This is one of those rare Gluten Free products where the GF version is just as good, if not better, than the original one made with whole wheat.
I really like Trader Joe’s regular “Seeds and Whole Grain CRISPBREAD” which I reviewed before. Though I am not Gluten Free, I saw these and wanted to try the GF version of the terrific Norwegian crispbreads Trader Joe’s has. The ingredients are similar, mostly seeds, however the regular version has wheat in it.
They are all very hearty and very crunchy and are great as a cracker or as the base for an open faced Scandinavian style sandwich. Super with a spread or some cheese or even just butter. Or by itself it you like.
The GF version is also terrific. I can eat gluten so I don’t have to get the Gluten Free version but this is so good I would still buy it. Its excellent, really tasty. A little similar in taste and texture to the original one, but this GF version of course does not contain the whole wheat the regular version has, so no gluten here.
This version is made from sunflower seeds, oats, sesame seeds, flax seeds, rice bran and a few other ingredients. Healthy. Made in Norway. I love these style of breads and this gluten free one is also really good. The Gluten Free crispbread cost a bit more than the other ones. These go for $4.29, as compared to the regular Seeds and Grains Crispbread ($2.99).
This is a single estate EVOO from of all places…Australia! I think I did a little double take when I saw the sign above saying “Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil”. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard an Aussie olive oil before, so I had to give it a try. And you know what? It’s good. Very good. Definately “fruity and smooth”.
Trader Joe’s has this to say about it….
“Made with Early Harvest olives grown on a single estate, which are then cold pressed to preserve even more flavor, this extra special EVOO can be used in all the same kitchen contexts you’d employ for an everyday olive oil, like sautéeing or roasting. To take full advantage of its smooth and fruity profile, and nutty, delicately tannic finish, however, we find it truly excels when enjoyed as a base for a salad dressing, or when dunked with hunks of crusty bread.”
I love mochi generally – specially I mean the soft confections one can find in an Asian bakery or grocery store. Those a pillowy, soft very chewy sweet confections made from sweet sticky rice and that have something on the inside, for example sweet red bean paste. Trader Joe’s sells something frozen which are mochi with ice cream on the inside, frozen. They are really good.
But this new item is a small bite size treat which is a little like that but different. These have a thin layer of something like mochi and an interior of “boba” like tapioca in the center. They are each wrapped individually.
“You can think of this candy version as a deconstructed bubble beverage, where the center of each piece is precisely that pearl (aka tapioca ball) that usually lives at the bottom of your Boba cup. Each individual, caramelized- brown-sugar flavored pearl is surrounded by a creamy coating, then given a classic Japanese rice-wrapper treatment.”
If these sound good, give them a try and see what you think.
I found them OK but didn’t love it. My wife at first thought the were just OK however she kept eating them. Lo and behold she decided she liked them after all (she finished the bag).
“Combing the rich flavors of dark chocolate with the resounding crunch of resounding crunch of roasted almonds and pretzel pieces, then finishing with a sprinkle of sea salt. This is a satisfying snackable bark, one that is well worth every bite”
(thats old price)
“The Bark you’ll find within each bag starts as a thin(ish) slab of rich Dark Chocolate, studded with crunchy roasted Almond & Pretzel pieces. Our supplier then sprinkles said slab with Sea Salt, breaks it into snackable pieces, and packages it up for your enjoyment. The end result? A sweet, chocolatey treat that’s well worth every bite.”
OK, enough of Trader Joe’s advertising and what they think. What did I think? Well here’s my review: If you were intrigued by how good that sounded, all I can say, is this is as good as it sounds.
I really liked this. The chocolate bark is a little bit thick and slightly crunchy, a mix of sweet and a tiny bit savory (sea salt). I think they use a decent chocolate, mixed with pieces of roasted almonds and bits of pretzels mixed into the bark that all in all, makes for a very satisfying snack or treat. Very yummy.
I would buy it again.
$3.99 a bag (10 oz).
PS – they recently came out with a variation of this chocolate bark, with quinoa and raspberries. Will try that too!
UPDATE: MY TRADER JOE’S HAS A SIGN NOW THAT SAYS: “ASK AN EMPLOYEE FOR KIMBAP. LIMIT OF TWO PER CUSTOMER” – ergo try asking for if if you don’t see it on the shelves*
For months I’ve wanted to try this (relatively) new product Trader Joe’s introduced, ever since I first heard about it. But I could never find it in stock!! This went on for maybe six months. I never saw it in stock. Well it seems this is one of those Trader Joe’s products that blew up and went VIRAL due to social media.
