Trader Joe’s ORGANIC GROUND BEEF (85/15 meaning 15% fat). From organically raised 100% GRASS FED cattle. Certified Organic.
“Trader Joe’s Organic 85/15 Ground Beef comes from organically raised cattle that are never given antibiotics or artificial growth hormones. The cattle are 100% grass fed, grazing on wide-open pastures—their diet of natural grasses and vegetation contributes to full-flavored, well-marbled beef that’s rich in healthful Omega-3 fatty acids. 85/15 refers to the ratio of lean to fat, meaning that this Organic Ground Beef is 85% lean.”
The beef was delicious when I made it into a classic hamburger and cheeseburger (with Unexpected Cheddar). For ground beef 85/15 mix is considered “lean”. Most ground beef you buy is generally 80/20 (20% fat). I am OK and prefer the slightly leaner 85/15 ground beef, and this was still plenty juicy. This ground beef will be good for any recipe. Next up for me, tacos.
Trader Joe’s tends to put rather long “use by” dates on the bag. I say use it as you would any ground meat you buy, within two days of purchase to keep it as fresh as possible, and if not just toss this into the freezer, and when you need it do an overnight defrost.
Organic Ground Beef is $7.49 (1 lb.) Way cheaper than you would pay at Whole Foods.
“Aged Sheeps Milk” is a new Spanish cheese at Trader Joe’s. It’s been aged in a regional extra virgin olive oil (“Cornicabra”) for about 4 months.
it had a nice nutty and slighly tangy taste and reminded me slightly of a Pecorino, which is also made from sheep’s milk. I tried a small piece by itself and then tried it sliced thinly on some crackers. Very nice. I then added a little fig jam on that, and really like the salty / sweet combo. I think this cheese would work well on a cheese plate.
I also tried some of this cheese grated onto pasta, where it works just like Pecorino. I would buy it again. $5.99 for a 6 oz hunk.
“Serve this firm-yet-creamy Cheese as an appetizer before the big meal, alongside a bowl of Nuts About Rosemary Mix and juicy Honeycrisp apple slices. Or let a freshly toasted Ciabatta Roll soak up the olive oil as the Cheese accompanies an array of leftovers in sandwich form.”
They had this New Item right near the checkout line and so I was waiting I checked it out and then I noticed the sample station (Back, finally. Yeh!) happened to be offering samples of this so I grabbed some to taste. Yum. So good. This nut mix really looked “gourmet” with big pieces of top quality nuts: almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans and it had a little flavor of rosemary which elevated the whole combination.
I assume this is a seasonal Fall/Xmas special nut mix and is specially geared for Thanksgiving and holiday get togethers. This would impress any guest who would probably ask you where you got it.
TJ’s says: “Every good get-together needs a good snack mix, which is precisely why we like to keep a canister of our Nuts About Rosemary Mix on hand…roasted almonds, cashews, hazelnuts (aka Filberts) and pecans, all mixed together with a rosemary and sea salt spice blend spiked with just a touch of sugar.”
This stuff is super. I love it. Limited supplies so grab a bottle while you can if you are interested!
In case you are not familiar with it, Japanese yuzu is a citrus fruit that looks like a lemon, but is quite different and unique with its own distinctive flavor. It’s used quite a bit in Japanese cuisine. Among other things they use it to make Yuzu Kosho, a spice of the zest combined with chile pepper for a spicy citrus-y condiment. Yuzu kosho has been discovered by chefs here. “The secret weapon condiment chefs are putting on everything… It’s the closest thing you’ll get to a silver bullet condiment that’ll instantly impart depth to your dish. Chefs know it—they’ve been using it at their restaurants for years—and it’s time you did, too.”
This sauce has yuzu kosho combined with “small batch vinegar” to make a hot sauce that you can add a few drops or more to any food, to give it a real spark of flavor.
The sauce is really tasty and gives a nice citrusy kick to anything you put it on. As far as the spice level here, I would call it just mildly spicy, maybe “medium”, certainly not knock you head off spicy, so it may appeal to many people who can’t take too much heat.
What can you use Yuzu Kosho sauce on? Almost anything. The question might even be rephrased as what can’t you use it on? Its good on chicken, fish, salads, eggs, meats, tofu, pretty much anything you can think of. I just tested it on good old cottage cheese and it elevated something boring to a new taste.
