Before I saw this at Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago, I’m prettu sure I’ve never even seen a coffee from PAPUA NEW GUINEA. So I had no idea what to expect. But I kind of like to check out every “Small Lot” coffee Trader Joe’s comes out with. Just in case. ‘Cuz you never know. Sometimes you may find a Gem.
Like this coffee! Which is from the “Sigri Estate in Papua New Guinea”. I really was pleasantly surprised with this latest of Trader Joe’s Small Lot coffees. I thought this one was a winner. Likely the Best of the Small Lot coffees they’ve come out with in some time for my taste.Honestly, Trader Joe’s describes it perfectly and I could not do better. So quoting them….
“Brew up a cup of this Papua New Guinean whole bean coffee and you’ll notice its distinctive profile. The light roast presents moderate acidity and body with fragrant aromas of almond, berries, and açai. You’ll taste layered sweet and fruity flavors, detecting notes of pineapple, brown sugar, and honey.”
I find this all true. It tastes pretty unique which I guess is why they describe it with “notes of pineapple and brown sugar”, the first time I have seen the word “pineapple” used to describe a flavor profile of a coffee. I find the taste hard to pinpoint but sure, “pineapple and brown sugar” works, and all I know is that I quite liked flavor of this which is pretty unique but satisfying. Smooth but Robust. Wonderful coffee aroma when you first grind it up.
TJ’s labels this a “LIGHT ROAST”. I agree this is light (not blond) and the light roast here is perfect. Trader Joe’s seems to skew towards darker? Most of their coffee seem to be roasted at least medium, which is fine by me, as I like medium to dark and even espresso, but a light one here and there is nice, so here you go. If you like Light, give this a try and see what you think.
BREWING: I brewed it 2 ways, a drip coffee with a paper filter and also in my Moka pot. Both worked equally well and produced excellent coffee. It even produced a good amount of “crema” when I brewed it in my Moka pot, which to me also seems to indicate a good coffee. I’m sure this would be good for any brewing method including true espresso machines.
A quick search on Google revealed this about coffee from there: “Papua New Guinea (PNG) coffee is highly regarded for its smooth body, gentle acidity, and complex, sweet-toned flavor profile. Grown primarily in the fertile Central Highlands, these heirloom Typica and Bourbon beans—originally descended from Jamaica Blue Mountain—offer tasting notes of tropical fruit, dark chocolate, and mild spices.”
“Trader Joe’s Papua New Guinea Small Lot Coffee was grown on the distinguished Sigri estate in the Waghi Valley of PNG. There are numerous micro-climates all around this mountainous island, and the coffee growers of the Sigri estate have intimate knowledge of their own land, which translates into premium, AA (large grade), 100% Arabica beans.”
While I previously I had no knowledge of PNG coffee, I am a now big fan of this one at least. I look forward every morning to grinding these beans up to brew up my morning cup of Joe. In fact I will go back and pick up a bag or two of this ! Run, don’t walk and grab this one. IT’S LIMITED
This one was quite fresh too, as per the “roasted on” date. I bought it only about one month later in was roasted so pretty fresh.
Sidenote thought: Can you imagine the team working for Trader Joe’s on their “Small Lot Coffee” projects?! I’ve often thought this may be the coolest job in the world. Get sent all over the world looking for unusually good coffee finds in unusual places. Exploring small producers in far flung corners of the world, on the hunt for coffee that will end up as the next “Small Lot” find. Sounds like a Dream Job?
I actually really love a good hot dog, however as someone who tries to watch what they eat, hot dogs now are something I will basically only eat once a year – on July 4th! So when I do eat a hot dog, it’s got to be really good, of course, and would prefer it be one that is at least trying to be one of the “healthier” versions. But still really tasty.
For me, Trader Joe’s Organic Uncured Grass Fed All Beef Hot Dogs fits the bill exactly. Most important, these are good and tasty hot dogs, that are made better than many others that have questionable ingredients, something hot dogs are notorious for. These have good ingredients. Made with USDA certified organic beef from grass fed cows. They don’t contain added nitrates or nitrites as preservatives (ie, “uncured”). They use natural ingredients to “cure” them, specifically celery and sea salt. The ingredients are not mysterious. The rest of the ingredients are all organic seasonings, things like garlic puree, minced onion, paprika, and red pepper flakes. “No fillers. No kidding”.
