“Smoky, savory and lightly sweet with hints of maple”
I’ve already reviewed a very good sliced ham Trader Joe’s sells, which is their ROSEMARY HAM
This one is also quite good. It’s their uncured organic Black Forest ham, which has a lovely smokey flavor.
Uncured means it uses no added nitrates/nitrites. It’s cured with natural seasonings such as organic celery seed, organic vinegar and organic honey. “All vegetarian feed, no added hormones, antibiotics”
Low in fat, 2 slices have 60 calories with 11 gr of Protein.
Wood smoked with hickory, which gives this a wonderful flavor, it’s great for sandwiches and may other things. It made a great omelet, where the smokey flavor came through beautifully.
It would work great on a #cheeseboard. I would love it with some smoked Gouda on a cracker for double smokiness.
I would buy this again.
$5.49 (6 oz)
“TJ’s Uncured Black Forest Ham is deliciously lean, packed with protein, and notably free of added nitrates and nitrites—in other words, the ideal choice for creating simple, delicious school lunches, work lunches, or even just an anytime snack. It has an artful smokiness and tender texture, adds a remarkable depth of flavor, especially when stacked up with slices of Pepper Jack cheese or add-ons like sweet & spicy pickle chips.”
TRADER JOE ‘S says: “In the center of each tub lies a just-right amount of briny Olive Tapenade made with black olives, manzanilla olives, capers, and olive oil. Not to be out shined by its piquant partner, the Hummus base is special in its own right. With twice the tahini of traditional hummus, it’s especially smooth and nutty with complementary sweet and savory flavors.”
I wanted a big tub of hummus when I went to Trader Joes but unfortunately they didn’t have the large one I usually go for, the 16 oz MEDITERRANEAN STYLE HUMMUS.
This OLIVE TAPENADE HUMMUS was the next biggest tub at 10 oz.
It looked like it was worth trying as I happen to LOVE any and all kinds of olives, however normally I wouldn’t think of mixing olive tapenade into my hummus. Here the tapenade is just a bit on top of the hummus as an Add On ingredient.
My first bite reaction was “yeah like I thought would happen, the olive tapenade kind of overpowers the hummus”. However as I kept tasting it, I had to admit the combined taste of hummus with just a bit of olive grew on me, more and more with each bite. I was careful to keep the tapanade as is, on top, separate, and not mixed in with everything.
That way scooping a bit onto the pita, I could control the balance, just a little bit of tapenade with mostly hummus. Keep that bit of tapenade as-is, just on top, so you can have mostly hummus with just a little bit of tapenade.
Certainly I might put out a dish of olives with a dish of hummus anyway. The tapenade does kind of work. Don’t mix it all together. Olive is a strong flavors, hummus more subtle but the combo was not at all bad eaten with some pita and “controlled” with careful selection.
I did add fresh lemon juice and some good EVOO and those certainly elevated everything. I might not buy this again but think this is worth trying if you are a big fan of olives, like I am. This even has a bit of capers in it.
Would you say this looks like Trader Joe’s wants to get in on the the popular “drizzling” trend of olive oil in a squeeze bottle? Are you thinking this looks like the popular “Graza Sizzle” oil?
Trader Joe’s is appropriately enough, calling their new oil that comes in a squeeze bottle, “Main Squeeze”. As usual for Trader Joe’s this is a more budget friendly item than say Graza’s line of oil. MAIN SQUEEZE is a blend of Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil from three counties: Tunisia, Spain, and Italy which is “packed in Italy”.
They are selling this 750 ml (25.4 oz) bottle for about eleven bucks – which is cheaper than some of the other oils they sell as many come in a smaller 500ml bottle, like the EVOO from California for example.
$10.99 is a fairly good deal for a 750 ml bottle. Graza brand oil sells now for about $17 at Target for this same 750 ml size bottle. I don’t have any of the Graza oil at home now one so can’t directly compare them. Graza oil is from one country, Spain.
