Trader Joe's Cheese Tortellini

I served these topped with the wonderful Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce, and was thinking how good they were, when it dawned on me that maybe the only thing I was tasting and/or liking was the sauce. So I ate a couple of the pasta pieces with no sauce--and nothing. They're just totally bland and lifeless. I could barely even taste any cheese inside. So my fears were confirmed. These are exactly as good or bad as what you put with them, because by themselves they're practically tasteless.


Will I buy it again? 

via GIPHY

Trader Joe's Oven-Baked Cheese Bites With Black Summer Truffle

Trader Joe's has, inexplicably, taken one of their best products and contaminated it with foul bits of revolting truffle. Selling these should be a crime, as they constitute an adulterated food product.

Now, if you ask Nina, you'll get an entire different story. She will tell you that these are not only delicious, but a big improvement on the original. She will explain that it took enormous willpower not to chow down the entire bag in one sitting. It's hard to understand how she is so right about some things (like taste in boyfriends) and so wrong in others (like taste in cheesy snacks).


Will I buy it again? 


via GIPHY

Sila Al Peperoncino Sheep's Milk Cheese

This is now the 10th peppery cheese I've tried from Trader Joe's; see here for the previous nine.

This is among the poorest of the lot. It's so mild that it's almost bland, which is not what one wants or expects from a cheese labeled as "spicy." It wasn't really deliberate, but the cheeses I bought immediately before and after this one were random hot/spicy/pepper cheeses from other grocery stores, so I could try both of them side by side with the TJ's. Both were much better.

It also molded incredibly fast. You can see that it was getting mold even before I unwrapped it, in the bottom right corner of the lower photo above.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's Pimento Cheese Dip

If kept refrigerated, the texture of this cheese dip is surprisingly firm and solid--not at all like the Queso Cheese Dip or the Pub Cheese. You'll need to use stout chips to scoop it up. Trader Joe's Organic Corn Chip Dippers were up to the task; some more delicate restaurant-style tortilla chips were not, crumbling under the pressure.

I liked the flavor of the cheese. The pimentos added nothing but color, as far as I could discern.

Gripe: On the 7th day I had this home, I was preparing to finish it off as my evening snack, when I noticed areas of mold on the surface. It had been kept refrigerated the entire time, except for two or three roughly 30-minute periods when I was actually eating from the container. That seems unusually fast for a product like this to go moldy. Maybe it was just a fluke. But if it's a systemic production problem, that's going to be a limiting factor. I don't think I would consistent finish off a tub in six days by myself.


Will I buy it again? 

I certainly liked it enough to give it another try. But if mold is a recurring problem, then I would limit future purchases to the rare setting in which I'll have other people over who can share it and get through a container more quickly.

Kase Rebellen Chili Rebel Cheese

I was stalking the Trader Joe's cheese section for any of the four peppery cheeses that I've designated as "buy again"--and completely struck out. But my eye fell on this, so I decided to give it a try. It becomes #5 on that list.

It's a medium heat--enough to be interesting and lively without being searing or overpowering. It slices easily, even very thin. My only nit to pick is that most of the heat is concentrated in the dark orange rind, with less infused through the body of the cheese. But I can live with that.


Will I buy it again? 

Yes.

Tillamook Kosher Medium Cheddar

Nothing special. Just ordinary, boring cheddar. It serves its purpose, but you can do better.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's White Leicester Handmade Hard Cheese

This is currently Trader Joe's "spotlight" cheese of the month, so it will likely be available for a very limited time.

That's a shame. I'd like to see it become a permanent addition to the lineup. It's among my favorites. It's not labeled "cheddar," probably for some technical reason that I don't understand, but it sure tastes like cheddar to me--and a very, very good one.

I love the Mull of Kintyre Scottish Cheddar Cheese. It, too, was a spotlight cheese, available only briefly from TJ's. Fortunately, however, I've recently found it under its own label at another local store. So I tried this Leicester cheese side by side with the Kintyre. The former is not quite as sweet and creamy as the latter, but it comes closer than most white cheddars.

