So let me just start off with the comment that I really like this tea but frankly found the name a wee bit misleading. When I saw the words “Wake Up Tea”, I just assumed this will make a cup of strong, dark, kick-ass, rocket fuel (English/Irish) tea… A dark cuppa that really wakes you up in the morning. But when I brewed up a cup as you can see in the picture its not a very dark super strong tea. However when I tasted it I thought, oh this quite good! So I really like this tea but my take is kind of Trader Joe’s should have come up with a different name minus “wake up”. “Winter Wake Up Tea” is probably not something I would brew to wake me up in the morning. But other than that comment, Trader Joe’s has come up with an EXCELLENT TEA BLEND with great spice flavors that would satisfy me at any time of day, and makes me feel all nice and warm and cozy!
TJ’s Winter Wake Up Tea is a wonderfully balanced tasty spiced tea, a blend of black tea, cinnamon, orange peel, ginger and cloves. If it was called something a bit different without “wake up” in the name, I would have simply started the review with “A most wonderful spiced tea that will make you feel warm and toasty on a cold snowy winter’s eve, and will warm your heart and soul! Drink it in front of the fireplace and just relax….” Personally Mr. Joe, I would have named it something like, say… WINTER COZY TEA. or WINTER SPICE BLEND TEA* or something like that.
Brew this up and you get a very nice spiced tea that reminds me slightly of CONSTANT COMMENT tea – a famous spiced tea blend created back in 1945. My parents always had it in our cupboard, especially making an appearance when “company” came over, as it was kind of special and would get a “yum… whats this tea?” comment from our guests. Ah the good old days! This TJ tea make a lighter cup than Constant Comment, with less black tea prominent in the blend but probably more spices such as cinnamon, ginger, plus clove and orange peel. It even is has the slightest bit of sweetness naturally as an under-note from a bit of licorice, which possesses natural sweetness.
So will this wake you up like the Irish Breakfast tea which actually is a “wake up tea”? Myself, to wake up I need a strong cuppa like TJ’s excellent Irish Breakfast Tea, or a typical English tea like Typhoo Tea or the like. But still enjoy this Winter Tea for what it is – a quite lovely spiced tea full of flavor.
Aha, methinks, I’ve a great idea! What if I combined the two teas together?! I brewed both teas up together, and very much liked the resulting concoction. If you do you want something a bit darker and stronger but with lots of nice spice flavors, just take 2 cups of water, bring to a boil in a pot, and toss in a bag of this Winter Tea plus a bag of Irish Breakfast Tea. Let it brew for at least 5 minutes. The result is nice mix-up of both, a strong “cuppa” plus lots of warm spices and flavor, not terribly unlike Constant Comment, and which actually now is a Wake Up Tea that will perk you up on a cold winter’s morn.
*So Mr Trader Joe, should you borrow my ideas and rename this product “COZY WINTER TEA” you better at least send me a case of this stuff!
My newest “Love It” item at Trader Joe’s are their new spicy flavored JERK-STYLE PLANTAIN CHIPS.
Warning: SERIOUSLY SPICY (and SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS). No kidding. I mean mouth on fire level SPICY! You’ve been warned. Now taste these, if you dare.
I’ve always loved the regular Plantain Chips. They are one of the best products at Trader Joe’s. Only $1.69. Amazing snacks.
The Jerk-Style chips are the same delicious plantain chips but with lots of seasonings added to them. I’m talking highly spicy Jamaican Jerk Seasonings. They got that Jerk flavor kind of right on the nose with this spice mix blend:
Each individual Chip is covered in a generous dusting of jerk cooking-inspired herbs and spices, including allspice, garlic powder, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and ginger extract.
What you’ll likely notice above all other flavors, however, is the increasing heat of spicy red chili pepper powder. As you snack, the spice builds steadily (but not altogether overwhelmingly) to an exhilarating crescendo of heat, making it a perfect treat for the real spice fans out there (you know who you are.)
Try ’em if you can take the heat. Also, try them with some kind of dip to go with these chips (guacamole? hummus? greek yogurt and garlic? Tsastiki?) They were delicious even with just some greek yogurt that I dipped each chip in. The Greek yogurt of course tames down the heat.