This is worth trying if you like to taste unique items as as they say “limited” if you want to try it, grab one while you can. $3.99 a small (100 ml) bottle.
This is a seasonal (Fall/Christmas) item and to me it smells “Holiday, Christmas-y” but not too much over the top (you know, like a Hallmark movie?) Its a foaming soap, so as soon as you pump some out, your hands will already have tons of lather going. I liked it and I like the smell which is subtle and not too strong. My wife said she didn’t like the smell until I told her its a Xmas thing and then she changed her mind and told me it’s very nice! 8 oz. Pump bottle. $2.99
“Bowtie shaped pasta from Italy with sauce holding ridges and toothsome texture”
NEW ITEM: Trader Joe’s “artisan” organic pasta “Farfalle Rigate”, bow-tie pasta. Unlike the other regular non-artisan one they sell, this organic artisan version comes with ridges. Ridges hold sauce a bit better. This pasta is bronze die cut. The recommended cooking time is 10-11 minutes.
When I made it I did find it had a nice toothsome texture, and was a little better than the regular one ($1.29).
Trader Joe’s says “limited supplies” of this, so if you see it and are interested pick up a bag. Trader Joe’s ORGANIC FARFALLE RIGATE PASTA is $1.99 for 1 lb. I would buy it again.
“In addition to providing an even more satisfyingly toothsome texture (especially when cooked al dente), these ridges also make their bronze-die-cut Farfalle Rigate that much better at holding our Basil Pesto, Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce, or any other pasta sauce you choose to toss them in. While we find that they’re especially suited for richer, creamier sauces, the truth is, you really can’t go wrong with Farfalle of this quality. Even just a bit of your favorite TJ’s olive oil, minced garlic, and crushed red chili peppers will make a fantastic Farfalle aglio e olio.”
“Notes of dark chocolate, blackberry and brown sugar”.
Here is another limited edition Small Lot coffee offering from Trader Joe’s called La Morena Peaberry. This coffee comes from the Huehuetenango region in Guatemala from a woman-owned farm collective, La Morena.
The graphic design of the bag is just great. Trader Joe’s has some come up with some great graphics for many of the small lot coffees.
The bag says “medium roast”. I would call it a light medium roast. The coffee beans are the famed “peaberry” coffee beans which are smaller, and supposed to have more concentrated flavor.
“While there are usually two beans in each coffee cherry, approximately 5% of coffee crops yield Peaberry beans, which are smaller and prized for their concentrated flavors… In these Peaberry beans, those flavors express themselves as dark chocolate, ripe blackberry, and a sweet, cozy finishing note of brown sugar. We recommend enjoying each cup in a context where you can slowly savor every sip, like paired with a flaky pastry, avocado toast, or a few squares of our Dark Chocolate Bar with Almonds.”
This may be the first Guatemalan coffee I ever tasted. This coffee has a nice aroma, flavor and was smooth. I liked it. I’d give it a 7/10.
Now my current favorite of recent small lot coffees from Trader Joe’s is the Dominican Republic Jarabacoa (for me 9/10) which I just loved, just one reason being I am partial to a bit of darker medium roast. This Guatemala coffee is a bit higher priced than some of the other Small Lot coffees at $10.99 (12 oz) however surely “peaberry beans” go for a premium price from the grower. I liked this coffee but I am not sure I would buy it again, the only reason being that I’ve had some other small lot coffees that I’ve liked more (as well as a few I’ve like a lot less.) The last small lot coffee, that Dominican one I liked so much, I’ve stocked up on a few bags of that (its $9.99). Before that, I just loved the HONDURAN small lot coffee. Please don’t get me wrong. As coffee preference is so personal I would say this may be worth a try if you love to explore coffees from unique regions and expand your coffee taste buds and knowledge.
“Classic English Muffins – A breakfast essential” – I agree 100%!
I buy Trader Joe’s “English muffins” all the time. I just love these for breakfast, plus. They come in two versions, the regular classic one and a whole wheat version. Both are good versions of a classic English muffin with lots of nooks and crannies. They come already partially “fork split”. Just use your fingers or a fork to complete the job and gently open the muffins slowly. You want as many nooks and crannies as possible. Never ever cut a muffin open with a knife as you get a flat surface with no crannies.