We got these for a July 4th get together this year and these dogs were a big hit. Everyone commented on how good the hot dogs were. Nice and tasty, well seasoned the way I like my dogs with: “Organic black pepper, organic ginger, organic nutmeg, organic red pepper, organic paprika, organic garlic powder, organic onion powder, organic coriander, organic celery powder, organic garlic puree….”
These were so yummy on those good buns with good sauerkraut. I can’t wait for July 4th to roll around year again! You and your kids however may eat them anytime you are in the mood for hot dogs and want them to be as good as possible.
110 calories per hot dog
$5.99 (10 oz package, which has 6 hot dogs)
I would buy these again.
“NO PRESERVATIVES; KEEP REFRIGERATED BELOW 40 F AT ALL TIMES”
Trader Joe’s has added this pasta shape to their selection of organic premium “artisanal” pastas, cavatappi which means “corkscrews”. They say it’s one of their favorites. Having tried it, it’s now one of my favorite pastas as well that they sell.
ORGANIC CAVATAPPI look kind of like a long twisted macaroni with ridges. The shape and the ridges are designed to hold sauces.
Cavatappi is an excellent addition to Trader Joe’s line of premium pastas. They still sell some pastas for 99 cents. This one is $1.99. What makes “premium” pasta premium and worth more? TJ’s premium pastas are a level up from the regular ones. Think of high end pasta like you see in specialty stores, many of which are $4-8 a pound. The better, high end pastas mean things like being bronze die cut, made from organic semolina wheat, usually are slow dried, etc. All of which makes for better pasta.
“Made in Italy for Trader Joe’s by our skilled supplier in Italy using organic semolina wheat. “
Cavatappi is perfect for marinara, or alfredo sauces. It’s also great used for baked mac and cheese and is great for cold pasta salads. Its shape helps it hold onto sauce in different ways, offering lots of flavor and a nice chewy texture.
“Cavatappi makes a consummate complement to a marinara or alfredo, makes a marvelous base for a baked mac and cheese, and produces a primo pasta salad for picnics and potlucks.”
I made a delicious (tuna and pesto)pasta salad using the cavatappi
Tuna & Pesto Pasta Salad: Boil a cup of cavatappi pasta in in salted water for 9-10 minutes or until done to the way you like (me, al dente). Drain the pasta and rinse in a colander under cold water until cooled down to room temp. Place pasta in a bowl, and add 2 tablespoons of Trader Joe’s jarred PESTO (adjust more if you need it). Add a can of tuna in olive oil (I used the oil and juice too, your call). Add juice from 1/2 lemon or more. (option, add a handful of chopped parsley or arugula) Mix well and serve.
Trader Joe’s ORGANIC CARROTS (multi-colored) $1.99 for 2 lbs. And also regular organic carrots .99 cents for 1 lb.
We are trying to reduce our carb intake a bit. One idea to help do that is to make up the plate with even more vegetables.
I happen to love carrots, so they are a good pick for us. Carrots are super healthy and fortunately pretty cheap at Trader Joe’s, where they sell for $1 a pound for ORGANIC CARROTS. Pictured here are the multi colored ones Trader Joe’s sells, which besides the standard orange carrots they have some with other colors, like red and yellow.
Here’s two EASY RECIPE ideas using carrots, one cooked and one raw, in a salad. The one printed on the bag is good too (“spicy rainbow carrot coins”) though more complicated than the ones I’m adding below.
Sautéed Moroccan style carrots
Slice up your peeled carrots. Put olive oil in a pan or pot and add 2 cloves chopped/grated garlic. Sautée 30 seconds. Add a 1/2 diced onion. Add carrot slices. Add 1 tsp ground cumin, a dash of cinnamon. Saute on med heat stirring often till they look a little seared, 5-10 minutes. Lower the heat and cook until done, 5-10 minutes.
Easy Moroccan Style Carrot Raisin Salad
Use a box grater or the like and grate up 2 or 3 large peeled carrots into a bowl. Add 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (added points if you grate in some zest). Add a handful of your favorite raisins. Add either a clove of fresh garlic (chopped or grated) or a 1/2 tsp of powdered garlic. Add a good amount of ground cumin (1/2 tsp). Add a good spill of extra virgin olive oil. Add a splash of vinegar. Stir to combine and let marinate for at least 10-15 minutes. (I had pomegranate seeds in the fridge so added them, optional but really nice addition)
“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.”
