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 Gluten Free Blueberry Bagels

Is it possible that I've never had Trader Joe's bagels before? Apparently so. I can't remember any, and a text search of this blog's archives finds none.

Too bad, then, that my first venture into the field is so disappointing. These taste reasonably like the many other conventional blueberry bagels I've had from bakeries, but the texture is all wrong. There's no chew; they just kind of fall apart in your mouth, as if made of dust. Why, it's almost as if they contained no long-chain proteins holding them together!


Will I buy it again? 

No. I ate one, but the rest will go back to the store for a refund.

Roundup

This is my weekly compilation of news and other links about Trader Joe's.


Trader Joe's best Thanksgiving foods for lazy people

Comparison test of cookie butters

Your Trader Joe's Thanksgiving shopping list

11 Trader Joe's buys for the best vegan Thanksgiving feast

We aged Two Buck Chuck; here's how it tasted




Best tweets of the week:

You ever taste and experience something so delicious that you feel like you don’t deserve such goodness? That’s how I feel about Everything but the Bagel Seasoning from #TraderJoes 🤩😍 #everythingbutthebagel #bagels #lowcarb #seriously!!!

— Steph (@sexcessfully) November 17, 2018

Shame on #TraderJoes selling <1lb of beef in a 1.2 lb package this little insert weighs nearly 1/4 pound - like $2 of BS @TraderJoesRants #keto pic.twitter.com/FoVFJfSgUF

— Derek Johnson (@derekPjohnson62) November 18, 2018

Went to Trader Joe’s and didn’t buy any cookie butter. Who am I? #TraderJoes #cookiebutter #itsamiracle pic.twitter.com/tg49CdYxCm

— seanna-na (@seanna_na) November 20, 2018

The credit card machine at #TraderJoes gobbles at you when it’s time to take out your card. My exact face when it happened: pic.twitter.com/Hf5ZKagh5v

— Jaena (@JaenaStaAna) November 21, 2018

Waiting for #TraderJoes to open like it’s #TheHungerGames. 🤣 #thanksgiving pic.twitter.com/jjAMGDmV73

— Ty Alston (@Ty4Lyfe) November 21, 2018

May all your holiday turkey be Gingerbread Turkey. #traderjoes #🦃 https://t.co/kE48JuPZzZ #instagram pic.twitter.com/emIqlJRXol

— Troy Foster (@troy_d_foster) November 23, 2018

And finally, there's no cute Trader Joe's cat this week. Social media has failed us all.

Trader Joe's Alfredo Pasta Sauce

When I saw this among the pasta sauces on a recent TJ's run, I thought it must be a new product, because I surely would have noticed it before now. But no--a little Googling reveals that it's been around at least since 2011. I don't know how I overlooked it for so long.

For coming in a jar, it's a very good Alfredo sauce. Nice, mild flavor. Perhaps a tad thicker than would be optimal, but that's not a fatal flaw. Not quite up to what one can get in a good restaurant, but how could it be? Though I admit that I haven't tried a lot of them, I'd venture a guess that this is about as good as heat-and-serve Alfredo sauce can be.


Will I buy it again? 

Yes. It won't replace marinaras as my go-to pasta sauces, but I think it will be nice as an occasional change of pace.

Trader Joe's Tortilla Chips Seasoned With Brussels Sprouts, Garlic, Onion & Parsley

I saw somebody tweeting about this new product (see Trader Joe's introduction to it here), and emailed an alert to Nina. I knew that I would never buy it, but thought that she might want to give it a try. She did. And then I sampled some of the chips at her house, served with Pepita Salsa. (I failed to take a picture, which is why the one you see here is stolen from TJ's.)

By the time I realized what chips I was eating, my taste buds were pretty saturated with the hot salsa, so it was harder to get a bead on the chips by themselves. But given that limitation, I really couldn't tell that they were anything other than mildly seasoned ordinary tortilla chips. Specifically, I was unable to discern any flavor identifiable as Brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, or parsley. Nina agreed with that finding.

