Archive for the ‘Trader Joe’s’ Category
10/23/2016
October 23, 2016
The microwave has never smelled this good. If this was just a big bowl of the sauce, I’d be perfectly happy. Complex flavors in the sauce kept the mouth happy. Little bits of seasoning were like Easter eggs in video games, pleasant surprises that made each bite a slightly different adventure. Be aware, this is not for the squeamish. Along with the flavor is a medium heat in the mouth changing to a hotter burn in the throat.
The fish was firm and not oily. It’s hard to tell if the fish added any flavor to the dish because the sauce overwhelmed it. My dinner contained a nice large thick piece of fish. The basmati rice was also nice having separate dry grains of rice with a firm texture. The rice had a slightly different taste, most likely due to the seasoning in the rice. A bite of the rice also mediates some of the heat from the sauce.
For anyone liking good spicy food, this should be at the top of your list to try.
Calories 380 per package Price $3.49
Tags:box lunch, calories, curry, exotic, indian food, korma fish curry, price, review, reviews, tj, tj's, trader joe's
Posted in Recipes, food, cooking and related items, Trader Joe's | 10 Comments »
10/09/2016
October 9. 2016
For the mildly adventurous this is the more flavorful cousin to Trader Joe’s Steak & Ale Pies. Similarly, this pie heats up nicely in the microwave. While a little chewy, the crust is not soggy after heating. Considering it was heated in a microwave, the nicely flavored crust is fairly crispy. Instructions for oven heating are also included.
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Tags:calories, chicken balti pie, curry, food, price, review, tj, tj's, trader joe's
Posted in cooking and related items, food, Trader Joe's | 9 Comments »
10/01/2016
September 30, 2016
The large dark brown oily beans produce a bitter and somewhat watery cup of coffee. The bitterness has a short delay before hitting the sensory input of the brain. The initial bitterness subsides quickly after the first sip or two. However that’s replaced by a less noticeable lingering general bitterness in the whole mouth. It’s not a horrible coffee, it’s just not my cup of tea.
Of note is the new packaging. At least this is new to Trader Joe’s. The outside of the bag is a semi shiny paper. At the top is a resealable “zipper” style slot which allows access to the beans inside. However the zipper isn’t located on the top seam so the bag can’t be opened wide. The zipper placement makes it more difficult to get a scoop in and out to extract the beans. As the bag empties, the difficulty increases. Small hands are an asset here. Inside, the bag is lined with the usual plastic coated shiny foil. The bag is larger than a “normal” 12 ounce coffee bag. It’s somewhat surprising that TJ didn’t take some space on the bag to describe in their usual flowery language the new bag. Price $7.99 (12 ounce bag).
Tags:coffee, dark roast, food, price, review, tanzania coffee, tj, tj's, trader joe's
Posted in coffee, food, Recipes, food, cooking and related items, Trader Joe's | 4 Comments »
09/20/2016
September 20, 2016
This is perhaps the best everyday wine I’ve had this year.
Not that it means much, but on opening the pop from the cork was almost up to champagne standards. There’s a very nice deep purple color on the cork which complements the deep red color of the wine. The aroma is that of a full-bodied wine with fruity overtones. The tannins leave a dryness in the mouth, but not very much. No burn in the throat. This is something one could sip on all evening. Paired with an anchovy, Italian sausage, bacon pizza – it held its own. Honestly however, this is one wine that should be and is worth drinking by itself.
Price – $7.99
Tags:2013, cabernet sauvignon, Chile, colchagua valley, marchigue, price, reserva, review, tj, tj's, trader joe's, wine
Posted in Trader Joe's, Wine | Leave a Comment »
09/20/2016
September 20, 2016
No, the label has not been photoshopped. The cheese has a strange taste to be sure. There’s a little bit of apple taste at first followed by a mild cheese taste followed by a little bit of sting on the tongue. The consistency is similar to a Muenster cheese, semi-soft and somewhat crumbly. This is not unpleasant overall and certainly very interesting. In fact after getting over expectations of what a cheese should be, it’s hard to stop eating. This is sure to be a conversation starter at any gathering. And if you’re by yourself, it’s likely to start a self-conversation.
Calories 110 per ounce (28g) Price $9.99 per pound
Tags:apple pie cheddar, calories, cheddar, cheese, food, price, review, reviews, tj, tj's, trader joe's
Posted in food, Recipes, food, cooking and related items, Trader Joe's | 2 Comments »
09/04/2016
September 4, 2016
The rice is nice, not as nutty as I like. The sauce is awesome, like a golf foursome. The heat is neat, but will sweat your feet.