If this became regularly available from TJ's, it would be one of my most frequent cheese purchases--a staple that I would return to again and again. I think it's not quite Top Ten List material. Sadly, however, all of my very favorite TJ's cheddars that made that list are no longer available, so almost-as-good will have to be good enough.


Will I buy it again? 

I'm already on my second block of it.

Trader Joe's Wisconsin Mild Cheddar Cheese

Well, it has taken me 57 years on this planet, but I've finally done it: I have found the world's most boring cheese.

It's not bad in the sense of being inedible or anything. But it's so dull and lifeless (with an oddly rubbery texture) that I can't imagine why anybody would choose this over the dozens of better cheeses you'd find on the TJ's shelves. This is like the surplus cheese that our stupid federal government buys in order to keep dairy prices up, and then gives away for free. Marie Kondo would say that it doesn't spark joy.

What makes me most sad is knowing that this is pretty typical of the cheese that I used to pick--for many years--before I wised up to the fact that there's a whole universe of far better ones. It's what I was raised on, and for way too long I let familiarity and fear of the unknown keep me from exploring anything else. I'm glad those days are behind me.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's Asiago Cheese

I don't think I've ever bought or eaten straight Asiago cheese before this, though I've had Trader Joe's version with rosemary and olive oil. I've also had it in blends, like in TJ's Quattro Formaggio.

I like it by itself. It's mild but distinctive, quite hard but not crumbly.


Will I buy it again? 

Yes.

Trader Joe's Roasted Gorgonzola Flavored Oven Crisp Crackers

Weird experience last night. Nina had me over to her place for dinner, and opened this box of crackers to have as an appetizer with some Pepita Salsa. I knew that I had bought and eaten these crackers before, and even that I had shared them with Nina, but I couldn't remember whether either of us liked them. So I looked for my review. Couldn't find it. Searching for "Gorgonzola" correctly brought up this review of TJ's Champagne Pear Vinaigrette With Gorgonzola, so the search function was working. I looked through all 38 previous reviews with the "cracker" label, in case I had misspelled the name of the cheese when writing the review. Nothing. So apparently I never got around to writing about these, after buying and eating them specifically for the purpose of doing so.

I like them OK. I would like them more if they were larger. They're too small to spread, say, peanut butter on. They could scoop up only a tiny portion of salsa each. (But the taste combination of these crackers and that salsa was quite good, and I ate enough of the combo to seriously spoil my appetite.) I've never had Gorgonzola cheese, so I can only guess at what it tastes like from the flavor component of these crackers that's unlike any other I've had before. I doesn't wow me, but I can live with it.

Nina loves these crackers--which is surprising, because she distinctly does not like blue cheeses generally or Gorgonzola specifically.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

This is perfectly decent white cheddar--but I don't understand why Trader Joe's sells it. TJ's is weirdly and massively redundant in the white cheddar department, with lots of choices that are barely distinguishable from each other, and this is just another of them.

I have no idea what they mean by the "East Coast bite" referred to on the label. Nothing bit me.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Manchego cheeses revisited

I first tried Trader Joe's "Spanish Manchego" cheese in 2015, though I didn't get around to publishing my review until August 2016. I loved it, but then kind of forgot about it.

I then tried TJ's "Manchego Anejo" (i.e., "aged") cheese in 2017, and loved it, too. I wrote, "Perhaps I would be able to tell some difference between them if I tasted them side by side, but this one exactly matches my memory of the regular Manchego. It's just as tasty and interesting as the one I had before.... I might buy another chunk of both of them just so I can try them together and see if I can detect what difference the extra aging makes." But then I didn't follow through with that.

Chapter Three of the story came last month, when I tried the new TJ's sampler pack of three Spanish cheeses, including a Manchego (which may or may not be exactly the same as either of the ones above). That reminded me that I had effused about my fondness for both of the other Manchegos but had never bought them again.