Put out a dish full of these chips with some cold beers and I think you will be in heaven. They cost $1.79 a bag.
Buy both kinds of these chips, regular and the Jerk-Style. These spicy ones are for when you want your mouth to tingle with some major, spicy Jerk spices.
Trader Joe’s Amba Mango sauce is a unique and very tasty condiment.
I had vaguely heard of “Amba” as an Israeli condiment for “Sabich” (eggplant sandwich). Amba Sauce is one of those new tasty food products that TJ sells that you may not know what it is at first, nor what you would use it for, but give this wonderfully unique tasting stuff a try. Savory, pungent, tangy, the sauce is made from fermented ripe as well as green mangos simmered with garlic, salt, turmeric and a few other spices, blended into a smooth sauce. Amba is so unique, intruiging and tasty that once once you try it, you will end up dreaming of things you might try it with, “I wonder if this would be good on..(fill in blank).” Thats what I did. I kept putting it on things to see if they would be good with it. Many were!
So what is “Amba Sauce” anyway? From the package: “Amba is a fermented mango sauce traditionally found in Israel India and the Middle East. Use it as a savory sauce on meat and seafood, vegetables and falafel, or even as a unique salad dressing”.
“Amba” means mango in an Indian language, Marathi. Its made of yellow ripe mangos as well as unripe green mangos, pureed till smooth and cooked with many spices and chilis and is fermented. The fermentation I’m sure ratchets up the taste level. It is both sweet, sour, and spicy. The heat comes and hits you later. Much later. This stuff is a very complex flavor bomb of fruity and spicy and many spices. Get the idea? Its great for many things. Just a few ideas: Try it over cooked chicken. Falafel, of course! Salmon. Meats. Salads and bowls. On the side with Indian pakoras, or breads, or basmati rice? Absolutely of course! Mixed with Greek Yogurt*? Yes! I came up with the idea of mixing these two things and it was amazing together as the yogurt calmed down the spice level and melded things.
AMBA SAUCE is carried in the refrigerated section and comes in a convenient squeeze pouch with a plastic top. A 14-ounce re-closable, pourable yellow bag of Trader Joe’s Amba Mango Sauce is $3.29. A bag lasted me quite some time as a little goes a long way, and it can last for a month or two in the fridge. This is a fantastic TJ product well worth the price. Amba is hard to find in the U.S.
Here’s a super easy tasty sauce mix with Amba I came up with; it makes a smooth, creamy yummy sauce, toning down the spice level but still getting some and you can adjust the ratio of amba to yogurt.
*GREEK YOGURT & AMBA SAUCE
Mix about 1/2 cup of plain Greek Yogurt with about a 1/3-1/2 cup of Amba Sauce. Add chopped garlic mashed with a little salt. Fresh ground pepper. Stir to combine and let it sit in the fridge for a bit. For a GREEN SAUCE version of this which I made, just add chopped parsley or arugula or baby kale, chopped very finely. Let flavors meld in fridge for at least a 1/2 hr or more. Serve on fish, chicken, meats, grilled tofu, or over basmati or jasmine rice, or practically anything! Adjust the ratio of amba and yogurt to your exact liking.
Trader Joe’s ZHOUG SAUCE is a very delicious, traditional Yemeni green hot sauce. It is taking the internet by storm. Warning, when it says “very spicy” here, Trader Joe’s is not kidding. It is SPICY! But it is delicious, not just “spicy”, it’s so flavorful if you try this, you may fall in love with it too, as I have. This sauce is a must have for me in the fridge always. For me, this is a Top 10 Trader Joe’s product.