The first taste starts as a nice multiflavored tomato based sauce which fools you into a sense of complacency while the heat starts to build in the mouth over the next minute to a level that will have most people calling the nearest fire department. The rice actually tastes better after a mouthful of high heat and helps somewhat to mediate the fire in the mouth. However, it’s best to have a glass of ice water around to help put out the fire. Phew!
The lamb comes in big chunks and is tender to a little tough depending on the piece. In contrast to some other recently reviewed frozen entrées from Trader Joe’s, there’s more meat than rice here. For people who like very spicy hot Indian food, this is a very good frozen entrée.
Calories: 390, Serving: Size 1 container Price: $3.99
Tags:calories, exotic, food, frozen box lunches, indian food, lamb vindaloo, price, review, reviews, tj, tj's, trader joe's
Posted in food, Recipes, food, cooking and related items, Trader Joe's | 1 Comment »
08/20/2016
August 20, 2016
The beans are large and dark with a satin sheen provided by a moderate amount of oil. The beans have a ‘roast’, but not burnt, aroma. Lacking is a real coffee aroma. First sip of the brewed coffee is bitter. The coffee remains bitter throughout the cup with the usual lessening due to the coffee cooling and the mouth adjusting to the bitterness. The bitterness overwhelms any other characteristics of the coffee. This is not a cup of coffee I look forward to having tomorrow. Comparing to my review of another Trader Joe’s Sumatra coffee from 2015, this appears to be a very similar coffee. A very coarse (chunky) grind and strictly controlling the brew time helps eliminate some of the bitterness producing a better, but still bitter, cup of coffee. Nice can design.
The coffee is labeled fair trade and organic. Price $7.99 for a 13 ounce can.
Tags:coffee, fair trade, food, organic, price, review, sumatra, tj, tj's, trader joe's, whole bean
Posted in food, Recipes, food, cooking and related items, Trader Joe's | 3 Comments »
07/17/2016
January 17, 2016
There’s a weak sweet aroma on the cork with a hint of vinegar. Overall, it’s a pleasant start. For a red, the color is also on the weak side – a medium red transparent color with hints of pink. Maintaining the trend, a weak wine aroma comes from the glass once poured. The wine has a light to medium dryness in the mouth. There are no bad tastes or other bad characteristics. The wine holds up well in the refrigerator for days two and three. In fact it may improve slightly. Other reviewers average this wine at about 3.5 out of 5. It’s a little better than that in my mind.
Overall, this is a fairly nice wine, even if on the weaker side for a Cab. At $9.99, it’s a reasonable price for good quality if you’re looking for a California wine.
Tags:cabernet sauvignon, california, inexpensive wines, paso robles, price, red wine, review, trader joe's, wine review
Posted in food, Trader Joe's, Wine | Leave a Comment »
07/17/2016
January 17, 2016
There’s no added yellow color, which isn’t really important. For a sharp cheddar, this has a rather weak taste. Physically this is also rather soft for a sharp cheddar. There’s a peppery-like sharpness after a few seconds on the tongue. This is not what I expect from a sharp cheddar. On the plus side, the price at $4.99 per pound is rather reasonable. Calories clock in at 120 per ounce.
Tags:calories, cheese, food, price, review, reviews, sharp cheddar, tj, tj's, trader joe's, wisconsin
Posted in food, Recipes, food, cooking and related items, Trader Joe's | Leave a Comment »
07/09/2016
July 9, 2016
Here’s a step up from your basic under $1 frozen burrito. This is a roughly 7 1/2 inch tortilla folded over in half on the filling. In short, it’s a quesadilla. The tortilla is “pre-toasted” giving it some substance even after freezing. At 400 calories it’s big enough to feel like you’ve had more than a snack. The filling is tasty and mildly spicy. On the negative side, the filling is somewhat pasty – although not as much as those under $1 frozen burritos. There are small chunks of chicken mixed in with the other ingredients giving the filling a little more texture. The quesadilla cooks up nicely in the microwave using the printed directions (3 minutes on 50% power and then 1 minute on high). Overall, for a relatively inexpensive frozen entrée, this is a good choice but not reaching the level of greatness.
Price $3.69 (2 per box) Calories 400 per quesadilla
Tags:calories, chicken quesadilla, frozen entree, mexican, price, review, reviews, tj, tj's, trader joe's
Posted in food, Recipes, food, cooking and related items, Trader Joe's | 2 Comments »
October 23, 2016
Ain't Found A Good Title Blog 