“Trader Joe’s sold out of kimbap, its latest viral offering, thanks to TikTok”
In fact, I read that Trader Joe’s started to put up signs to limit any customer to buying just 2 packages.*
I could never buy it! But finally saw it yesterday and I literally I grabbed it. A day or two later, when I went back I actually saw some on the shelves so they had it so hopefully they’ve increased supply.
I’m not Korean. My wife is. So I have eaten a good amount of the real McCoy – freshly made KIMBAP (also called gimbap). I love it, just like I love all kinds of sushi or any Rice and Seaweed combination which is a match made in heaven.
A few years back my wife had a “secret little place” – a small window storefront in NYC’s Koreatown / 32nd Street area. At the time she worked nearby there. She would bring home kimbap from that little shop from time to time. I’ve since learned the kimpab shop is called “EM-O”. The kimbap from there is fantastic. If you ever have a chance to go there I suggest trying one from there (though they used to be about $7 each and now I understand they are about $11)! If you taste one from there (or a restaurant) you will have a basis for comparison for this stuff from TJ’s. No, this is not close BUT ….
Trader Joe’s came out with (frozen) kimbap, that is Made in Korea. Apparntly Costco also sells a similar item too.
“Known in Korea as gimbap, from gim for “seaweed” and bap for “cooked rice,” kimbap is similar to—but decidedly distinct from—a mega-sized maki sushi roll. Whereas maki is typically made with vinegar-seasoned rice and focuses on one filling (like a single variety of vegetable or fish), kimbap is made with sesame oil-seasoned rice, and can contain all kinds of combinations of savory fillings. Trader Joe’s Kimbap, for example, takes a veggie-forward approach. Our supplier, a kimbap expert in the Republic of Korea, arranges an assortment of sauteed greens, crunchy root vegetables, and crisp pickles around a base of braised tofu, wraps it all in a layer of rice and seaweed, then slices it into two-or-three-bite-sized rounds.”
My wife who is skeptical about all Trader Joe’s items was naturally quite skeptical that this frozen kimbap could be any good. Interestingly we both had the same reaction. “This stuff is better than I thought it was going to be”. So a qualified thumbs up. Sure its not like a freshly made kimbap from a special place that mades them.
However it was better than we thought. Its actually tasty. I don’t know if TJ’s Kimbap would impress most Koreans who grew up on their Mom’s kimbap but, as clearly the popularity of this has indicated, this might do in a pinch to satisfy your cravings. Especially I think if you do one of the things they suggest on the package. Grill the slices for a few minutes in a little bit of sesame oil. We had it both ways and liked the grilled ones better than non-grilled so I think that a little grilling will improve it and is worth your trying. Naturally the big difference between the freshly made stuff that you might get in a restaurant or made by your Korean grandma is just that, it was made fresh a few minutes ago. So like Sushi, of course that fresh handmade rice roll will be ideal eaten right then as the rice will be soft and slightly warm while the outer wrapping of seaweed will still have a nice crispy texture and crunch as you bite into it. Which this doesn’t of course. Naturally the process of freezing it and and then defrosting/microwaving it gives you a little mushy texture in both the rice and seaweed wrapping.
However even having said all this, Trader Joe’s Kimbap is still kind of tasty. Again we thought it would be terrible and we both said “this is better than I expected” (and again one of us is Korean/Japanese).
Koreans make many varieties of kimbap; it can contain lots of things, for example some are made with beef bulgogi however this Trader Joe’s one is a vegetarian version made with braised tofu and vegetables which include a few things like Burdock Root a crunchy root vegetable.
INormally kimpab is eaten at room temp. The package says to microwave it from frozen and not to defrost it, so I did as suggested letting it sit afterwards in the package for a minute. The rice came out just a tiny bit mushy and I thought next time I may try a 15 seconds less microwave time. One day I might just try defrosting this and see what that does in spite of what they say.
You can eat it right away as is. However they suggest on the package to pan fry it a bit with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Let the slices grill on low for about 5 minutes per side. You can give it a little more flavor sprinkling toasted sesame seeds or FURIKAKE on it. Maybe make a little GOCHUGANG sauce to drizzle on our serve on the side to. I think this would match well with other food items (grilled chicken, shrimp, beef) or maybe even TJ’s vegetarian beefless BULGOLGI
One user on Quora, recommended putting a spoon of spicy tuna on each piece which should like a great idea.