She was generally far more enthusiastic about them than I was, primarily because of an enjoyable texture--crunchy and able to stand up to salsa.


Will I buy it again? 

No. I see no reason to choose these over traditional tortilla chips. But I'll say this for them: It's the first use of Brussels sprouts that I've actually enjoyed, rather than just tolerated.

Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice Penne Pasta

This is the latest in a long line of Trader Joe's gluten-free dry pasta varieties. (For a list of the others, see here.) It is closest to the TJ's Organic Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli, apparently differing only in shape.

Like most of the others, it's less satisfying than traditional wheat-based pasta (Nina called it "gloppy"), but if one needs to live a gluten-free life, it makes an adequate substitute.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Roundup

This is my weekly compilation of news and other links about Trader Joe's.


Great wines at Trader Joe's for under $20

What to buy at Trader Joe's for Thanksgiving cooking

9 budget-breakers to avoid at Trader Joe's

Cheap wines from Trader Joe's for Thanksgiving

7 ways to use Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi

Favorite vegan foods shopping list

2 new festive holiday drinks from Trader Joe's for vegans

11 Trader Joe's dishes to bring to Friendsgiving

5-way grocery store price comparison for Thanksgiving



Best tweets of the week:

The soy chorizo at #TraderJoes will open your third eye and send you through the astral plane.

— Sieg Mattel (@siegmattel) November 10, 2018

A modern day werewolf. He’s upset because he can’t find his car. All he wants to do is go home and eat his chicken tikka masala in peace. #art #furry #furryart #werewolf #TraderJoes pic.twitter.com/yT1w3nPFG7

— LunarTiger (@tiger_lunar) November 10, 2018

#TraderJoes makes it easy to be a vegetarian... and I'm not even a vegetarian lol pic.twitter.com/lBPSbCyfn8

— MTChaput (@Madhouse37x) November 10, 2018

My kids made this #TraderJoes turkey kit which will now haunt my dreams forever. pic.twitter.com/e6pMoJNch4

— TZE CHUN (@anygivenchunday) November 11, 2018

Thanks for the nightmares, #TraderJoes . pic.twitter.com/W9qWzyvz0Z

— Erin Jayne (@liveinauntie) November 11, 2018

Just ate a peppermint JoJo in the back of the library. Thought it was a regular one. Super gross. #UnpopularOpinion #TraderJoes #pullyourselftogether

— Meagan Kellermann (@MegRKBrown) November 11, 2018

Find My Friends but for #TraderJoes cauliflower gnocchi.

— Karly Stillman (@KarlyStillman) November 12, 2018

Pepermint Joe Joe's may be the closest thing we have to proving god's existence. #TraderJoes

— Kate: All-Natural Cheese Product (@Twist_of_Kate) November 12, 2018

at #TraderJoes and some little kid grabs a loaf of bread and whispers “i’m in heaven, i love you, bread.” the best and most relatable thing i’ve ever witnessed.

— danielle p. (@drdpdo) November 13, 2018

Me, looking at half a box of #traderjoes peanut butter cups.

Don't say it
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"You know, you're going to keep eating these if you don't just eat them all right now."

— Disney's Robin Hood (@ChrisGriswold) November 13, 2018

Found the ultimate 1st world problem it's when your favorite item at #TraderJoes goes out of circulation and you have to use the closest equivalent at Ralph's/Vons like a goddamn peasant

— Daniel Prouty (@proutyknowsbest) November 14, 2018

I know there are a lot of rules for writing going around, but mostly I feel like it's important not to fall in love with a writing snack that subsequently gets discontinued. (Looking at you, #TraderJoes and my beloved Mochi Bites) 😭

— Daegan Fryklind (@daeganf) November 17, 2018

You wanna make friends?

Stand outside a #TraderJoes with a #bassethound puppy.

Trust me, it works.

— Tom Bradley Jr. 📚 (@TBradleywrites) November 17, 2018

And finally, here's this week's cute cat with a Trader Joe's grocery bag. Nobody has posted one on social media recently (at least not that I have seen), so here's an old one of my own kitty, Lucy: