the dried mango strips.

[Jaymes]

This thread reminded me of a really fun one we had a while back. It was something of a cookoff with products purchased at Costco, or other favorite large discounter.

Costco A-Go-Go, A Challenge

[llc45]

I also love the Philips Lump crabmeat.  At $14-$16 a pound, its a great deal and I try to keep a couple in the fridge for last minute entertaining.

We miss the Talking Rain sparkling water!  And I LOVE the dried mango strips.

Yeah - that crabmeat is great. Just added dried mango strips to "the list". I'll have to post the next time I go shopping to list all the things I've added thnx to this thread. I'm in the process of getting new tile and counters in my kitchen so it's going to have to wait a few weeks.

This thread reminded me of a really fun one we had a while back.  It was something of a cookoff with products purchased at Costco, or other favorite large discounter.

That sounds like it was a lot fun. After reading thru it, I realize lots of people get "great buys" at costco on lots of things they didn't know they needed. I'm not alone!

Edited October 21, 2007 by llc45 (log)

[Terrasanct]

The yeast stays fine in the fridge in a closed container--it lasts months and months; I'm not sure how long. I just made bread with some yeast that I bought who knows when, and it was perfect.

[Mary F]

I have also had the yeast last for months. buy it, split it with a friend, and you never worry about running out of yeast!

Phillippine Mangos, Crabmeat, Great selection of cheeses, Olive oil, Lemons, Limes, Trio of peppers, Bananas, snacks for kids, Spiral Ham, books, cleaning supplies, frozen spinach ravioli (I know, I should make my own..but its a good fast meal when I need it!), christmas gifts, packaging, ribbon...

We also have the business costco and costco home in the area.

come to think of it, what don't I get at costco???

oh, and the Maui costco has this amazing Macademia Popcorn crunch, which I consume a whole container of once a year!

[forever_young_ca]

I can add my vote for the baby back ribs. I buy them in the Vancouver downtown store, and they are fabulous. Very, very meaty.

[hsm]

Shouldn't have forgotten the Marcona almonds.

[Dr. Teeth]

People missed a couple of my favorites:

1) Pine nuts @ $12 for a 2 lbs bag.

2) Canned tomatoes @ 1.20 a can

3) Barilla Pasta @ 86 cents a box

[memesuze]

my go-for items are gas in the car, dried plums, organic frozen blueberries, and a quick run through the kitchen section

[llc45]

Just googled marcona almonds because I didn't know there were variaties- supposedly the best tasting almonds, will be adding that to the list. Ditto the pine nuts. I'm assuming that you can freeze those. Forgot all about the frozen blueberries - if they're the ones that we bought once, they are wild blueberries. We added to oatmeal, pancakes, and muffins.

[StephMac]

Let's see:

-the giganto-sized jar of capers

-pork chops, especially when I'm doing a stuffed chop recipe... the Costco ones are nice and thick for a decent price

-bagged spinach - it's like $3 for a massive bag of spinach!

-fresh mozzarella (for marinating when having a party)

And then there are the baking supplies:

-sour cream

-eggs

-vanilla

-flour

-sugar

-powdered sugar (when I have a lot of cake-decorating to do)

The problem with the baking supplies is that I haven't yet found a good container system to keep the dry goods in, so I end up storing the big bags. My husband says it feels like he's living in a feed store!

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

Del Real Carnitas (they're my "Mom is too tired to cook meal")... good tortillas from a local tortillaria + salsa + cheese = a dinner that comes together in 15 minutes.

Farmers Applewood Smoked Bacon

Tortilla Land Tortillas (the cook your own kind)

Volpi Basil Rotola

I almost always buy my mushrooms and sweet peppers from Costco.

[llc45]

Volpi Basil Rotola

What is this? Also, you are the second person on this thread to mention the carnitas, I am definitely trying these.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

Volpi Basil Rotola

What is this? Also, you are the second person on this thread to mention the carnitas, I am definitely trying these.

←

The basil rotola is mozarella cheese that has basil leaves and proscuitto rolled up in it. I slice it and eat it on crackers.

The carnitas are pretty good... less greasy than the ones at the taquerias around here (and we have some awesome taquerias not far from here).

[llc45]

After an epic shopping event on Sunday, my newest finds include:

Precooked Beef Carving Roast with au jus: I'm not a big convenience food fan but my daughter and husband tried the samples and loved it. It is tender and flavorful. We made hot sandwiches with it so far. I plan on putting slices on toasted bagette slices with horseradish sauce as a quick appetizer for unexpected dropins over the holidays.

Dried Goji Berries: When I went to get dried blueberries and mangos, I discovered these. I recently saw on the news that these are the newest Superfood. They're pretty tasty in my morning oatmeal. I plan on substituting for other dried fruits in muffins, pancakes and granola.

Thanks to those of you who turned me on to Marcona Almonds - yum! Still have yet to find the capers (which I use a lot of) or the Carnitas. Maybe my Costco does not carry these.

I also stocked up on my typical holiday buys - a selection of good cheeses including a triple creme from France, crackers, lump crab meat, dips, etc. Just wish my Costco carried wine!

[Lindacakes]

I think of Costco as a place for staples -- paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, softener, dish soap, Windex, Brita filters, foil and baggies.

I'm sort of grossed out by the fish and meat section, I guess I'll have to try again. It smells old back there.

Some foods I really love:

Ling Ling Potstickers (but then I read the ingredient list and I don't buy them anymore)

Hannah Hummus

jars of peaches

organic chicken broth

the Phillips crab in a can

avocado mash, which I freeze, beautifully convenient

bread, especially their garlic bread with hummus, over and over

big stack o' soft pitas with hummus, over and over

sharp cheddar brick the size of a brick

pallets of goya beans (sue me, I also eat Rancho Gordo)

Item purchased strictly for its beauty -- enormous plastic barrel of cheese balls. Whoa.

[llc45]

Forgot to mention that we also tried the organic roasted red pepper and tomato soup. Tried some last night with a sandwich on the way out the door to my daughter's Christmas concert - not half bad for something quick and will be even better with a little doctoring. Also forgot to mention another first time purchase - large jar of cinnamon sticks by McCormick for less that I pay for a small jar at my local supermarket.