$3.99 per package. I would buy it again. If I can find it that is!!!
MADE IN KOREA
If you are interested in HOW TO MAKE KIMBAP and maybe someday want to try it DIY; here’s a link I found:
New Item (Feb/Mar 2024) For years Trader Joe’s has carried the TOM’S OF MAINE deodorant and that’s what I’ve bought. I have found it fine. Like all of TOM’S stuff its good and Trader Joe’s carries a few TOM’S items as well for example their toothpaste, also good!
TOM’S is one of those rare brands Trader Joe’s actually sells under the original name and not re-brand it as their own.
Recently I saw this in the New Items section – TRADER JOE’S UNSCENTED DEODORANT which comes in a round cardboard tube and thought I should check it out for review.
First this is not oval like all other deodorants we’ve tried before? This one is Round…interesting!
To use it, you just twist the cardboard tube which will raise the round stick up. The first ingredient listed here, is Coconut Oil so that’s what it smells lightly of, the natural aroma as this is Unscented and has no strong aroma. As a deodorant it seems to work fine.
One thing about this I do find odd, as unlike almost any deodorant you or I’ve ever tried before, this one is actually a bit hard to apply. The stick is a bit solid and doesn’t melt instantly under your arms. You have to rub it a bit to get it on. This doesnt go on as easy as say the TOM’S stick which applies easily. A minor gripe but still. Just so you know.
It is coconut oil and even my jar of TJ’s coconut oil can change from a clear liquid oil to solid white mass depending on how warm the room is. If its warm enough it liquefies, it its cold it hardens to solid. But even when its in the more solid state, the coconut oil melts pretty fast in my palm at skin temp maybe with just a little rubbing in a few moments.
TIP: I’ve found out that if I just hold the stick in place under my arm for say 10 seconds or so, letting my body temp warm it, it makes it easier to apply. Do it like that and it works.
As a deodorant it seems to work quite well. Price wise the two brands cost about the same. The TOM’s has a bit more of it: 2.25 oz vs 1.8 oz here.
So I do like this new deodorant and I think I would buy it again. Still I hope they will get enough customer feedback and perhaps reformulate the stuff so it melts just a little more easily (more “ozerkerite wax” perhaps in the formula or less arrowroot? 😉
PROS – Pleasant natural unscented smell (coconut oil). Works fine. One Plus: the packaging is (mostly) paper not plastic like Tom’s. Bit more eco friendly, though now I see the tube inside is plastic. So mostly paper.
CONS – A little too solid so hard to apply, a minor gripe.
UPDATE – I got it again. Seems a bit easier to apply now, so perhaps they took note! (sept ’24)
$4.99
I’m posting pix of both this and TOM’s so you can compare the ingredients:
Trying this for the first time, left me impressed. It is quite good. A very tasty English cheese. Here I find the addition of the onion/chives enhance the cheese, they don’t overpower it.
This is the kind of cheese you might find at an English pub. A semi soft cheese. Neither hard nor soft, its a bit softer than regular cheddar. Speaking of which this is fairly different than regular Cheddar cheese; as a “Gloucester cheese” is its own thing.
I first tasted it on its own, then on some plain crackers and found the flavor really lovely in both cases. Just very tasty. I think this would be great on a cheese plate or cheese board.
Equally nice is the way this cheese melted, which was very easily, as its not very hard to begin with. So this will be great to melt on things and cook with. I put it on a taco and it melted easily and was delicious especially when I let it get little brown. It would be great of course mixed into scrambled eggs. Would this make a great Welsh Rarebit? I think yes, so I intend to try that sometime.
This cheese is going for $10.99/lb, my hunk coming out to about $5. It is an Imported premium cheese, so that is not bad.
Getting near St. Patrick’s Day, I saw two new Irish cheeses in the cheese case at Trader Joe’s.
They looked interesting so I decided to try them.
The first one is called IRISH PORTER CHEDDAR CHEESE. As you can see, it’s got yellow areas mixed with brown areas which I imagine is the porter beer (the brown color makes me think of Guinness though that is technically a stout) Its a nice mild cheddar cheese. I think the porter mellows it out nicely. When you slice this cheese it looks really interesting with a pattern of swirls of brown and yellow.
