Trader Joe's

[mansonlamps]

1 hour ago, DeLurker said:

I've rarely seen marked down for clearance at Trader Joe's - they've got a long history of donating to food banks in the communities they are located in.

That's what I mean.  And I find it hard to believe that people who need food are offended at Christmas castoffs that are delicious, but I guess it's possible. 

 

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

The food bank we support doesn't want products like candy - they are making a conscious effort to encourage their patrons to eat healthy food.

To me, this is way more offensive to food bank patrons than left over Christmas treats.

[MargeGunderson]

Back in the dark ages when I worked at Trader Joe's for the summer we did give stuff to the local food bank - day old bread, for example.

Just to clarify, they had 4 shopping carts of stuff, mostly the shaving kits and chocolates. They weren't giving away the store! 

[ariel]

On ‎2‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 5:18 PM, Quof said:

Marge, I may hate you a little bit :)

Me too. :)  Enjoy!

[Qoass]

The food pantry I used to volunteer for always ended up with tons of leftover Halloween candy and they had no problems with us eating it as we stocked the shelves.  They wouldn't take soda at all.

I got some pretty glass jars with hearts on them for free from my local supermarket after last Valentines Day.  Too bad I forgot to use them two weeks ago.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Qoass

[EllieH]

I tried Trader Joe's canned Mutter Paneer yesterday and do not recommend it -- despite all the spices listed in the ingredients, it was completely bland, really quite tasteless.

[chessiegal]

I made a trip to TJs based on posters recommendations last week. I got their Kung Pao chicken, and while okay, it was way too sweet. Still not seeing the TJ love.

[spiderpig]

Mr. pig and I make a weekly trip to TJ's.  Now they've done it.  We didn't see Organic Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce on the shelf.  If they have discontinued it, I will go into a major pout.  Just like when their Dill/Jalapeno Tartar Sauce disappeared for awhile.

[Wings]

3 hours ago, spiderpig said:

Mr. pig and I make a weekly trip to TJ's.  Now they've done it.  We didn't see Organic Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce on the shelf.  If they have discontinued it, I will go into a major pout.  Just like when their Dill/Jalapeno Tartar Sauce disappeared for awhile.

What?!  Their BBQ sauce is the only one without high fructose corn syrup.  This is as bad as Old Navy discontinuing my jeans!  grumble

Edited March 13, 2017 by wings707

[spiderpig]

2 hours ago, wings707 said:

What?!  Their BBQ sauce is the only one without high fructose corn syrup.  This is as bad as Old Navy discontinuing my jeans!  grumble

Wings, if our beloved TJ's is going to let us down, maybe we should go into business together and create Trader Joanne's (est. 2017) and stock all the stuff we can't find anymore.

[Wings]

20 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Wings, if our beloved TJ's is going to let us down, maybe we should go into business together and create Trader Joanne's (est. 2017) and stock all the stuff we can't find anymore.

How about Trader Spider Wing!  I'm in.  Or Pigwings.  There are so many possibilities. 

6 hours ago, spiderpig said:

Dill/Jalapeno Tartar Sauce.

I have never even had this but now I am obsessed.  I have to find it! 

Edited March 13, 2017 by wings707

[spiderpig]

4 minutes ago, wings707 said:

How about Trader Pigwings!  I'm in.  

I have never even had this but now I am obsessed.  I have to find it! 

I'm working on our logo even as we type.  In our local, they have some tartar sauce stocked with mayonnaies, etc., but usually you'll see it sitting on the mini-rack just above the frozen fish.  It's in a mayonnaise-shaped jar.

[Wings]

1 minute ago, spiderpig said:

I'm working on our logo even as we type.  In our local, they have some tartar sauce stocked with mayonnaies, etc., but usually you'll see it sitting on the mini-rack just above the frozen fish.  It's in a mayonnaise-shaped jar.

My local store is tiny and I hate that.  The one in Santa Fe that I stop in on the way to Taos is HUGE.  I am green with envy. 

[DeLurker]

2 hours ago, wings707 said:

How about Trader Spider Wing!  I'm in.  Or Pigwings.  There are so many possibilities. 

I have never even had this but now I am obsessed.  I have to find it! 

I just saw the Dill / Jalapeno Tartar Sauce a couple of hours ago.  It usually is by the frozen seafood (on the shelves above it) or near the condiments.  Sadly, I have no desire for jalapeno in my tartar sauce.

