A Trader Joe’s fan blog with some NYC attitude. Mostly raves with a few rants.
03 Sep 2022 Leave a comment
in All Natural, DIY, fresh, General, Home Goods, New, News, organic, plants, Prices, Products, Rave, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: care, green, plant, plants
Beautiful looking PONYTAIL PALM plants, a/k/a Elephants Foot Palm
Very robust and healthy looking and at a decent price, I think they could easily sell for 20-30 bucks.
I have one which is now about 20 yrs old…..
See this link for How To Care for this lovely plant
31 Aug 2022 1 Comment
in All Natural, baked, cheese, dairy, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Products, Rave, snacks, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: cheese, Food, lactotarian, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes
“A mild cow’s milk cheese seasoned with garlic powder and baked golden brown”
What is Trader Joe’s “bread cheese”. Well, there’s no bread in it, its just a cheese that you can grill and it’s really good ! Perhaps, too good. Dangerous 😉
Inspired by a popular grilling cheese from Finland, Trader Joe’s “Bread Cheese” is made to be grilled. It’s a firm cheese with a high melting point which has been pre-baked until golden brown, then packaged up. We now grill this cheese up in a pan until it it gets all melty and gooey. While it is all nice and soft, you eat the slightly squeaky yummy cheese which is kind of like a mozzarella stick without the breading. In fact they suggest you dunk it in some tomato sauce. Some people have put the Hot Honey on it. Some have put Ranch on it. I like it “Greek style” with fresh lemon juice sprinkled over the hot cheese. This stuff is wonderful on top off a salad, or eaten with with a crusty baguette or other bread. Trust me, this is so good and you will come up with lots of ways to enjoy it. Anyway you eat this, you will find it delicious. Its about $4.29 for the package (6 oz). I would buy this again.
My suggestion. Try it Greek Style like Saganaki. Cook it up in a small pan with a little olive oil until golden and sprinkle it with fresh lemon, then bring the whole pan to the table for everyone to tear into and enjoy with warm bread or pita and some salad. TJ’s sells another yummy cheese for grilling called HALOUMI, which is also delicious. Try them both.
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/garlic-bread-cheese-071622
“Known in its native Finland as juustolepä, Bread Cheese contains no wheat, or gluten, nor anything else of that nature, but rather gets its name from its hearty, remarkably bread-like consistency and squeaky, Halloumi-like texture. And much like Halloumi, Trader Joe’s Garlic Bread Cheese is best served nice and warm, after it’s had a chance to get just a little melty and gooey.”
Trader Joe’s
26 Aug 2022 3 Comments
in baked, cheese, condiments, fresh, General, Pantry, Prices, Products, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: product, Products, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian
These look almost exactlu like a RITZ cracker, something I love and which in my lifetime I’ve probably eaten a few thousand of. These however I think these may be slightly healthier than those and made with better ingredients. For one thing, comparing the ingredients labels I immediately notice the GOLDEN ROUNDS list Sunflower Oil and Cane Sugar whereas Ritz’s ingredients have Palm Oil and High Fructose Corn Syrup. But how are these compared to Ritz taste wise? Not bad at all, in fact they are pretty good (if maybe a tiny bit less than Ritz which are a classic) Still the ingredients here are a bit healthier for you and that small difference in taste is outweighed by this. These crackers were very tasty eaten with some Unexpected Cheddar cheese on top. These crackers are perfect for a cheese plate or snacks. There are about 100 crackers in a box. TJ Golden Round crackers sell for $1.99. $2.69. These are worth giving a try. I would buy them again.
22 Aug 2022 Leave a comment
in All Natural, DIY, fresh, General, Home Goods, New, News, organic, plants, Prices, Products, Rave, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: bromeliad, healthy, live, no preservatives, pineapple, plants, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian
Just to give you an idea of how small it really is, the cute little pineapple growing on the stalk is about the size of my thumb. It looks so cool and adorable.
Full name of the plant is PINEAPPLE BROMELIAD. See the link for info on care and growing.
TJ’s was selling these for $15.99
Now have you ever wondered why you see so many pineapples in depicted in design, old buildings and architecture? There is a reason: it showed wealth and hospitality.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-hidden-history-of-the-housewarming-pineapple
19 Aug 2022 1 Comment
in All Natural, coffee, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: blend, Central America, coffee, curated, haribo, no preservatives, pour over, Products, Rave, review, Tip, Trader Joes, vegetarian, whole bean
NEW PRODUCT
This is a very good “curated” blend of two single origin coffees from Central America, specifically from El Salvador and Nicaragua. It’s a 50/50 mix of both, each roasted differently, one to a Medium roast and one as a Light roast, to bring out the ideal flavors of each. I found this coffee to be very tasty, smooth and delicious. Its $9.99 for a 12 oz bag of whole beans. I think if Starbucks or your local coffee high end shop was selling this kind of “curated blend” they would charge almost double that.
I would buy this again.
TIP: The best way to buy coffee is like this, as WHOLE BEANS. Why? Coffee has a ton of volatile oils which are best ground right before you want to use it. You get the maximum flavor if you grind up some beans just before you brew it. Now, if you don’t have a grinder at home, use the grinder at Trader Joe’s. When you get home, put the bag of ground coffee into a freezer bag, seal it and keep it in the freezer. You can put a few days worth of ground coffee in an empty air tight jar to keep it fresh.