The second cheese is also a cheese with a little something extra, here an IRISH CHEDDAR CHEESE with Irish Whiskey. This cheddar is a bit more robust than the other one, and this is very tasty too. It has a little more sharpness to it. However to be honest I could not distinguish the taste of whiskey but the cheese has a nice blend of flavors. Maybe a hint of whiskey is in there so very subtle; don’t expect this to taste like a big slug of Jameson’s.
Both of these cheeses were $11.99 a pound; a bit more expensive of course than many other imported cheddar cheese’s such as one my top favorite cheeses at Trader Joe’s: the excellent New Zealand Grass Fed Sharp Cheddar, which is now $6.99 a pound (used to be 5.99)
Still if you want to have some Irish cheese on the table for St. Paddy’s Day you may find either of these Irish cheddar cheeses worth trying. They would be nice on a cheese plate with an assortment of crackers and fruit. Or I imagine would match nicely with some Irish Soda Bread.
I assume these are “Seasonal” cheeses put out around the holiday; they may not be stocked forever, maybe just for a few months?
Fair Trade Organic Bolivian Blend Coffee, Medium Dark Roast
RAVE
ORGANIC BOLIVIAN BLEND
‘RICH AND FLAVORFUL WITH NOTES OF SWEET CARAMEL‘
“Sourced from the heart of Bolivian coffee country”
I give this a RAVE. Loved it. In fact I find it so good this has became my favorite coffee Trader Joe’s sells. This one is now my Go To coffee.
Now I’m pretty sure I may have never even tasted a Bolivian coffee before this. I think coffee from Bolivia is a bit rare in the U.S. Certainly not as well known as other South American producers as Brazil or Columbia or even Honduras.
This however could change if people try this new Bolivian coffee Trader Joe’s came out with. I think its just a wonderful tasting coffee. TJ’s says….
“Our Bolivian Blend is a medium dark roast with a smooth textured body, delicate acidity and sweet flavor characteristic of caramel…. A Fair Trade coffee sourced from small family farms in the land located between the peaks of the Andes and Amazon Basin…This region has ideal growing conditions for this unique perfectly balanced coffee.”
I didn’t know what to expect but all I can tell you is when I brewed up a cup of Joe from these beans I was both surprised and quite impressed. I just loved it the moment I tried it. I find this perfectly balanced with nice hints of acidity and caramel that makes a perfect cup of coffee. I let some other people I know also try it and they also loved it. So I’m giving this ORGANIC BOLIVIAN BLEND a huge RAVE. Once again, Trader Joe’s world traveling coffee buyers managed to source some wonderful coffee beans, this time from the mountains of the Bolivian Andes.
Upon opening the bag, you get a wonderful aroma from these beans which are Medium Roast, and I found the roast right on the money. Grind the beans and you will get an even more wonderful heavenly smell; These just say “now this is coffee” to me.
I think this is one of the best coffee’s I can remember tasting from Trader Joe’s. It instantly became my new FAVORITE coffee and when I wake up now all I think about is making some of this coffee.
It doesn’t say “Small Lot” which means a limited supply but not wanting to take any chances as I’ve missed out in the past on some great coffees that went out of stock quickly, I went back and bought two more bags of this Bolivian Blend a few days later.
Interestingly enough brewing this in my Moka Pot, this coffee is making way better crema than I am used to getting. I mean I am seeing much more crema from this than other coffees I’ve been using and I’ve done nothing different. Same grind, process, method, which leads me to think its the coffee.
I think this will be good for any brewing method. Espresso machine, Moka, drip or pour over.
Not only is this very good its a Fair Trade coffee direct from small growers
TJ’s says: “Made with Lady Clair and Dakota Pearl potatoes grown in western Canada, our supplier fries these Chips in small batches, then kettle-cooks them until they’re ready to be seasoned and cooled. This method, as opposed to the typical “continuous fry” method of chip-making, results in extra-flavorful chips with a harder, crunchier bite.”
My wife bought these and we we tasted them we both loved them from just one bite. So Delicious.
Theses are kettle cooked and cut a little thicker, so are very crunchy. I would say they taste like the best, high quality, kettle cooked potato chips you’ve had. Those “gourmet” level ones. The “EBTB” Seasoning is delicious here. Blends in well, and just enough. Not overpowering to the chips, just enhancing them. They use just enough for a great extra taste but not where you don’t taste “potato” first and foremost, not the added “flavoring”, so way better than say Lay’s in this respect.
One thing about these though. The bag should have a Warning label about being: “Highly Addictive”.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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