[MargeGunderson]

16 hours ago, DeLurker said:

I just saw the Dill / Jalapeno Tartar Sauce a couple of hours ago.  It usually is by the frozen seafood (on the shelves above it) or near the condiments.  Sadly, I have no desire for jalapeno in my tartar sauce.

I have no desire for dill in my tartar sauce, or anything else for that matter. Dill is the Devil's herb.

I bought a box of eclairs from the frozen section a couple weeks ago but haven't tried them yet. I love eclairs and I'm afraid I will be disappointed.

[mansonlamps]

On 3/13/2017 at 11:23 AM, spiderpig said:

Mr. pig and I make a weekly trip to TJ's.  Now they've done it.  We didn't see Organic Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce on the shelf.  If they have discontinued it, I will go into a major pout.  Just like when their Dill/Jalapeno Tartar Sauce disappeared for awhile.

Ooh, that tartar sauce sounds amazing, off to Trader Joe's.

[BooksRule]

Quote

Dill is the Devil's herb.

I personally think that title goes to cilantro.

[Spunkygal]

I tried the asparagus risotto tonight. Eh. Not horrible but doubt I'll try it again. The color of the sauce was not appealing and there was too much of it. The asparagus itself was fine and the risotto was fine except it was swimming in sauce. 

[spiderpig]

8 hours ago, BooksRule said:

I personally think that title goes to cilantro.

Books, you speak to me and Mr. pig.

We're part of the population that finds cilantro tastes like soap.  (David Letterman is one of our club too.)

Isn't it weird how human taste profiles can vary?  I eat all kinds of off-the-wall stuff, but cilantro makes me yak.

[Wings]

Scooch over and make room for me. I think it tastes like an electrical fire. 

[spiderpig]

1 minute ago, wings707 said:

Scooch over and make room for me. I think it tastes like an electrical fire. 

Very odd, isn't it?  How taste receptors react differently from human to human.  I guess it's a genetic thing, like whether you can roll your tongue or not.  Did you ever do that experiment in junior high biology?  It was an object lesson kind of like Mendel's peas.  Some were wrinkled and others were not.  Mr. Beal used it as an example of genetic diversity, or something like that.

Science was such fun when we were young.  Then we got to high school and it was a drag.

[Wings]

14 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Very odd, isn't it?  How taste receptors react differently from human to human.  I guess it's a genetic thing, like whether you can roll your tongue or not.  Did you ever do that experiment in junior high biology?  It was an object lesson kind of like Mendel's peas.  Some were wrinkled and others were not.  Mr. Beal used it as an example of genetic diversity, or something like that.

Science was such fun when we were young.  Then we got to high school and it was a drag.

Yep. It is genetic with cilantro, too. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/24/why-does-cilantro-taste-bad-like-soap_n_7653808.html

[ariel]

Julia Child didn't like cilantro.

[chessiegal]

I'm okay with cilantro, but olives taste like soap tp me. I've never read anything about a genetic connection to how olives taste, but I'm wondering if there is one.

[WendyCR72]

I don't think I've ever had cilantro. And based on these posts, I'm extremely glad for that! And since I'm picky about my veggies, I doubt I'd like it, anyway.

[General Days]

25 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

I don't think I've ever had cilantro. And based on these posts, I'm extremely glad for that! And since I'm picky about my veggies, I doubt I'd like it, anyway.

Have you had salsa in a relatively authentic Mexican restaurant? If so, you've probably had cilantro. Even Ortega jarred salsa has it. 

Edited to add: it's more of an herb than a veggie. I mean it's leafy and green, so I guess it's both, but it is used like an herb or garnish. 

Edited March 17, 2017 by General Days

[Spunkygal]

26 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

I don't think I've ever had cilantro. And based on these posts, I'm extremely glad for that! And since I'm picky about my veggies, I doubt I'd like it, anyway.

It's also called Mexican parsley. Next time you are grocery shopping and see it, pinch a tiny bit off and rub it between your fingers. The smell may remind you if you've had it. I love it!

ETA: or is it called Mexican oregano? 

Edited March 17, 2017 by Spunkygal

[Lisin]

17 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

It's also called Mexican parsley.