Trader Joe’s ZHOUG (sometimes written ZHUG) is a thick green, herbal sauce originating from Yemen, made from cilantro, jalapenos and chile flakes, wonderfully seasoned with garlic, cumin and cardamon. It’s popular in the middle east. TJ’s ZHOUG is simply one of the the most bloody wonderfully unique condiments you may ever taste. I’ve tried it on just about everything you can think of…chicken, tofu, eggs, fritattas, pasta, fish…. you name it. It makes almost any food better. You can’t go wrong with this on just about anything you put it on, it will make you smack your lips, yum. I suspect it would be good on shoe leather. You can use just a little bit and get a lot of flavor, and you will probably use this in small amounts, just a few dashes as its so spicy. A little goes a long way. Also you can “tame” it easily by mixing it with some yogurt, or mayo. Frankly this was even a bit too spicy even for me, kind of a rare statement. So unless you are a total chile-head, capsaicin obsessed, death-head sauce freak, you might want to “tame” this sauce a tiny bit, as I tried and did easily. I just added some olive oil and lemon juice to cut down the heat ever so slightly by dilution. It was still excellent this way. I have also use it mixed into Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt) with great success. In fact, Yogurt and Zhoug are an excellent combo and make a wonderful, easy creamy variation. Adjust the ratio of yogurt to zhoug till its perfect for your personal taste. I actually like the Zhoug tamed a wee bit. As is out of the container just a few small dollops is enough to make your mouth on fire. Again if you’re a chile-head you will love that, so pour it on. How long does it last in the fridge? I’ve found it lasts for quite some time, maybe a month. I also have found if I cover it with olive oil, the oil will help it last even longer, maybe up to 2 months.
You will find TJ’s ZHOUG SAUCE in the refrigerated section in an 8 oz container which is $2.99. Frankly this is a steal (but don’t tell TJ’s lest they raise the price) update: They did raise it a bit!
Seriously you should try this. IMHO this is a Top-10.
“Zhoug likely originated in Yemen, and is now popular throughout the Middle East. It’s a cilantro-based sauce/condiment that’s been likened to “Middle Eastern pesto,” but we think that description shortchanges the originality of this spicy, fragrant, fabulously flavorful culinary creation. It’s a sauce that’s taking the internet by storm – from food blogs to social media feeds, Zhoug is having its moment in the digital sun. This really is the ideal time to introduce Zhoug to our stores.
Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce comes to us from a California vendor well-versed in the art and science of Middle Eastern foods. Here, they’ve put together a very straightforward collection of ingredients – cilantro, canola oil, jalapeño peppers, chile flakes, garlic, cardamom, sea salt, and cumin seeds – to create a sauce/dip/spread/ condiment that bursts with vibrant flavor and color. We call it “very spicy” on our label, and some will find it “very spicy.” Those more into spicy foods may find it only moderately spicy. Everyone who tries it will be impressed by how the flavor of every ingredient comes through, even as the flavors blend beautifully into the finished product.”
(update: I still give this a Rave but I do have a Rant about the continuous price increases since I originally wrote this post. (from $4.49/lb-> to currently 6.99)
I don’t know about you but it’s pretty rare for me to buy pre-marinated meats. Generally I will just make my own and marinate it myself.
Still when I first saw Trader Joe’s “Shawarma Chicken Thighs” I was intrigued enough to buy it, because I happen to LOVE Shawarma. In NYC we have quite a few Mediterranean style restos that sell it.
So I gave this a try and in short, not only did I like TJ’s Shawarma Chicken way more than I expected to, I liked it so much that since that first time, I’ve bought it over and over again. So if you don’t want to read this whole piece and just want to know if this is worth buying, the answer is a Yes. But if you want to know more, read on dear reader (including how to make a marinade so you can do these on your own for way less…. )
SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS are flavorful having been deeply imbued from many “Shawarma spices” they use which include: “Onion, garlic, sea salt, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, turmeric, annato, parsley, lemon, vinegar, rosemary…”. This ready-to- cook chicken is convenient. Pretty much toss it into a pan. In less than 20 minutes you can have a tasty dinner ready with the addition of a few sides (Naan, maybe some rice/grains, veggies). The unopened package can easily stay a week or so in the fridge. They say way longer but personally I find TJ’s “good until” dates are way too generous. Naturally you can freeze it for longer than a week or two, and if you do, I suggest a slow 24hr defrost in the fridge.
Cut the bag open (carefully!) You’ll immediately smell the wonderful “Middle Eastern Shawarma” style spices (Be aware the Turmeric and Anatto in the marinade are natural dyes and can stain things easily, even a cutting board. If so use diluted bleach later to clean up).
If there is any fat on the chicken, it will melt during cooking and it keeps the meat moist so I say don’t trim it off. I do make a few shallow slashes in the thickest parts of the thighs to help even out cooking with the thinnest part. Optional: blot the chicken with a paper towel to dry them a bit before adding to the pan. TIP: I actually sprinkle on more spices (Smoked Spanish Paprika, Ajika, another sprinkle of ground cumin, etc) as more dry spices on the surface will make it brown better).
