The first time I ever had couscous was at Nina's house. I'm not sure exactly how I had missed it all my life, but I had. I didn't even know what it was. Now I do: it's just the same semolina wheat that is used for most pasta, but formulated into granules. Its large ratio of surface area to volume means that it absorbs water fast and therefore takes less time to prepare than pasta. It also seems to be more foolproof--nearly impossible to overcook.
I like it. I've already devised my own recipe: couscous topped with Soy Chorizo. Brilliant, eh? Super easy and delicious. I'm a culinary genius.
Trader Joe's is the only couscous I've had, so I can't compare it with any others. My hunch is that I wouldn't notice much difference between this and what's sold in other grocery stores.
However, I might notice a difference in packaging. The TJ's box is a shambles and a disgrace. It doesn't open so much as fall apart:
That was the box at Nina's. When I bought my own, the result was pretty much the same. The side of the box has one of those perforated holes that you're supposed to punch out to pour, but like all such devices, it utterly fails to work as promised. It resists being punched out, then yields with jagged, almost random results--and can't be re-sealed. Useless. C'mon, Trader Joe's. You can do packaging better than this.
Will I buy it again?
I've become a couscous fan, so yes I will--in spite of the crappy box.
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