Monday, April 29, 2019
Trader Joe's Jerk-Style Plantain Chips
I thought these had almost no chance of being good. I've had plantain chips before, and hated them. (Exception: TJ's own Sweet Plantain Chips.) Throwing a little spice at them ain't gonna change their fundamental problem of tasting like cardboard.
I was wrong. They're actually quite tasty. I think the spiciness is a little much if they're eaten straight from the bag. But scoop up some TJ's Hummus Dip or Chipotle Bean Dip (as I did), and they cool down or balance the heat nicely, in addition to being good flavor complements.
For the record, Nina was not as impressed with them as I was. And I didn't like the fact that the bag contained a large number of small, broken pieces. So they're not perfect, but I still think they're an unexpected win.
Will I buy it again?
Yes.
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Roundup
This is my weekly compilation of news and other links about Trader Joe's.
Taste test of 8 "Two Buck Chuck" wines
Why you should make Trader Joe's your next romantic date spot
Trader Joe's put a store inside an old movie theater
50,000 pounds of Trader Joe's frozen chicken lost in truck fire
Quick Trader Joe's dinners for two for under $10
The 14 healthiest things you can buy at Trader Joe's
Taste test of bargain liquor from Costco and Trader Joe's
Best tweets of the week:
And finally, here's this week's cute catin a Trader Joe's grocery bag eating Trader Joe's hummus:
Taste test of 8 "Two Buck Chuck" wines
Why you should make Trader Joe's your next romantic date spot
Trader Joe's put a store inside an old movie theater
50,000 pounds of Trader Joe's frozen chicken lost in truck fire
Quick Trader Joe's dinners for two for under $10
The 14 healthiest things you can buy at Trader Joe's
Taste test of bargain liquor from Costco and Trader Joe's
Best tweets of the week:
#TraderJoes discontinued their delicious Hollandaise sauce. Am I expected to make my own like some commoner? More like #TraitorJoes— Meg_McKilty (@Meg_McKilty) April 21, 2019
Whole Foods Cashier: doesn’t care if I live or die, judges all my purchases, hopes I never return to their place of business ever again— Sarah Wainschel (@Swainsch) April 10, 2019
Trader Joe’s Cashier: would elope with me tonight, genuinely wants to know if this ravioli is good, gets my email so we can be pen pals
Trader Joe’s: We are looking for a location for a new store. What’s the parking like?— ryannmo (@Delraydoula) April 25, 2019
Potential Location: Plentiful, wide spots, easy to navigate...
TJs: Imma stop you right there. That’s definitely not what we’re looking for. #TraderJoes #badparking #everystore
Trader Joe’s employees really seem to enjoy each other‘s company, which is great, I just wish they weren’t doing it in the store bathroom while I’m trying to take a shit— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) April 25, 2019
And finally, here's this week's cute cat
Friday, April 26, 2019
Trader Joe's Cinnamon Croissant Loaf
This is one of the most unusual loaves of bread I've ever bought. It really is as light, airy, flaky, and buttery as a croissant. (This means it kind of makes a crumbly mess when you eat it. Be prepared.) The cinnamon component is delicate, not overpowering--more "whiff of cinnamon" than CINNAMON!
I tried toasting this in my toaster, but even though this particular model is allegedly designed to accommodate thick slices, the croissant loaf was too much for it. I was able to stuff the slices in, but just barely, and it was a pain both going in and coming out. It also started burning quickly, perhaps because its thickness brought it too close to the heating elements. So for subsequent uses, I put it in my toaster oven, which is slower, but did a much better job, and without the need to manhandle the bread.
The loaf is kind of misshapen, but I ended up not caring, because it tastes so good. It's really superb for making buttered toast. In fact, it was so good after first tasting that I never could bring myself to put jam or jelly on, for fear that it might not be quite as perfect that way. You can slather huge amounts of butter on it, because it's so airy that there's tons of room for the butter to soak in without running off. I'm too lazy to make French toast for myself, but I suspect that this would be perfect for that purpose, with its thick, absorbent slices.
As you might imagine, it's completely impractical for making sandwiches. The slices are too thick and a bit too small, and the substance of the bread is really too delicate and too easily crushed. Besides, cinnamon bread as the platform for, say, ham and Swiss does not sound like a great idea. So this is a limited-purpose bread, rather than an all-purpose one.
Will I buy it again?
Yes. It's kind of a crazy idea for a bread loaf, and a wild departure from my usual bread selections, and even when it's on hand I'll need to have one of the more standard ones simultaneously available for sandwich use--but I love it anyway.
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Trader Joe's Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies
These tiny cookies are indisputably cute, but that's about all they have going for them. Well, I suppose that in eating them you could boast that you're so pure that even your chocolate chip cookies are organic, but I don't know why anybody would care about that. They're lifeless, lacking in flavor, dry. They fail to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Will I buy it again?
No.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Trader Joe's Benne Wafer Cookies
Until yesterday, I had never heard of benne wafers. I did not know that benne was word of uncertain African derivation for sesame. I did not know that lowcountry (with or without capitalization; also low country) was a term for the coastal region of South Carolina. I thought it was referring to the Netherlands, and was confused as to why these were made in Savannah, Georgia. I'm still confused about why Trader Joe's didn't find a supplier in S.C., if they're going to brag about authenticity of origin. (EDIT: National Geographic says that Savannah is part of Low Country. Though others disagree, Ima go with NatGeo on this and credit TJ's with getting it right.)