Toast them until golden brown and delicious and enjoy with some good butter and maybe some strawberry or apricot jam. Muffins do kind of burn easily so watch them carefully when you toast them, a few seconds can take it from perfect to a little burnt.
Other than breakfast, can you do other things with them? Sure. These make a great base for many things, like a sandwich of say a fried or poached egg with ham, or some peanut butter and banana? The base for some avocado toast. Finally of course Americans came up with a great use, our famous kid and adult beloved Pizza Muffins maybe? Toast, top with a little sauce and mozzarella and voila.
There are six muffins in a package (12 oz). Now $1.99, still a pretty good deal. I would buy them again. The other Brit style breakfast treats are also good and I’ve previously mentioned are TJ’s English Crumpets (though they cost more).
TIP: What I do after a day or two in the fridge, is open all the muffins up and then put them back in the package and then freeze them. This makes it easy to just take them out and toast them.
I’ve been buying SKIPJACK TUNA in a can at Trader Joe’s for years, but when I went to get it recently I noticed they also now have it in those new tuna “pouch” packages.
First though, what is Skipjack Tuna anyway? It’s one of many varieties of tuna, and also called bonito. In Hawaii they call it, aku. In Japan its katsuo and it’s very popular, sold fresh in the fish market. I’ve made fresh katsuo, and its delicious lightly grilled on the outside and raw in the middle.
Skipjack tuna is quite tasty and has a nice flavor. One reason I get it is it’s the most sustainabletuna we can buy, more sustainable than albacore tuna or other tuna species, as you can see : (Source: Nereus program)
On the pouch it says … “this wild skipjack tuna was sustainably caught (by pole/line) without the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs)” that reduces by-catch (other fish).
When I tried the new pouch version of the skipjack I liked it (well, other than the smaller amount* you get!) Ingredients: “skipjack tuna”. The can says “ingredients: skipjack tuna, water, salt”. The pouch doesn’t say “dark chunk light”. Just “wild skipjack, hand cut, hand packed”. The tuna is compressed into a flat brick, the shape of the pouch, with just a small amount of juice, some natural juices at the bottom (its not packed in water). I dumped the whole pouch of tuna and juice into a bowl. You have to break up the tuna brick and flake it with a fork. I added a nice heaping tablespoon of Trader Joe’s Organic Mayonnaise plus a pinch of vinegar, and tasted it on some toast, and it made a nice tuna sandwich. This skipjack tuna pouch is $1.79. Much cheaper compared to the other kinds of tuna at Trader Joe’s. All in all, I’d say this new pouch of Skipjack Tuna is worth trying if you’ve never bought it before so you can compare it to the one you usually get. Obviously if you want to have “tuna to go” this is great for that (picnic, work…)
“Each tuna is tested for mercury and only those meeting specific criteria are chosen”
*Comparing the former can version of the skipjack tuna which I have in the pantry with the new pouch version, you will notice though the amount of tuna in it has been downsized by an ounce. The pouch says “net. wt 3 oz” (85 gm). The can “drained wt. of 4 oz” (113 gm). Another sign of that well known tuna shrinkage that’s been going on for years.
Sidenote: you may have heard of katsuobushi – which is yes made from katsuo which has been smoked and dried.
UPDATE: I may be mistaken in that they’ve will no longer offer the skipjack tuna in a can, or at least today I saw both versions of it on the shelf, together. It’s possible Trader Joe’s is going to offer both versions, pouch and can? Perhaps some people prefer pouched tuna to a can? They are the same price – but one does get a one ounce more in the canned version. I will have to compare both against each other….
You may have heard about how good this $5 cake Trader Joe’s is. It’s terrific. This cake quickly became a famous Trader Joe’s dessert and I have to agree with how good it is.
TJ’s Chocolate Ganache mini sheet cake is really delicious. I am a big chocolate fan and this hits the (chocolate) spot right on the nose and satisfies it. The cake is moist and the frosting is perfect with a rich dark chocolate flavor. I am actually not a big fan of butter cream frosting, which I find too rich and heavy, however this cake has a cream cheese frosting instead of butter frosting and which is perfect. I love it, it’s so good. The only problem I have with the cake is how hard it is to stop eating it.
There is also a vanilla version of the sheet cake, called Chantilly Creme, also with a cream cheese frosting. I’d seen online many people say its also wonderful as well. I still haven’t tried that one yet but both are no doubt worth trying.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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