They say this: “Imported from the Mediterranean, it’s a golden, grassy, and pleasantly peppery cold-pressed Olive Oil, ideal for everything from light sautés to dipping bread, and it’s contained within a consummately convenient Squeeze bottle topped with an adjustable spout. The squeezable design is perfect for drizzling over roasted veggies, burrata, or soups. It’s also versatile enough for dipping bread, making pesto, or general pan-frying and sautéing. “
I tried this Main Squeeze Oil and pretty much liked the taste. Yes, it does have “a golden, grassy, and pleasantly peppery taste with a mild kick on it’s aftertaste”.
One thing I don’t like? The nozzle. It’s not great. Hard to grip for a start. I found it tricky to open and close. It is very narrow, so hard to grip, and turn to open and close. It should be wider. I found I needed to grab it with something (towel, etc) to get a firm grip.
The nozzle also had a tendency to get gunked easily. I had to wipe it often as it got gunky after about two uses.
Now do I think the oil is as good as their best EVOO oils (the Sicilian and California ones)? No I would say just a bit under those two excellent oils, however they are more expensive. Those both cost more than this.
So is TJ’s MAIN SQUEEZE is worth trying if you want to try the whole “drizzle” experience. Its of course cheaper than Graza Sizzle EVOO. This says it is “$13.85/quart”.
Like all extra virgin oils keep it in a cool dark cupboard if at all possible to stay as fresh as possible.
$10.99 (750 ml, 25.4 oz)
“Packed in Italy; Oil from Tunisia, Spain and Italy”
SIGN SAYS: “Ideal for pour overs and cold brews where its warm well balanced bitterness will shine”
“Smooth and satisfying, with balanced acidity and sweet nutty notes.”
TJ’s calls this “Medium” and I concur this is exactly medium roast. These nice looking whole beans look shinier in the photo than they actually are, which is not shiny, just bordering it.
Trader Joe’s Sulawesi Small Lot Coffee is a limited-release Small Lot coffee sourced from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Notes of caramel and little bit of a wine-y note too. A pleasant, smooth coffee. I made it in a Moka pot and it produced some nice crema but I’m sure a drip coffee method would work as well. Or true Espresso.
Kalossi beans (often called Celebes Kalossi) are premium Arabica coffee beans grown in the rugged central highlands of Sulawesi, Indonesia (historically known as Celebes). Named after the town of Kalossi—the central trading hub for the region—these beans are renowned for their heavy, syrupy body, low acidity, and rich, earthy flavor profile
$9.99 (12 oz bag) LIMITED!
My bag had a roast date printed on the bag of 3/14/26. I bought it around a month later? Not bad for Trader Joe’s Small Lot.
Trader’s says: “Our Norwegian supplier makes this Lefse [LEF-suh] according to a traditional recipe that’s mostly Potato flakes (about 80%) and wheat flour, with a handful of other ingredients including milk powder, salt, and yeast. The dough is formed into rectangles that, when baked, are thin and supple and won’t crack when you bend or wrap them. Beyond texture, the potato flavor is super satisfying, yet still neutral enough to function as the base for almost anything else in our stores that suits your palate”
“Ultra thin and pliable. Won’t crack when rolled or folded. This Norwegian flatbread is ideal with cheese and can be enjoyed with both sweet and savory fillings: strawberry jam and whipped cream, smoked salmon and cream cheese and whatever else you dream up” – Trader Joe
LIMITED!! “You’ll find Trader Joe’s Lefse Norwegian Potato Flatbread on our bakery shelves through July!”
PRODUCT OF NORWAY
NEW ITEM (April 2026) – Trader Joe’s just came out with this soft, pliable traditional Norwegian flatbread. If like me, you’ve never heard of Lefse before, basically its a thin flatbread made with potatoes. Potatoes make Lefse very soft and pliable. Good for roll-ups and other things.
Traditionally the dough is rolled thin then baked on a lefse griddle, which look something like this.
