Thursday, September 7, 2006

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My top five foods at Trader Joe's

One of the major perks of moving from the south side of Chicago to the west Boston suburbs is that even during rush hour, we are now less than 10 minutes away from Trader Joe's.

In an ode to the store, Laura McKenna recently posted her top 5 favorite foods to get there. While I respect Laura's opinion on a great many matters, I fear that my list is very different from hers.

Without further ado:

1) Chocolate-covered espresso beans. Sweet Jesus, are they decadent. After many years of struggle and toil, my wife and I only consume these delectibles on the rarest of occasions. In a perfect world, however, I could scarf these things down every ten minutes with zero effect on my metabolism and BMI.

2) Cuban-style black beans. Steam some rice, saute some onions, and heat these up -- you have a tasty side dish in no time.

3) Lemonade. The perfect equipoise between sweet and tart, and a great treat during the summer.

4) Frozen mushroom medley. Here I'll give a nod to Laura and say that for convenience's sake, having a bage of these in the freezer is good when there is a sudden emergency for a mushroom stir-fry.

5) The rosemary-seasoned lamb roast. It's because of this product that my son once said, "There's nothing like some nice, cold lamb for dinner!"

Now, if my children were doing this list, the Annie's Mac and Cheese and the frozen chicken nuggets would also be making appearances.

posted by Dan on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM




Comments:

I recently got a nice note from the CEO of Annie's Mac and Cheese. He was really pleased that I had name dropped his company in a post, so he sent me a large box of other products. Maybe someone at Trader Joes will send us some frozen burritos and chocolate-covered espresso beans. I'm all about selling out.

posted by: laura McKenna on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



My 1 1/2 year old son has virtually lived on the fish sticks, crab cakes, chicken nuggets, and shrimp for dinner the past few months, and their $7-10 wines are a great deal--much better than the discount wine bins at most Boston area liquor stores.

posted by: Bill on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Trader Joe's Green Chile Burrito's and various salsa's are to die for.

posted by: Joe on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



There have been a couple of times where I've eaten an entire container of their chocolate-covered espresso beans and only noticed it about a half an hour later. I think they're the only things that actually give me a caffeine buzz!

And I agree with Bill on the wines... TJ's also has some good picks in the higher price ranges, too.

posted by: Michael Plouffe on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



If there's a more perfect foodstuff than chocolate-covered espresso beans, I don't know what it is.

In a perfect world, however, I could scarf these things down every ten minutes with zero effect on my metabolism and BMI.

But the metabolism effect makes you feel sooo goood, man...

Hm. Now that I think about it, these might be a good solution to the perennial problem that I can't carry cups of coffee in the pockets of my sports jacket. I should go stock up.

posted by: Jacob T. Levy on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Careful eating coffee beans - eating too many is a good way to get gum disease.

posted by: trader joe on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Barbarians, the lot of you.

Fruit Jellies rule.

posted by: Achillea on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Trader Joe's Frozen Gyoza (Potstickers or Dumplings for the laypersons among us) is on my list. As well ast he Green Chili Verde, which is to die for (no seriously, I almost collapsed after mixing it with cornmeal they sell in the bread isle).

For sauces, try the Thai Peanut Sauce. Mix it on anything and everything!

posted by: Eric Blagadoush on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



They currently have some good cheese selections--a Welsh cheddar with mustard seeds, Port Salut, and some good Irish cheddar and Emmentaler, also some good German Rohschinken to go with any of the above. Their veggies and baked goods aren't so good. Good deal for eggs and dairy. Big fan of their Tanzanian Peaberry coffee and the Alsatian tart (i.e. Flammenkuechen). Their wines can be hit or miss, but that's better than a lot of places--where else can I get an OK Meursault for under a zillion bucks? And that almond butter....

posted by: Chris R on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



There have been a couple of times where I've eaten an entire container of their chocolate-covered espresso beans and only noticed it about a half an hour later. I think they're the only things that actually give me a caffeine buzz!

A vendor sent some to the company I work for as part of a christmas gift one year (lots of pepperidge farms cookies, various chocolates, that kind of thing).

The chocolate espresso beans were very popular with the IT department, which promptly siezed the bowl and spent most of the rest of the day playing Quake 3. We used them as a handicap- get a kill, eat a bean. Eventually, the skill differential evened out... ah, good times.

posted by: rosignol on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



among my faves are the jalepeno blue cornbread mix, and the Thai veggie gyoza. That place rules.

posted by: SAL on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Trader Joe's products make me think of episodes in my love life. The similarity is this: you get to know, even love a product, and then suddenly -wham- it's off the shelves and hasn't even left a forwarding address. If they can't sell it better or cheaper, they pull it. So if you find a non-perishable product at TJ's you love, hoard!

posted by: Elliot Essman on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



nobody's mentioned 3-buck chuck? *7* dollars for a bottle of wine? whoa, big spenders in this crowd.

posted by: david on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Thai red curry with tuna, in a boilable bag.

Mmmm, campin' food.

Likewise, the Indian curry simmer sauces.

posted by: Sigivald on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



chili spiced mango strips

Same as salt & vinegar chips, sounds weird, but strangely addictive.

posted by: Fabio Rojas on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Chocolate covered bananas.

posted by: Stan on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Honey, how could you forget about Gerolsteiner?

posted by: Erika Drezner on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



You must try the gorgonzola-walnut stuffed frozen ravioli.

posted by: Tim on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Praline pecans.

posted by: h on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]



Triple Ginger Snaps. I live in Nebraska; closest Trader Joes to me are Chicago and St. Louis, both eight hours away.

Anyone remember the freak storm this summer that blew part of the roof off the St. Louis Airport? I was doing my six-month-stockup at Trader Joe's in St. Louis when the power went out as a result of that storm, and nearly freaked. Luckily, the store generator kept the cash registers going just long enough for me to pay, whereupon I pushed my cookie- and (three)Buck Chuck-laden cart out into the tornado and motored happily away.

posted by: John Fulwider on 09.07.06 at 02:46 PM [permalink]






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