January 7, 2016
Brandy, I knew her from the old neighborhood. That’s right Brandy Beans. She and Ben, her brother, lived with their parents in the apartment building down the street on the second floor. Right above them on the 3rd floor were the Shaws. You remember Charlie, now old Charles Shaw, don’t you?
Posts Tagged ‘trader joe’s’
Trader Joe’s – Ricotta & Spinach Tortelloni – Food Review
12/31/2016
December 31, 2016
Lets just say, your local Italian restaurant would be quickly out of business if it served this dish. The concept sounded good, the ingredients were there, but the execution didn’t work out – just like some Sunday NFL games. The tortelloni came out unevenly cooked, ranging between tough to mushy. The cheese filling was just okay. Read that as not very flavorful. The tomatoes varied from okay to mushy. The red pesto including bits of red pepper, zucchini and whatnot was the best part. There was very little liquid to the sauce, if that’s what you’re expecting.
However, considering the price of $1.99, it’s competitive in quality with other frozen entrées in this range. If the pasta and tomatoes could be cooked more evenly, this would be a much better dish. Maybe all it needs is a quick stir in the middle of cooking?
Calories: 460, Serving: Size 1 container Price: $1.99
Nürnberger Lebkuchen – Food Review – Trader Joe’s
12/24/2016
December 24, 2016
Gingerbread on first bite, but there’s much more here. Second bite, read the ingredient label. This is a mini fruit cake without the bad reputation. It’s like eating a puzzle as you try to match the flavors in your mouth with the ingredients. Third bite, this cookie has history. It was created by 13th century monks in its present form. Where would foodies be without monks? Think about it. But before the monks the history goes back to the Roman legions. Where would men in short skirts be without the Legions? Maybe, don’t think about it.
Roulé Rouge – Wine Review – Trader Joe’s
12/24/2016
December 24, 2016Can organic grapes make an inexpensive California wine good? On first opening, the cork had a fairly strong scent of vinegar reminding me of our first-generation next-door neighbor when I was growing up, who used to press his own grapes and make large barrels of wine in his backyard. He’d give my parents some bottles which generally turned to vinegar in a few weeks. But man, those few weeks were fun.
I doubt this one will turn to vinegar even if it has no sulfites added. And that, no added sulfites, is another reason I picked this up off the shelf. How many wines do you see with no, added sulfites?
Being a blend per the label, the wine is non-vintage and non-varietal (although a 2015 Trader Joe ad claims this is 100% Merlot). Umm, well, if we go with the label, that leaves out cutting and pasting from some Merlot review. But that’s another reason this wine reminds me of that backyard brew so many years ago. There’s no telling exactly what went into the bottle
What came out of the bottle is a fairly smooth mildly dry red table wine that’s very drinkable once you realize that red wines don’t really have to taste the same. This one will puzzle your taste buds into saying, what is that? When they give up trying to answer that question they’ll say, I like it. The only possible negative is a strange earthy taste that’s really not very objectionable once you get used to it. Maybe the taste is a bit of young tannins or maybe they do ferment in old wooden barrels? I don’t know if being organic had anything to do with it, but this inexpensive wine is good.
Growing up, we ate a lot of pasta with a thick red sauce that started as canned whole tomatoes and olive oil in tins, both from the old country, washed down with the backyard wine. This wine brings back pleasant memories. Price $5.99.
Il Tarocco Chianti Classico – 2014 – DOCG – Wine Review – Trader Joe’s
12/10/2016
December 10, 2016This is another fine wine from Italy at Trader Joe’s for a very reasonable price considering the quality. The wine is dry and totally smooth with an earthy mouth feel and enough bite/character to separate this from a lesser Chianti. This is possibly the most enjoyable wine I’ve had in 2016.