Chicken cooked halfway, with added onion and garlic
Cooked, sliced up and put back in the pan (with some arugula)
COOKING: I grill in a cast iron or non-stick pan. I add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil (or better still, an oil/butter mix; the butter adds flavor and browns up well). Grill the the first side on medium heat for about 7-8 mins on the first side until deeply seared and browned. Turn and cook about another 6-7 minutes. Your kitchen will smell great cooking these from all those nice Middle Eastern spices. TIP: I let the thighs cook without touching or moving them until they get a good sear on them (see picture) Totally optional but adding sliced onion and garlic about half way during cooking will make for great additions (and possibly green/red/yellow peppers).
If you can grill these on a real grill with wood or charcoal of course and they would probably taste even better. Baking in the oven may work too for 20 minutes on high heat (450). You could even bake this as a Sheet Pan Supper with veggies for an easy one-pan dinner. Some people do these in an Air Fryer.
This marinade is not spicy so if you want a little heat just add something like Bomba or Zhoug goes especially well with these, with a bit brushed on at the very end and/or served on the side after cooking. Cooking veggies in the same pan on the side (onions, peppers, cherry tomatoes…) is good.
Pan grilling is my my preferred method as it browns great this way and seals in juices. The good thing about chicken thighs is they are way harder to overcook than breasts which as you know can dry out pretty easily (side note, I have a pretty foolproof method for cooking juicy boneless chicken breasts if you want to check that out here): (juicy chicken breasts).
Shawarma chicken, served on TJ’s Garlic Naan with Tzaziki, and veggies. Super yummy!!
When the thighs are done cooking, i would let them rest a few minutes before slicing (resting meat keeps in juices). Slice them however you like. One guy I saw online recommended cutting it into “french fries” size pieces. I put the sliced chicken back in the pan with the cutting board juices and mix it in with the grilled onions or veggies. Chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or arugula, is nice for some green color.
SHAWARMA SANDWICH ASSEMBLY – warm your naan or pita or tortilla. Place the sliced chicken down the center, top with sauce (TJ’s TZAZIKI sauce is perfect). Add a few veggies. To eat, you fold gently and eat it taco style. Or use knife and fork if you are fancy. Now no one says you must make it into a shawarma sandwich; you can just put the chicken on top of a salad or rice or noodles or what ever you wish.
As mentioned I find these go great with TJs’ “ZHOUG” spicy sauce which matches perfectly for a spicy Yemeni flavor. To tame the Zhoug you can mix Greek Yogurt and some Zhoug together 50/50 to make it less spicy. You can serve the chicken many ways but a great way of course is as SHAWARMA wrap with Naan or other flatbread. Use flatbread, warm pita or TANDOORI NAAN (it’s perfect for this) or even TJ HABANERO LIME TORTILLAS as a wrap …. add chopped veggies (tomato, cukes, shredded lettuce, scallion, parsley…) Top with sauce, a tahini or yogurt garlic sauce (TJ’s tzaziki sauce is perfect). These are messy to eat but oh so good. Your family will love them. Basmati Rice on the side, or as a bed, would be a great match with this.
Another Shawarma meal: this a DIY version from scratch on whole wheat pita bread with sauce and veggies
Shopping list : Shawarma Chicken, Tzatziki, Naan or Pita, onion, garlic, veggies…..
The second dish I made with these chicken thighs was to use them for Chicken Tacos / Fajitas. Despite the cultural melange (middle east/mexico) the chicken works great for Tacos or Fajitas. Sidenote: Of course you knew that Lebanese immigrants to Mexico had a big part in Mexican food culture and even created the famed Tacos Al Pastor! Green Dragon hot sauce with it’s tomatillo and cilantro flavor went really well and was perfectly Mexican on our chicken shawarma tacos.