(hope you find it. this pizza’s very popular & sells out fast!)
TRADER JOE SAYS: “With its rectangular shape, deep, crispy-edged crust, and golden underside, Detroit-style pizza has been wowing pizza fans and converting thin crust devotees since 1946. Believe it or not, the original Detroit-style pie was said to have been baked in steel pans originally used for auto parts!Trader Joe’s Detroit Style Uncured Pepperoni Pizza is decidedly not assembled in auto part pans, it is packaged in a rectangular, oven-friendly pan that’s sprinkled with cheese prior to pizza assembly. This crucial step delivers the golden, crispy-on-the-underside and pillowy-on-the-inside crust that’s characteristic of a Detroit Style pie.“
Very popular item! Sells out fast? If you are looking to try Trader Joe’s (new) DETROIT STYLE UNCURED PEPPERONI PIZZA all I can say is GOOD LUCK finding it in the freezer case. If you don’t see it, ask the front desk, as to when it comes in.
Most of the time I went looking to buy it all I found was an empty shelf. Since it came out it usually seems to Sell Out fast. Naturally I have a feeling this is due to social media.. At the moment, this is a hot item. I guess each store gets a certain amount per day and whatever they get, sells out pretty fast.
When items get very hot, I always wonder – Is it really that good or is it just Hype due to social media?
When I finally saw it in the freezer, I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed one to try it and here’s my honest review. First I should say as a native “Noo Yawkah, and lover of our classic styles of pizza, I’ve never been a big fan of thick crust pizza and as you can see, the crust here is pretty thick.
But GUESS WHAT? Tasting this Trader Joe’s pizza all I can say is this item is popular for a reason\I never had a Detroit pizza in my life so I can’t judge how accurate Trader Joe’s version is. My wife and I both enjoyed eating it, despite the amount of crust.We found this to be quite tasty and yummy. It really hit the spot when we were in the mood for pizza for dinner. And yes, I made dinner a bit healthier by making a veggie side.
Yes it is pretty dough-y for me, but overall, quite tasty. All the elements were good. It had a nice thick tomato sauce, very flavorful and very tomatoe-y, It matched perfectly with the nice amount of cheese. The star of the show is of course that pepperoni.
The uncured pepperoni on this pizza is EXCELLENT. Not greasy. No pool of grease you see usually see on pepperoni pizza. Nor did it shrink up a good deal into cups like some pepperoni. Spicy? Not to us taste buds. I thought this uncured pepperoni was pretty mild.
What I’ve learned with this pizza is how to make this as good as possible. The main point being, make sure to get it well baked. See the last pic for how it looked when we ate it (i made some veggies for a side) It does come in a paper pan which you can put right in the oven for convenience.
TIPS: The package says bake in the included oven safe paper pan for 23-25 minutes at 425F. Rearrange the pepperoni evenly.
As you see, I made our meal a bit healthier adding some veggies to our dinner… It was all SO YUMMY!
Notes:
I thought a metal pan might give it a better bake than the paper one it comes in (seeing as a real one is baked in a steel pan, right?) So I took it out of their pan and put the pizza on a small sheet pan. At the very least, even if you use their pan, put that on top of a sheet pan or cookie sheet. Anyway your call on that. I should try both methods..,
Of course all ovens vary widely. In ours, it definitely needed more than their listed time (23-25) at 425 to get really well baked, which is what I tink you wantwith this pizza. It should look like the picture on the box. Deep deep brown cheese. After the recommended time, I tried it and decided the crust wasn’t nearly baked enough. I put it back in the oven. In our oven it needed another 5 minutes to get nice and deep brown all over. I also added a squirt of olive oil on the bottom of the pan to give the crust some help as it was a bit dry. Olive oil will help brown and crisp the bottom and improve it quite a bit. Figure perhaps 30 minutes baking time? Check it often towards the 25 minute mark and adjust as needed.
Be sure to let your oven get nice and pre-heated, give it a least 10-15 minutes after it hits temp before you put in the pizza.
I think I could have even brushed on some oil on the edges/sides. It looks a little dry as you can see; easily fixed with some more evoo. I will do that next time.