So recently I bought another block of both at the same time and did the side-by-side comparison. They are most definitely not the same. Though they are similar, with a unmistakable family resemblance, the anejo's flavor is decidedly stronger, with a slightly harsh edge to it. I usually like cheeses with more oomph in their flavors, but this time I found myself with a rather strong preference for the plain, non-aged Manchego. The quality that develops with aging I found to be a detraction--not a major one, but one that I'd prefer to do without. And the non-aged version is cheaper, too!


Will I buy it again? 

Manchego sí; Manchego anejo no.

Trader Joe's Spanish Cheese Tapas Sampler

I first (and last) tried Iberico cheese just short of four years ago; see here. I liked this new one more than that old review says, though I don't know if my tastes have shifted (they definitely have on many other things), or if this is a different variety/manufacturer. It seems more rich, flavorful, and distinctive than I recorded previously.

With Manchego, I again had my first experience via Trader Joe's, and because of writing this blog; see here. Strangely, though I was enthusiastic about it, I never went back for more. Maybe they stopped selling it, or maybe I didn't remember how much I liked it. I'm not sure. (EDIT: They did not stop selling it. I bought a block of it last night.) That's one of the hazards of trying to review a new thing every day for years--some excellent items get forgotten. Anyway, I liked these little Manchego wedges just as much as I did the one back in 2016. I'll have to look for blocks of it at the store and try to get acquainted again.

The Cabra Al Vino (a.k.a. "Drunken Goat") was the new one for me, and the only one of the three that I didn't care for. I couldn't detect the wine-infused flavor that I expected, and it had a slightly bitter edge to it. It wasn't terrible, and I ate it along with the others, but it didn't make me a fan the way its partners did. As regular reader/commenter T.T. Rockwood said of goat cheeses generally, "They ALL have that goat-y funk and taste vaguely like wet barn." This one wasn't as bad in that way as some others, but even a little goat funk it too much for me, apparently.


Will I buy it again? 

Not for myself. I would rather buy blocks of the Iberico and Manchego by themselves. But this sampler would make an excellent addition to a cheese tray for a party. The wedges even come pre-sliced for your convenience.

Trader Joe's Herbaceous Cheesy Bites

OK, after three not-very-good products leading out this week, now we're getting to the good stuff. These make an excellent appetizer, just bursting with cheesy goodness. The breaded coating is lovely, with a nice blend of seasonings--not too garlicky at all, despite garlic being called out on the front of the box. Nina and I eagerly gobbled down the entire box of them before we had even started on dinner.

As with nearly all TJ's frozen products, you would be well advised to give them several minutes in the oven beyond what the package recommends.


Will I buy it again? 

Yes, for sure. Not quite a Top Ten, but really enjoyable.

Chimay Autumn Limited Edition Washed Rind Cheese

So there I was, at the Asheville Trader Joe's cheese display, two days before Thanksgiving, trying to find a couple of new kinds of cheese to try with Nina. One of them was the Beemster Royaal Grand Cru discussed yesterday. The other one was this. I had a vague recollection of trying a Chimay cheese before, so I found an out-of-the-way spot to stand and check this blog on my phone to see if I had reviewed it before.

I pulled up this review, and noticed that it was the "Spring" variety, and now the store was offering the "Autumn" version. They're different! Great! That was all the excuse I needed to buy it. But I was feeling pressured by the crush of shoppers, so I didn't scroll down to read what I had written about it.

So I was surprised when I took my first bite of it and almost gagged at the awfulness. (Nina had wisely chosen the other one for our T-day appetizer; this one was left for me to try alone a few days later.) I grabbed my Kindle tablet and looked up my review of the other Chimay. I read it, then remembered: I hated it. Just like I hate this one.

I'm not sure which one is worse, because of course I'm not trying them simultaneously (and never will), but my reaction to this one is ever more intensely negative than what I wrote before. After one chunk on a cracker, I was done--and it even ruined my appetite for any further snacking that evening. (Maybe I've discovered a revolutionary new weight-loss scheme.) The rest will go back to the store for a refund.

Well, at least I'm consistent in my hatred.



Will I buy it again? 

Good lord, I hope not. I can be a slow learner sometimes, but I'm optimistic that in the future I will remember not to make the same purchasing mistake a third time.