(note: the price has gone up a few times since I wrote this!): TJ’s SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS is $4.49 a pound* (currently 6.99) The 1.5 lb package I bought was just over $6 and I got two meals out of it, with sides, so more than if you just bought plain chicken but not a bad deal. (Sidenote: same package now costs $11!) The marinated chicken is great for cooking in other dishes. I made an Arroz Con Pollo kind of dish with the chicken thighs and it came out terrific! (brown the meat with onions, throw in rice, cover with chicken broth, cook 18 minutes…)
TJ’s SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS are a good product and worth trying and these are a TJ hit. If you want to save money, naturally you could buy chicken thighs and add your own blend of “middle eastern style” spices for a marinade and let it marinate a few days in the fridge (see tips below how to make this yourself for less)
DIY SHAWARMA – IT’S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS YOURSELF FOR LESS . Buy boneless skinless thighs. Marinate in with yogurt and shawarma spices (from 2 hours to up to 3 days in the fridge) “Middle Eastern spices” – Ground cumin, fresh and/or dried garlic, ginger, onion salt, turmeric, black pepper, Ajika, Zhoug, Hatch Flakes... Trust me, your own DIY marinated Shwarma style chicken will be really good and cost about 1/2 of the premade one!
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Black Spaghetti!?!
I just saw this new offering on the pasta shelf at Trader Joe’s, and thought, hey, Halloween is coming… This black spaghetti might be fun to have on Halloween, right?
I plan to make this black squid ink pasta then with some seafood: either squid (with lots of tentacles) if I can find it and some other seafood like grilled shrimp, which would look orange!
Casa Milo Black Squid Ink Spaghetti
(ingredients: durum, semolina, squid ink)
Imported from Apulia, Italy $2
Will review after I make it. My wife suggested an orange side dish with it (sweet potato? butternut squash?)
Meanwhile… want to get some more ideas about what you might make with this stuff yourself for Halloween? Check out some of the pictures and links from this Google Search I did which will show you lots of images + recipes for “Black Halloween Pasta”! Many look fabulous. Have fun!
I saw this jar of Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil in the NEW PRODUCTS shelf at my Trader Joe’s. I thought, I should see what all this fuss is about and made a mental note to pick up a bottle and try it. Now Coconut Oil is a really interesting product in that it has uses both ‘Culinary’ and ‘Health & Beauty’ ! So you can put this into many categories. So I jokingly say, you can eat it and you can put it all over your skin. Or use it as Cooking Oil but also use it as a Hair Dressing. It really is good for all these things, in fact, it has so many uses!
Coconut oil in solid state. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When I opened the bottle and sniffed it, it was just an intense smell of well, coconut. I mean you smell it and your mind instantly thinks ‘Tropical Beach’. At least mine did. Its just got a lovely aroma.
I heard it was great in cooking especially good for sautéing vegetables, as Melissa Clark wrote about. So I peeled and sliced up some Carrots (TJ Organic Carrots) and tossed them in a pan with about a tablespoon of the Coconut Oil. Again, an amazing smell wafted through the kitchen. Tossed in the sliced carrots and let them sauté for about 10 minutes or so. After the carrots were slightly browned I tasted one. It had a wonderful under-note of (yes) Coconut. The sauteed carrots tasted delicious, and I could imagine many vegetables benefitting from being cooked in coconut oil. Melissa Clark mentions roasted sweet potatoes – that sounds great – and she has a number of interesting recipes listed in her piece, which you can try.
Coconut Oil when it’s kept at a cool temperature appears white and in a solid state. If it warms up it, will become clear and liquid.
Additionally of course this is good for other things, like putting on your hair too. And it is wonderful to rub on dry skin as a moisurizer. I even read its a natural antiperspirant (you put a drop or two under your arms).
What a useful product. The question may be Where to keep the jar?! In the Bathroom or the Kitchen?!!
A jar costs $5.99 for 16 ounces. Check it out. I’m just beginning to experiment with using it. I put it on my hair, it helps keep my curly hair, curly and moisturized – it does make your hair soft and smell wonderful too.
UPDATE: (Spring 2019) They lowered the price. It’s now $4.99 !
Traditional bullock-powered coconut oil mill. Dried coconuts are crushed and oil is squeezed out. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I saw these on the shelf at Trader Joe’s, where this bright green can beckoned at me among the tuna and other canned fish items shelf. At the time, priced at just 1.99* I thought I’d try them and give a report. Well the report is simply that these are a great product, and immediately made it into my ‘always buy these things’ category. as these are extremely handy to have on hand at all times in the pantry.