04 Aug 2022 Leave a comment
in All Natural, DIY, fresh, General, Health & Beauty, Home Goods, plants, Prices, Products, Rave, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized Tags: healthy, plants, product, Products, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian
Very healthy looking robust plants, $15
02 Aug 2022 5 Comments
in All Natural, fresh, General, New, News, Prices, Products, Rave, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, new, New Products, no preservatives, product, Products, Rave, Reccomended, review, sausages, Trader Joes
I was pretty impressed with these new sausages, called UNEXPECTED CHEDDAR CHICKEN SAUSAGE. In fact I’m going to say these sausages are the bomb. We’re talking so juicy & flavorful. Overall flavor of these sausages is terrific. It’s Ingredients include chicken, unexpected cheddar of course plus caramelized onions and red bell peppers. Personally I really like the snap of the natural pork casing they use, but some have said they think it’s too “thick”* . They didn’t drip or ooze out cheese, if that’s what you are are expecting, its not cheesy like that, it’s more about flavor. I guess the cheddar just melts in and gives them a lot of flavor and obviously some juiciness. I thought they were delicious and we both really enjoyed these when we ate them for dinner as a dish with a side of sautéed potatoes and vegetables.
These can be served in many ways. Want super easy? Just grill them up a bit and put them on a good bun with mustard and sauerkraut. Maybe the TJ’s Brioche Hot Dog Buns! I did a “German style” dish with them with sauteed potatoes. I grilled the sausages on the stove. Along side the sausages, I made sautéed vegetables (potatoes, onions, peppers and some cabbage). The sausages with these vegetables were a really good combination and we enjoyed it all with slices of TJ’s MARBLE RYE bread and DIJON MUSTARD and some of TJ’s excellent SAUERKRAUT. Very German. OK the Dijon was French.
These sausages are already fully cooked. However I think browning them is a must. I just learned you should not prick sausages as we’ve been taught. That they stay juicier if you don’t prick them. OK one of them burst a bit on me but it was fine.
One of these sausages has only 160 calories, and while they are not low in sodium, they are not super high either, these sausages have a bit less sodium compared to TJ’s Andouille Chicken Sausages.
I think these CHEDDAR CHICKEN SAUSAGES are a terrific addition to all the other chicken sausages that Trader Joe’s carries. In fact for me, these are so impressive I’d say these go right to the top of my list of all of TJ’s chicken sausages. I would buy these again. These are $4.49 a package (12 oz) PS – * Personally I love the snap that a real traditional pork casing gives a sausage however if you don’t want it one reader writes he carefully peels off the casing before cooking them.
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/unexpected-cheddar-chicken-sausage-074048
01 Aug 2022 Leave a comment
in All Natural, fresh, General, New, News, plants, Prices, Products, Rave, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: healthy, no preservatives, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes
As the owner of a by-now very spindly 20 yr old rubber plant, I was pretty impressed at how robust and thick these Ficus Elasticas at Trader Joe’s were. They’re beautiful. $12.99
(PS the next day I didnt see any. Sold out?)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficus_elastica
https://www.houseplantsexpert.com/rubber-plant.html
30 Jul 2022 3 Comments
in All Natural, cheese, condiments, dairy, French, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Products, recipe, Recipes, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, gluten free, no preservatives, product, Products, Trader Joes
New at Trader Joe’s: Creme Fraiche is kind of the French version of sour cream. However its a bit different, and better that sour cream as it has more butterfat plus is a bit more tangy. This is the first time I’ve seen creme fraiche at Trader Joe’s. This is a welcome addition to the dairy stuff. Lots of ways to use it. Use it in cooking. Also fabulous au naturel topped with berries and a little sprinkle of coconut sugar.
A 7.5 oz container is $3.99. 4.49
https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-sour-cream-and-crme-frache-203467
23 Jul 2022 2 Comments
in Asian, condiments, fresh, Products, Rant, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, vegetarian Tags: dinner, Fail, lunch, rant, review, salads, Trader Joes, vegan, vegetarian
“CRISPY NOODLE SALAD KIT: The crispy part of the kit includes a package of tiny fried rice “CRISPY NOODLES”. The problem? After you put on dressing? These become “Not Crispy” Noodle bits.
Pros: The Asian style Peanut Dressing they give you is tasty. It’s a bit similar to TJ’s Organic Sesame Dressing (so you could make something like this yourself using that dressing)
Cons: Cabbage as the first ingredient in the salad. I thought it was cut way too big so the salad is a bit tough and too chewy. The softer Romaine lettuce, not cabbage, should have been the first ingredient IMO, plus this cabbage should be sliced thinner. However the main problem with this whole idea for a “Crispy Noodle salad kit” is obvious. The moment you mix in those “crispy noodles” (which are tiny, see pic) with the dressing and mix it all in, the “crispy noodles” become not crispy, of course. Maybe if they used some larger kind of crispy noodles, maybe like the kind you get in a Chinese restaurant? For me, these little fried rice noodles are a Fail. We both though this salad just wasn’t good. I won’t buy it again. Its goes for $3.99. You want crispy? What might work is add some lightly crushed PLANTAIN CHIPS to this. Or croutons.
update: a fan of this reported in the Comments they’ve reduced the amount of noodles for one thing. Shrinkflation!
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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