Beemster Royaal Grand Cru Cheese

I had never heard of, much less tasted, Grand Cru cheese, so I was happy to find such an unusual new cheese adventure waiting for me at Trader Joe's.

Here's the producer's description: https://www.beemstercheese.com/assortment/royaal-grand-cru/

I was not disappointed. This is an incredibly flavorful cheese: strong but not at all harsh, a little earthy. It's quite hard and takes some force to cut. But it takes only a very thin slice to deliver its wallop. It was nice on my usual Triscuits, but outstanding when paired with TJ's seasonal Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps.


Will I buy it again? 

Eagerly. It will likely be available at TJ's for only a short time (they do this thing of bringing in interesting cheeses for a while, then whisking them away; my guess is that they're buying surpluses  cheap when they occur), so don't delay.

Trader Joe's Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Trader Joe's has discontinued three of my all-time favorite white cheddars: Canadian Extra Sharp, Mull of Kintyre Scottish, and Lite Sharp Celtic. This is extremely annoying, but there's not much I can do about it other than keep looking for a new favorite.

I think I've found it. Maybe not quite a favorite in the same way as the others, but at least a new default choice--one that's good enough that I'm not constantly reminded of its inferiority. This is a straightforward, high-quality, no-surprises, no-disappointment white cheddar. It doesn't make me crave more and more of it the way my former three favorites could, but I'm sufficiently content eating it.

This realization gave me a dilemma. You see, a year ago I had rated the seemingly very similar Wisconsin Extra Sharp as just so-so. How could I explain this discrepancy?

So I bought a block of each and tried them side by side. I concluded that my original rating of the Wisconsin Extra Sharp was unfair. Maybe I was in a bad mood that week, or maybe it suffered somewhat by comparison to a recent memory of one of my favorites, and I was overly dismissive as a result of that. But I now find it so close to the Wisconsin Sharp that I would never be able to distinguish them if not for simultaneous tasting. The Wisconsin Extra Sharp has just a tad more edge to it than the Wisconsin Sharp, and I have a slight preference for the latter. But if you put one of them in front of me with no label and without the other for comparison, I could do no more than randomly guess which it was.


Will I buy it again? 

Yes. It has become my mainstay cheddar. Now I need to try it side-by-side with my other second-tier choice, the New Zealand Grass-Fed Sharp. If I get around to that test, I'll append a note here about it.

I guess I'm still technically rating the Wisconsin Extra Sharp as a "no," because now I'll choose this one in preference to it--but it's very close, and if I ever go for this one and find that it's out of stock, I'll take its near relative instead and not feel cheated.

Trader Joe's White Stilton Cheese With Cranberries

I've tried two Trader Joe's Stilton cheeses before, one with apricots and one with mango and ginger. I don't like this one nearly as much as I did either of those. It's hard to be sure, but I think the problem is that the cranberries are artificially sweetened (see "fructose" on the list of ingredients in the photo above). I would love to try a version in which the cranberry bits were left in their natural, unsweetened state. I suspect the tartness would partner with the mild cheese in a really interesting way.


Will I buy it again? 

No. I would prefer either of the other two (though I think they've all been just temporary offerings, no longer available). But I wouldn't buy any of them again simply because the exceptionally crumbly nature of the underlying Stilton makes them frustratingly difficult to eat.

Trader Joe's Organic Shredded 3 Cheese Blend

Very flavorful--surprisingly so, in fact. I liked it so much that it will become my new default shredded cheese, displacing the Shredded Sharp Cheddar.

The only odd thing about this product is the astoundingly dull packaging. This is not typical of Trader Joe's whimsy. Its plainness reminds me of the generic black-and-white packaging fad of the 1970s.


Will I buy it again? 

Often.

Trader Joe's French Fromage Slices

This is a package of boring, lifeless cheese slices. On crackers, I found I had to double up the slices to get any sort of cheese flavor. I made identical sandwiches two days in a row, first with Kraft American slices--the good "Deli Deluxe" variety--then with this product. The first was tasty. My impression the second day was, "Where's the cheese?"


Will I buy it again? 

Certainly not.