Yep, that too. Mexican parsley, Chinese parsley and cilantro are all the same. And as @forumfish said it's also the plant that has coriander seeds but they taste totally different. I personally love cilantro. My brother is the GM at a very popular Tex Mex restaurant that has a "famous" jalapeno ranch dressing that is chock full of cilantro and he always laughs when people who gulp that dressing down then demand the rest of their food with no cilantro because they "are allergic" and he has to be like "you just ate a crap ton, so if you're allergic we're in trouble" and then they say "well, really I just don't like it at all" and he's all "again, you just ate a bunch..." obviously if it's not already mixed into something they'll leave it out, but some of the sauces have it in them when they're made at the beginning of the day and it can't be removed. If you don't like something it's one thing, but if you're allergic it's another! I hate that people just say they're allergic when it's really just a preference thing. 

And back to TJ's I'm still sad we don't have one close to my work anymore (I moved offices) because I really miss going in there to grab fun and interesting things for lunch. 

[theredhead77]

On 3/13/2017 at 0:54 PM, wings707 said:

What?!  Their BBQ sauce is the only one without high fructose corn syrup.  This is as bad as Old Navy discontinuing my jeans!  grumble

Stubb's BBQ sauce is gluten free and doesn't contain HFCS 

http://www.stubbsbbq.com/

[Wings]

17 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

Stubb's BBQ sauce is gluten free and doesn't contain HFCS 

http://www.stubbsbbq.com/

Gluten free is not what what is crucial here.  High Fructose corn syrup, is.  Not easy to find one without it.  Stubbs doesn't have it so that is good.  I have never seen it in a store.  It is easy to swing by Trader Joe's.  

[spiderpig]

Just tried their scallion pancakes.  Put in hot oven and at last minute topped with an egg.

Very scalliony, which is fine with me because I love stinky food and hate my friends.

[Wings]

51 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Just tried their scallion pancakes.  Put in hot oven and at last minute topped with an egg.

Very scalliony, which is fine with me because I love stinky food and hate my friends.

I love scallion pancakes.  Chinese restaurants used to have them but I haven't seen them on a menu in decades.  I can't tell by your description if you liked them!  LOL

[ariel]

1 hour ago, spiderpig said:

Just tried their scallion pancakes.  

We love TJ's scallion pancakes.

ETA - now I have a craving for them.  I'll have to pick some up tomorrow.

Edited March 17, 2017 by ariel

[spiderpig]

1 hour ago, wings707 said:

I love scallion pancakes.  Chinese restaurants used to have them but I haven't seen them on a menu in decades.  I can't tell by your description if you liked them!  LOL

Oh yes I liked them indeed.  The pancakes.  Not my friends. 

[Wings]

17 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Oh yes I liked them indeed.  The pancakes.  Not my friends. 

Lol!  I have made them. Delicious.  Not difficult but a little more involved than driving 6 mins to TJs! 

[spiderpig]

3 minutes ago, wings707 said:

Lol!  I have made them. Delicious.  Not difficult but a little more involved than driving 6 mins to TJs! 

Funny thing about TJ's - Mr. pig has become an excellent shopper and loves our weekend routine of picking up our usuals.  He asks me if there is anything else and I wave him off to wait in line while I run around looking for new stuff.

Ain't love grand?

[theredhead77]

10 hours ago, wings707 said:

Gluten free is not what what is crucial here.  High Fructose corn syrup, is.  Not easy to find one without it.  Stubbs doesn't have it so that is good.  I have never seen it in a store.  It is easy to swing by Trader Joe's.  

I get it at Target, Ralph's (Kroger) or Sprouts. Target is usually the cheapest, it's around $3.50 a bottle. 

[Wings]

1 hour ago, theredhead77 said:

I get it at Target, Ralph's (Kroger) or Sprouts. Target is usually the cheapest, it's around $3.50 a bottle. 

I have a Sprouts near me.  Thanks. 

[Spunkygal]

8 hours ago, forumfish said:

Hmmm, @Lisin, if you are talking about the place I'm thinking about, their creamy jalapeno ranch is sooo yummy, I've bought it by the quart. It's one of two things I'll eat that has cilantro. The other is queso from another Tex-Mex place.

What restaurant, please? I must have some of this dressing!

[biakbiak]

35 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

What restaurant, please? I must have some of this dressing!

I assume Chuy's. You can Google recipes for it.