This native New Yorker never heard of lefse before seeing these at TJ’s. However if you are from Minnesota, you may know these. I understand lefse is common and popular there, given Minnesota’s Scandinavian immigrant history. Eaten at holidays especially!
“Lefse—the soft, potato-based Scandinavian flatbread—is a deeply rooted Minnesota holiday staple. Whether you enjoy it rolled up with butter and cinnamon sugar or as a wrap for savory meats, it’s an iconic part of the state’s heritage”
Also from what I gather, one traditional way to eat LEFSE is a sweet version with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Who doesn’t like that flavor combination? Basically like a cinnamon bun made with potatoes?
So to try Trader Joe’s version, I warmed it up (a must!) and put all those things on and rolled them up. We had them with coffee and tea and I have to say the lefse was very yummy with cinnamon sugar and butter.
In addition to trying it sweet I also tried it “savory” with smoked fish and cream cheese put together into a Roll Up. That way was pretty good but for that style, I would prefer using LAVASH which is more “bready” with whole wheat so tastes like bread and not potato. You will have to try both ways to see how you like them, sweet or savory. While we liked the savory one, we both seemed to prefer eating lefese in that traditional sweet cinnamon sugar/butter version, over a savory version
Make something both ways and see what you think. Sweet? Savory? Both?
CINNAMON SUGAR LEFSE: To make the butter and cinnamon version I put the lefse in a pan on low heat, added a few pats of butter over them and sprinkled it very generously with ground cinnamon and turbinado sugar (or brown sugar). The picture above uses white sugar of course so use whatever you prefer. When the butter and sugar start to melt, roll them up with a spatula or just fold them over. Eat these immediately, as they are great warm.
Very yummy! Soft and flavorful If you are into flatbreads (raises hand) I’d say this is worth trying at least once. Personally though overall as far as flatbreads that TJ sells, I will still probably buy whole wheat LAVASH as those are more “bready”.
But I have to say, these potato soft LEFSE were very tasty with butter and cinnamon sugar as a dessert treat! A little unusual and worth trying at least once that way.
TIP – Serve lefse warm! These are seasonal for Spring; I bet you can freeze them so you have some for Xmas season!
Googling it I found a lot of recipes for it on YouTube on how to make it which looks fairly easy and I bet a homemade fresh version would be really good…. If you are ambitious!
This is a LIMITED EDITION item (available from around April till July)
Trader Joe’s LEFSE potato flatbread, $3.99 (However when I first saw them the sign said 3.49 then it seem to go up a week later!) 13.2 oz. 375 gr – About 10 slices in the bag
BBQ season (spring/summer) Halloumi Cheese Is Back At Trader Joe’s! Finally! I wait about 1/2 the year for it to appear back on their shelves, as Trader Joe’s considers it to be seasonal item for summer and “outdoor” grilling, etc. Its great for that but for many other things and can be “indoors” too… Check out the original post about it, HERE
“Fresh and creamy, semi-soft cheese with a mild, smooth flavor”
Queso Fresco (literally translated as “fresh cheese”) is a soft, un-aged Mexican cheese made with cow’s milk. It has a bright, mildly milky, and slightly salty-tangy flavor, and is known for its crumbly texture that doesn’t melt when heated.
Trader Joe’s version of QUESO FRESCO is very tasty. A little tangy, a little salty, not too firm and not too soft. It crumbled easily between my fingers, which is the best way to prep it.
Queso Fresco is of course terrific with all Mexican foods like enchiladas or tacos but you don’t have to limit yourself to Mexican food. You could use this in many cuisines, kind of like Feta cheese. Use this with eggs which it goes perfectly with, either sprinkled on top or use as an omelet filling. Its fantastic on top of salads. GRILLING: I even cut slices of it and just grilled them. While not as firm as Halloumi I was able to grill up till it was golden brown and not melt.