A can of these may easily be the basis for a super easy quick lunch – or even dinner if you added some side dishes. The can was easy to open using the pull tab, and inside were fat, meaty smoky dark-colored fat fillets of herring (aka “kippers”, which are very popular in Britain) packed in Canola oil which in itself had a lot of flavor (don’t just dump it out!). These smoked Herring Fillets taste wonderful. We both went crazy for their flavor. If you enjoy smoked fish – which I love – these will send you into heaven as they have a nice but not overpowering smokey flavor. I decided they would be good served with a mustard sauce, which I whipped up in a few minutes. I even used a little of the oil they came in my sauce.
To make it into a “dinner”, I made a healthy salad of whole grains, Barley and Wheatberries, with chopped veggies. They were a good combination with the fish. Or just make some boiled potatoes for a very quick easy side. Trader Joes’ Smoked Herring Fillets; A can cost 1.99 the first time I bought them, then a few weeks later they went up to $2.29 (oh well!) Again very handy to have on hand in your pantry. These taste quite “gourmet” like something you would have gotten at “Zabar’s”, or any high end smoked fish emporium. Equally I could see mashing these up with some finely chopped green onions and spreading thickly on some nice whole grain or dark bread smeared with butter, and lemon slices, for a Scandinavian style open faced sandwich.
Dice up a few tablespoons of ONION. Place the onions in a bowl. Mix in 2 tbs of a good MUSTARD (Dijon or other french style mustard, which Trader Joe’s sells) Add a little OLIVE OIL. Add a little vinegar or LEMON juice till the sauce is of a spoonable consistency. Serve the sauce with the Smoked Herring Fillets with some lemon wedges on the side, and perhaps some parsley. Eat with a good whole grained or dark bread.
A kipper is a fish which has been split from tail to head, eviscerated, salted, and smoked (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So I read about this product in a “Fearless Flyer” and then I saw it the next day on the shelf and thought I should buy it and report on it. When I got home I confess I instantly opened it up, and dug a spoon into the jar to taste it. First reaction, was OMG, this is some fantastically good stuff!
Trader Joe’s FIG BUTTER is an extremely tasty figgy jam. Well actually this is a true fruit butter, meaning fruit that has been cooked down till its super concentrated. And no, there’s no “butter” in it all all, its a kind of old-fashioned reference, when canning fruit was common.
TJ Fig Butter contains just five pure all natural ingredients: figs, water, sugar, lemon juice, and pectin.
The taste is like very yummy, very ripe figs, but deeper and more complex than eating a fresh fig. After reading the Fig Butter post in the Fearless Flyer, I learned there are three different kinds of figs used to make it and surely this is one of the reasons the flavor profile is so complex.
For breakfast I made a piece of TJ Tuscan Pane toast with some TJ crunchy Peanut Butter and put this FIG BUTTER on it. What a heavenly combination! Try it!
In fact the main problem with this fig butter is its too good, I bought it yesterday and between my wife and myself, the jar seems to be half gone already. Next, I will have to sample the other fruit butters TJ sells. Mango, Pumpkin, Lemon, etc… An 11 oz jar of TJ’s fruit butters costs $2.29
CLASSY TIP: Next time you have company over and do a cheese plate, put a small dish of this Fig Butter out with the cheeses (like Brie, Unexpected Cheddar and some hard cheeses. Your guests will rave over the way this goes with the cheese. A few drops of fresh lemon juice mixed in with the jam and it will be even better.
…Working with Maine-based culinary craftsmen, focused on old-fashioned, farmstand goodness and flavor, we created Trader Joe’s Fig Butter. It starts with a medley of fresh, ripe figs: Mission figs for their extreme sweetness, Calimyrna figs for their distinctive nutty flavor and Conadria figs for their nutty-sweet balance. The whole figs are dried, ground and then crushed before being slow-cooked, in small batches, with sugar, lemon and pectin. It’s a simple recipe using only the finest, freshest ingredients, and no preservatives or artificial colors. The result is full fig flavor concentrated in a smooth, spreadable butter.