[Lisin]

Yep, @biakbiak and @forumfish nailed it. Chuy's creamy jalapeno is the BEST. This is the copycat recipe I use, and it's fine... good even for people who haven't had the real thing, but it's still not perfect. Thankfully there's one near me now so I can get the real stuff even though I don't live in Texas anymore. My brother says to add a little juice from the pickled jalapenos which I have to try. Maybe that's what I'm missing. 

[MargeGunderson]

@Lisin, that looks really good! I have nachos on the menu this week and think iI will try it out (even have the pickled jalapeños).

[Bastet]

I don't like Tex-Mex (Mexican, yes, please, but Tex-Mex just leaves me disappointed because there's enough similarity in flavors to make me wish I was eating the real deal, rather than letting me just enjoy it for what it is [which, interestingly, I can do with regular Americanized Mexican food]), but have been unavoidably dragged to Chuy's a few time over the years by out-of-town associates, and the jalapeño ranch is a little different from what I make when in the mood (probably from using pickled peppers rather than fresh), but it's quite good and I try to slather it on as much of my food as possible to enjoy the meal (and the too-sweet margaritas).

Back to TJ's, a friend who shops there regularly reports it has upped its wine game lately -- still nothing to get excited about, but finally some decent options for passing off low-budget wine as a tasty, moderately-priced offering (e.g. for casual art exhibits and such).  True?  If so, recommendations?  She couldn't remember wineries.

[theredhead77]

20 hours ago, forumfish said:

Back on topic, TJ's web site showed Quiche Lorraine the other day -- does anyone know if they also have Quiche Florentine? I prefer spinach to ham.

TJ's sells Quiche Florentine. It's next to the Quiche Lorraine.

TJ's sells Plats-du-Chef French onion soup. You can get a Costco size box of it, at Costco for only couple dollars more than what TJs sells it for.

[Qoass]

I used to love the coconut milk TJ's sold in the black and green can for 99 cents.  Now they have a different kind that's more expensive.  Can anybody tell me if it's comparable?  I'm not very knowledgeable about coconut milk so I want to buy one that will work in the recipes I've already tried with the previous version.

[spiderpig]

9 minutes ago, Qoass said:

I used to love the coconut milk TJ's sold in the black and green can for 99 cents.  Now they have a different kind that's more expensive.  Can anybody tell me if it's comparable?  I'm not very knowledgeable about coconut milk so I want to buy one that will work in the recipes I've already tried with the previous version.

I'm so glad you brought this up.  I looked around and around and didn't see the green can, and bought the homely brown organic kind to make my chicken curry.

(At least the can I got) was separated - part congealed and part watery liquid.  Not the same product.  I guess I could personally homogenize the new stuff, but why should I when I was happy with the old stuff?

Let me know what you think.  Meanwhile, it's back to Cost Plus for me.

[Qoass]

Well, with that kind of review, I don't think I'd buy it.  I know the black and green can was light coconut milk.  Maybe the "new" one isn't?  I'll have to check elsewhere.  I'm seeing more and more recipes that use it so I'm hopeful it will be easier to find in "regular" supermarkets.

[biakbiak]

22 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

(At least the can I got) was separated - part congealed and part watery liquid.  Not the same product.  I guess I could personally homogenize the new stuff, but why should I when I was happy with the old stuff?

It's because they stopped adding emulsifiers like guar gum, coconut milk without additives seperates.

I scoop of the top layer and saute the meat or vegetables in in place of oil and than add the rest later when I am making curries, makes for a more flavorful dish and is how my Thai and Indian friends taught me to use it. 

[spiderpig]

11 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

It's because they stopped adding emulsifiers like guar gum, coconut milk without additives seperates.

I scoop of the top layer and saute the meat or vegetables in in place of oil and than add the rest later when I am making curries, makes for a more flavorful dish and is how my Thai and Indian friends taught me to use it. 

Thanks for the info - I will do as you suggest.  (But the green can was prettier)

[Wings]

56 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Thanks for the info - I will do as you suggest.  (But the green can was prettier)

I am all about buying products at eye level in pretty packaging.  I am a retailers dream.  

[MargeGunderson]

For all you eggplant lovers, the frozen eggplant stacks make a nice, easy dinner. I picked up a package of mocha Joe-Joes, which seem to be new. I haven't tried them yet because I made Rice Krispie treats this weekend.