So now that I've smartened up a bit about these things, how are the cookies? Great, if you ask Nina; not so great if you ask me. We both liked the crunchy texture. She liked the saltiness and the prominent sesame flavor, while I thought both were pretty subdued and the brown sugar was the dominant note, which is OK but not especially interesting. Oddly, I thought they tasted buttery, though the list of ingredients reveals that there is none present.
Will I buy it again?
No.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Roundup
This is my weekly compilation of news and other links about Trader Joe's.
Trader Joe's announces recall of cantaloupe slices due to salmonella contamination
Best keto-friendly foods at Trader Joe's
Does Trader Joe's accept returns without the defective item?
Four new Trader Joe's items to try
18 Trader Joe's products that are always in our freezers
Forbes names Trader Joe's #1 best employer
Fodors list of Trader Joe's snacks to bring on a plane
12 new Trader Joe's desserts
29 affordable beauty products from Trader Joe's
19 cult-favorite Trader Joe's products
8 most unique [sic!] Trader Joe's items of 2019 so far
8 Easter gifts from Trader Joe's for under $10
3 ways to use "Everything But the Bagel" seasoning
Best tweets of the week:
And finally, here's this week's cute cat in a Trader Joe'sgrocery bag shopping cart:
Trader Joe's announces recall of cantaloupe slices due to salmonella contamination
Best keto-friendly foods at Trader Joe's
Does Trader Joe's accept returns without the defective item?
Four new Trader Joe's items to try
18 Trader Joe's products that are always in our freezers
Forbes names Trader Joe's #1 best employer
Fodors list of Trader Joe's snacks to bring on a plane
12 new Trader Joe's desserts
29 affordable beauty products from Trader Joe's
19 cult-favorite Trader Joe's products
8 most unique [sic!] Trader Joe's items of 2019 so far
8 Easter gifts from Trader Joe's for under $10
3 ways to use "Everything But the Bagel" seasoning
Best tweets of the week:
My Saturday dinner: peanut butter sandwich and a $6.99 Pinot Grigio from #TraderJoes. Mid-life adulthood at its finest.— Jennifer McClintock🚰💩♻️🐐 (@jeninthe405) April 14, 2019
Hey Trader Joe’s,— Chad R. MacDonald (@ChadMac19) April 13, 2019
.
I noticed your Canadian White Bread is Made in the USA.
.
Is it made of Canadians?
.@TraderJoesList @TraderJoesRants #TraderJoes #TheGoodTheChadAndTheUgly #TheGCandU #IhaveQuestions pic.twitter.com/xbgzZnmNLl
When you're on a #diet and go to #TraderJoes for fruits and vegetables, but get lost in the #cookie aisle. #mylife— Claire MacDonagh (@SoClaireMacD) April 13, 2019
People my age are buying houses and I’m just over here like wow this bag of nuts is 3 dollars less at Trader Joe’s than it is at Whole Foods— Jennifer Damiano (@jenndamiano) April 14, 2019
Today my kid said I smelled like Trader Joe's.— CookiesnJoyxoxo (@CJoyxoxo) April 15, 2019
I don't know whether to be offended or delighted. #traderjoes #truth #whut #momlife
When the guy at Trader Joe’s asks you if you did something different with your hair you know you go there too much. #TraderJoes— Heather Sweeney (@HeatherCSweeney) April 17, 2019
An old guy is standing at his car in the #TraderJoes parking lot, truck open, sampling his purchases. I’ve never felt more understood.— Hailee (@hailroseruby) April 17, 2019
I need a “work” AND “home” jar of #TraderJoes Everything Bagel seasoning bc I can’t be expected to just go without it.— Lethal ⚓ (@Lethal_27) April 19, 2019
Happy Friday!! Here’s a quick little sketch I did today as I snacked on some of my favorite Trader Joe’s popcorn 🍿, specifically the one with herbs and spices. What’s your favorite Trader Joe’s snack? #traderjoes #procreate #illustration #sketching #doodlesketch #doodle pic.twitter.com/DdMHygrmwx— Sealy Scribbles (@SealyScribbles) April 20, 2019
And finally, here's this week's cute cat in a Trader Joe's
Friday, April 19, 2019
Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil
Nina started using this as her regular cooking oil, so I decided to try it, too. It's not Trader Joe's branded, but they sell it.
Its chief advantage is an unusually high smoke point (as they boast right there on the front of the label). If it adds any flavor at all to the foods cooked in it, I am unable to discern it.
My only quibble is with the bottle. It's so tall that it won't fit in any of my kitchen's upper cupboards. I have to choose between sticking it below, in one of the lower pots-and-pans cupboards, or laying it down flat in the ones above, where such things are usually kept. With the latter choice, it takes up a lot of space and I worry that it might leak.
Will I buy it again?
Yes. Even with the annoyance of the bottle height, I think it's an excellent cooking oil. It's quite a bit more expensive than the TJ's grapeseed oil that has been my staple for four years now, but I don't use much, so the extra cost amortized over time will have no discernible effect on my total food budget.
Consumer Reports provides this handy guide to selecting a cooking oil.
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