You may ask, what does the word Classico add to a Chianti? Chianti Classico specifically refers to an official area within the Chianti region of Italy. That specific area was also the first in what’s now the Chianti region to attempt to define and regulate its wine. Being the first to define the Chianti wine, and predating the official Italian regulations, the wine gets to wear the “classic” designation. Along with the geographical requirements, a Chianti Classico wine has a different set of production regulations which separate a Classico from the standard Chianti designation. After that it’s up to the skill and pride of the winemaker to produce a quality product. In this bottle, there is an overabundance of skill and pride producing a very very nice wine. Price $9.99.
Trader Joe’s – Pineaplle Salsa – Food Review
11/26/2016
November 26, 2016
I wonder if the jar was mislabeled? Except for on the label, what seems to be missing is the pineapple. There are plenty of references in the ingredients to pineapple. But if they’re in the jar, I missed them.
To be fair, wash away the red stuff and there really are pieces of pineapple in the salsa. Take a spoonful of the salsa by itself and there’s an interesting complex blend of flavors. On a chip, the complexities are muted.
I was expecting a sweet-hot salsa experience. What seems to be in the jar is a very mild tomato based salsa.
Aside from expectations, this is a nice tasting mild salsa. If that’s what you’re looking for give this a try. But if you’re expecting a pineapple experience, move on.
Calories 15 per 2 tablespoons (30g) Price $1.99 -12 ounce jar (340g)
Président® Madrigal (French Baby Swiss) Cheese – Food Review – Trader Joe’s
11/26/2016
November 26, 2016
It’s Swiss, but it’s French. Hmm? Well it’s a Swiss-style cheese made in France. But saying that would probably get me thrown out of the country. Both countries!
Let’s just say that if the word Madrigal was misread as Magical, that would be a good description of this cheese. At $5.99 a pound this is a very good semi-hard cheese that actually tastes like a Swiss-style cheese, albeit a milder Swiss cheese. The only thing to be careful about is the thin wax covering that sort of blends in with the cheese and tends to stick between the teeth if measures aren’t taken to avoid it. Don’t ask me how I know.
Calories 100 per ounce (28g)
Price $5.99 -per pound
Trader Joe’s Bolivian Blend Coffee – Whole Bean – Food Review
11/19/2016
November 18, 2016
The medium-dark brown fairly oily beans produce a nice aroma on opening the can. Once brewed, the coffee produces a strong taste which is mildly bitter on the tongue. As it cools, the coffee transitions to an earthy taste and the bitterness declines. The bitterness is a good bitterness, like a good beer has some bitterness to it. However as with many things, bitterness is an acquired taste. If you’re adverse to bitter tastes, this may not be a coffee for you. There’s some sense of acidity on the roof of the mouth and in the stomach.
This is a good coffee for people looking for a stronger tasting coffee without going over the edge. The coffee is labeled as both organic and fair trade. Price $7.99 (14 oz can)
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Liqueur Cherries – Food Review
11/19/2016
November 18, 2016
Dark chocolate covered liquid center cherries are my favorite treat. Come gift-giving holidays, the family gets off cheaply as this is my usual present. But no complaints. Will the addition of alcohol to the mix make these even better?
Trader Joe’s – St. Donatus Balatonboglari Merlot – 2015 – Wine Review
11/19/2016
November 18, 2016
This one is different. Read on.
There’s very little aroma when first uncorked. On first pour, the wine is ruby-red and much lighter than a typical red wine. The first sip reveals a mild semi-sweet fruity wine as the bottle claims. There’s nothing intricate in the taste and at the same time nothing bad in the taste.
This wine is all about your expectations. If you’re looking for something to savor and spend the night discussing the intricacies of Merlots and where this stands in that continuum, this wine is not for you. If you’re looking for something to have at home with dinner, or just want something to sip, relax with, and not have to in any way think about what’s in the glass, this will serve that purpose. With some mild red-sauced pasta, the wine worked well.
The key difference here, if you haven’t picked up on it, is the word semi-sweet. This is a style of wine not usually found on the shelves outside of Hungary where this wine is made. The sweetness of the wine is noticeable but not sickeningly sweet like some really horrible wines. This is a nice good quality wine with a different flavor profile. Price $5.99
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