You could try pairing cubes of this queso with TJ’s GUAVA SPREAD on crackers; a perfect salty sweet combo that would be great on a #cheeseboard
Queso Fresco $3.79 (8 oz)
I would buy this again.
If you want a deep dive into queso, this site has that
“Trader Joe’s Amaryllis Bulbs come to us conveniently pre-sprouted and carefully hand-dipped in a paraffin Wax. Fascinatingly enough, all of the nutrients and moisture that the Amaryllis will require for growth & bloom are already packed into that one big, round, colorful, Wax-covered Bulb. Which means that when you get your Bulb home, you can just place it on a counter (or in a window—anywhere that receives filtered light is fine) and periodically turn it to encourage tall, straight growth. That’s it. No water. No soil. No constant watching. No kidding! The Amaryllis Bulb in Wax is the must-have, must-gift plant of the season, no green thumb required.”
So I got one of these. Both my wife and I were a little bit skeptical that this would work as they said it would. Or that it would work so well. It was just a waxed bulb with a tiny green shoot at the time peeking out at the top of this round wax ball, containing the amaryllis bulb. But guess what? It absolutely did work, and then some. I mean, Wow!
I placed the bulb in a sunny place. And waited. Thats it. It took about a 6 weeks or so. One could see where the flowers would come. About a week or so later there were flowers emerging and after about another week the thing looked magnificent as you can seet bloomed with 4 huge Amaryllis flowers.
This could be a fabulous gift. Maybe next Easter time?
“MEDIUM ROAST – With notes of milk chocolate and stone fruits”
100% Arabica. Whole Beans. Organic.
NEW ITEM
“You’re likely familiar with our rotating roster of limited-edition Small Lot Coffees—carefully sourced, single-origin offerings that tend to be available only in small quantities, and only for a short time.”
This is not a Small Lot however Trader Joe’s says this coffee captures the spirit of their Small Lot coffees. They managed to find enough supply to have this on a regular basis. Trader Joe’s has this new coffee from Chiapas, Mexico.
This is an excellent coffee.
Chiapas is the southern most part of Mexico and has the Sierra Madre mountains. These beans are grown high up there between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. This coffee is “grown by a collective of nearly 2,000 small farmers.”
“… thanks to our longstanding relationships with some exceptional growers, we’ve been able to secure a supply of Trader Joe’s Organic Mexico Chiapas Whole Bean Coffee large enough to offer every day. It captures the spirit of our Small Lot releases—high-quality, single-origin craftsmanship—only this time, it’s here to stay.”
I really really liked this. High quality indeed. These beans smelled great upon opening the bag. Ground up fresh the coffee smells even better.
ROAST – You can never count on when TJ’s says Light or Medium. This bag says “Medium Roast”. However to me it’s clearly darker than Medium. I might say a dark medium or a light dark roast? As you can see the beans are just a tiny bit shiny. Whatever they call it the roast is perfect for these beans.
This made a wonderfully flavorful cup of coffee, which they describe as “with notes of milk chocolate and stone fruit”. I made it in my MOKA POT. I even got a bit of crema. It should work for any brewing method. Delicious.
I would not mind having another bag at all. This coffee is a keeper!
“Our supplier gives the beans a light roast, highlighting the inherent notes of molasses, dark chocolate, sweet plum, and apple. You get a crisp, clean cup with dense, satisfying flavors.”
I am pretty sure this is the first coffee from Peru I may have tasted.
I found this latest Organic Small Lot coffee from Peru at Trader Joe’s to be pretty interesting, if not astunning remarkable find a few of the Small Lot coffees they’ve had in the past that were amazing (For that read my post on the UGANDA RWENZORI coffee). This is in the middle. Brewed up this was pretty good, a bit fruity with notes of “chocolate, molasses and apple or plum”. I get a bit of a wine-y after taste note that I usually associate with some African coffees.
Try this is you like to try every Small Lot they come out with, as I do, hoping for the best. This is not that but good. Overall though as my standard every day drink these days I prefer the Bolivian coffee they have.
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