In some markets a great deal of butter is retailed from tubs. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
FROM TJ FEARLESS FLYER – BAGEL WITH CREAM CHEESE AND FIG BUTTER
Fig Butter Cream Cheese Bagel
Trader Joe’s Fig Butter is a favorite ingredient among recipe testers and tasters alike in our test kitchen, and it’s easy to see why: it shines in sweet and savory applications, packs a punch of flavor in a compact jar, and it’s just downright delicious. Elevate the standard bagel & cream cheese with a healthy dollop of said Fig Butter, followed by chopped walnuts, dried apricots and a generous drizzle of honey.
1 package TJ’s Cream Cheese, quartered and softened
TJ’s Fig Butter
Handful TJ’s Dried Apricots, diced
Handful TJ’s Walnut Baking Pieces
Your favorite TJ’s Honey
DIRECTIONS
Remove lid from fig butter. Microwave on half power for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warm. Set aside. Toast bagels per your preference. Top each half with cream cheese, spreading to cover bagel. Drizzle with warm fig butter. Top with diced apricot and walnuts, followed by a generous drizzle of honey. Enjoy immediately.
Disclaimer: I only tried this at the Sample Station. In fact I confess the Sample Station is the locus where I usually gravitate to almost immediately after I enter Trader Joe’s. I check out if they have something interesting to taste that day, and of course to grab myself a little cup of free coffee. Don’t you? Truly the Coffee Station is one of the best things about Trader Joe’s, isn’t it? Every supermarket should copy them; going shopping would be much more fun.
Kimchi Fried Rice is a fairly new item and TJ’s seemed to be promoting it quite a bit. Recently it was the product “on sample” 2 or 3 times that I had been to TJ’s of late. What I found funny was they had a sign next to the samples: Its said something like, “Warning: Spicy! Try at your own risk! If you can’t take spicy food, be careful!” Then I tasted it and my first thought was “Huh? This is spicy?”. Seriously to me it was about as spicy as baby food (I can take the heat). I started discussing this disconnect of the “WARNING” sign with the TJ employee who was in charge of the Sample Station at the time. He was of the same opinion – the Kimchi Fried Rice is not spicy at all! He cracked me up when he told me however how many people actually complained “Jeez this is so spicy” after they tasted the Kimchi Fried Rice on sample. So many that they put up the “warning, spicy” sign!
So here is what I thought after tasting the Kimchi Fried Rice. My wife is Korean-Japanese. So I knows me some Kimchi Fried Rice (the authentic Korean kind). I adore it. I can even cook a decent version myself. So if I compare that taste to this stuff, I just have to say this is a pretty bland, insipid version. The two times I tried it was soft and fairly mushy, plus it had barely any kimchi taste; To me, its flavor profile was just weak, which I attribute to an industrial production of such a “homey” dish. For one, truly Kimchi Fried Rice needs real garlic flavor, as well as Kimchi. This barely even had any garlic nor Kimchi flavor for me. The real thing is a fantastic dish, and this? Frankly to my tastes perhaps it would be suitable for babies (ok maybe Korean babies). Now having said that – Trader Joe’s does have a decent “ethnic” fried rice. TJ’s JAPANESE FRIED RICE is actually pretty good. In my years, I’ve eaten tons of both Kimchi fried rice and Japanese fried rice and know what these should taste like, and I can cook decent versions of both.
So, sorry Trader Joe’s but in my opinion your KIMCHI FRIED RICE is a big miss!
If you try it, also try the JAPANESE FRIED RICE next time and see which you prefer. Pretty much same as TJ’s another new “Korean” addition, Trader Joe’s Kimchi, which I found such a poor product I actually “returned” it! Perhaps those who don’t live in a city where you can buy real kimchi sold at a Korean market, might think “so this is kimchi, tasty”. Actually if you had real Kimchi you would know this stuff is not even close to being as tasty as a real Korean-made kimchi – for example this brand (Tobagi) of Napa cabbage kimchi I get at H-MART supermarket on 32nd Street (Manhattan’s Korea Town). If you A/B taste tested this prepared kimchi vs. the Trader Joe’s version? It would be almost a joke, its just no comparison! Anyone who’s been to a Korean restaurant will know the real taste of kimchi. At $1.99 (10 oz) you can try TJ’s version and see for yourself. Let me know what you think.
RANT
Kimchi bokkeumbap, kimchi fried rice in Korean cuisine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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