Personalize with your own Seasonings: I added my normal seasonings I like; slivered garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper…. Feel free to do what you like to your pizza. I hit this after it came out with some fresh grated pecorino. I had fresh basil which of course was terrific on it. Do your own thing and enjoy! But even as is with nothing, this is quite good.
How big is it? 24 oz. (1 1/2 lbs) Now my wife thought the two of us should eat the whole thing. We could have, but I was the voice of reason and said, let’s eat 2/3 of it and leave a third. She fought me bitterly and snuck in a few bites of the leftovers.
Just know if you eat the whole thing all by yourself, figure 1750 calories. Personally I wouldn’t but that’s your call.
Not a bad deal at about $8 bucks for a pizza that can feed 2 or 3 people. $7.99 makes it one of TJ’s more expensive pizzas due to the quality pepperoni.
(TIP: one reader suggests using the included pan but putting a sheet pan under that. They said it did get very well browned up on the edges in that pan)
Trader Joe’s frozen UNCURED PEPPERONI DETROIT PIZZA $7.99 (24 oz)
People say this is one of the best pizzas Trader Joe’s sells.
“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.” – TRADER JOE https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/olive-tapenade-hummus-079901
I wanted a big tub of hummus when I went to Trader Joes but unfortunately they didn’t have the large 16 oz MEDITERRANEAN STYLE HUMMUS when I went. This OLIVE TAPENADE HUMMUS was the next biggest tub at 10 oz.
It looked like it was worth trying and I happen to LOVE most any kind of olive, but normally I wouldn’t think of mixing tapenade with hummus. Here the tapenade is just a bit on top of the hummus added as an add on. My first bite reaction was “yeah like i thought, those olives overpower the hummus a bit” but as I kept tasting it, I admit the combined taste of hummus and a bit of olive grew on me more and more with each bite.
I kept the olives more or less as is, on top. Dipping in with pita, I could control just a little bit of tapenade with mostly hummus. Keep that bit of tapenade as-is just on top and grab a bit as you eat or scoop it. Then you mostly have hummus with just a little tapenade.
Certainly I might put out a dish of olives with a dish of hummus so the two are flavors I would combine anyway. The tapenade does kind of work. Don’t mix it all together. Olive are strong flavors and hummus more subtle but the combo was not at all bad eaten with some pita. This is something you would have to decide for yourself.
I did add some 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. Even has a bit of capers in it.
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.
Here is another what I might call “small lot” style coffee Trader Joe’s has introduced but this too, like the Mexico Chiapas, is not a Limited coffee but one they seem to intend to have on the shelves every day. As they say:
“If you’re a regular in our coffee & tea section, 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. Trader Joe’s Costa Rica Medium Roast Whole Bean Coffee captures the spirit of our Small Lot releases—high quality, single-origin craftsmanship—and thanks to our longstanding relationships with some truly exceptional growers, we’ve been able to secure sufficient quantities to be able to offer it on our shelves every day.”
This one is from COSTA RICA, grown high up in the mountains there.
“Costa Rica’s temperate tropical climate and rich, volcanic soil promote slow and steady growth, allowing the coffee cherries time to develop rich, complex flavors.”
They again list this as “Medium” roast but to me, like the Chiapas coffee, I would say this is just a wee bit darker. The beans being just a tiny bit shiny with oil and once again, I think the roast is perfect for the beans. as long as you know to expect beans that are “dark medium” or whatever you might call this.
The beans looked good, smelled good, and had a wonderful aroma when ground. The brewed coffee was tasty and had a deep rich flavor with hints of chocolate. “Inherently sweet with nutty notes”.
This is a quite decent coffee. Still I think I liked the recent Organic Mexico coffee just a tad more. I liked this Costa Rican better than the organic one from Peru. This is not marked “organic”. In any case, if you are into trying out TJ’s coffee’s as I like to do, I say this is at least worth a try for $10 bucks.
If you just want a recommendation of which coffee(s) at Trader Joe’s are worth buying for a first timer, I’d recommend the Fair Trade Organic BOLIVIAN coffee if you like a lighter roasted coffee. If you enjoy a darker roasted coffee (“medium” they say) I’d say try the ORGANIC MEXICAN.
“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!
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