I've been shopping at Trader Joe's ever since they
opened up around here, and I thought I knew all of
their good food. But recently I've run across three
items that I passed by for years, but recently learned
are very nice.

Kipper Fillets Smoked Herring -- this is some of the
best kippered herring I've ever had. There was a
Canadian brand I like as well, but I forget which
it was (except that it was NOT Brunswick). This is
a better value, a big can, 4.4 oz. drained weight,
for $1.99. It's wild-caught, from Germany. Good
appearance, good texture, good flavor. And the
liquid part is good, too.

Roasted Piquillo Peppers -- very similar to roasted
red peppers, but smaller and more flavor. The jar
is smaller than the jar of roasted red peppers right
next to it on the shelf, but it has a higher drained
weight, 7.7 oz., presumably because it's packed
tighter. I've forgotten what it cost, but I think
it was $1.99.

Pesto alla Genovese -- a jarred pesto not as good
as homemade or a fresh refrigerated pesto. I was
surprised to see potatoes as the third ingredient
on the list. The aroma has a slight sulfurous note
which is to be expected from a jarred or canned
product. It's also saltier than I'm used to.
But it's darned convenient, and I get three or
four servings out of it when I use it generously.
It keeps well in the fridge, probably because of
all that salt. I believe it cost $2.69 for the
6.7 oz. jar. I mostly use it in my pesto
quesadillas, where it works quite well. I can
make four full-size or eight half-size quesadillas
with one jar. I use two 9-inch tortillas to make
a full-size quesadilla, or one tortilla folded over
to make a half-size. Any white melting cheese can
be used like mozarella, but I prefer the Rumiano
brand habanero pepper jack which sells for $4.99
a pound at Whole Foods. It's probably the only
good deal WF has on cheese in the whole store.
(Of course, if their evil CEO John Mackey discovers
it, he'll probably raise the price or get rid of it.)

Of course, I don't buy cheese at Trader Joe's.
For some reason, when Trader Joe's wraps and displays
cheese, it acquires an off-flavor -- a sort of
chemical flavor. After throwing away a couple
blocks of cheese like that, I decided never to
buy cheese at Trader Joe's again. I think it has
to do with the plastic wrap they use -- either the
flavor is coming from the plastic, or it is not an
adequate barrier against flavors being picked up
while in the display.

Mark Thorson wrote:
<snip>
> Roasted Piquillo Peppers -- very similar to roasted
> red peppers, but smaller and more flavor. The jar
> is smaller than the jar of roasted red peppers right
> next to it on the shelf, but it has a higher drained
> weight, 7.7 oz., presumably because it's packed
> tighter. I've forgotten what it cost, but I think
> it was $1.99.
<snip>

Are these vinegary? There's a pasta salad that I rather like that
involves olive oil, plenty of these peppers (chopped or otherwise
mutilated), pepper, pasta, and chunks of feta cheese. It is quite
piquant and tasty.

--
Jean B.

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> Mark Thorson wrote:
> <snip>
> > Roasted Piquillo Peppers -- very similar to roasted
> > red peppers, but smaller and more flavor. The jar
> > is smaller than the jar of roasted red peppers right
> > next to it on the shelf, but it has a higher drained
> > weight, 7.7 oz., presumably because it's packed
> > tighter. I've forgotten what it cost, but I think
> > it was $1.99.
> <snip>
>
> Are these vinegary? There's a pasta salad that I rather like that
> involves olive oil, plenty of these peppers (chopped or otherwise
> mutilated), pepper, pasta, and chunks of feta cheese. It is quite
> piquant and tasty.

No, not vinegary at all. No vinegar in the
ingredients. The liquid they are packed with
is very similar to what runs out from home-made
roasted red peppers, except there's more. This
liquid has good pepper flavor (not hot) and is
slightly viscous.

Mark Thorson wrote:
> "Jean B." wrote:
>> Mark Thorson wrote:
>> <snip>
>>> Roasted Piquillo Peppers -- very similar to roasted
>>> red peppers, but smaller and more flavor. The jar
>>> is smaller than the jar of roasted red peppers right
>>> next to it on the shelf, but it has a higher drained
>>> weight, 7.7 oz., presumably because it's packed
>>> tighter. I've forgotten what it cost, but I think
>>> it was $1.99.
>> <snip>
>>
>> Are these vinegary? There's a pasta salad that I rather like that
>> involves olive oil, plenty of these peppers (chopped or otherwise
>> mutilated), pepper, pasta, and chunks of feta cheese. It is quite
>> piquant and tasty.
>
> No, not vinegary at all. No vinegar in the
> ingredients. The liquid they are packed with
> is very similar to what runs out from home-made
> roasted red peppers, except there's more. This
> liquid has good pepper flavor (not hot) and is
> slightly viscous.

Thanks. I suspected that was the case, from your initial
description.

--
Jean B.

On Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:14:30 -0700, Mark Thorson wrote:

> I've been shopping at Trader Joe's ever since they
> opened up around here,

Pruneyard in Campbell - 1994. And the former Liquor Barn behind
Toy's 'R Us (Sunnyvale, 1998).

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
>
> On Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:14:30 -0700, Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> > I've been shopping at Trader Joe's ever since they
> > opened up around here,
>
> Pruneyard in Campbell - 1994. And the former Liquor Barn behind
> Toy's 'R Us (Sunnyvale, 1998).

Not that long. The Sunnyvale one is next to
Orchard Supply now.

I started at the one near Lawrence and Prospect.
I don't remember when they opened.

Today, there's a Smart & Final right next door,
which is useful for certain commodities.
You'd think that some marketing guys came up
with the name. An odd fact is that Smart & Final
are the names of two people, Jim Smart and
Hildane Final.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_%26_Final

They bought the predecessor company in 1914, and
changed the name. The company is about 138 years
old, which is unusual for a company which started
in California and continues to do most of its
business in California.

On Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:48:54 -0700, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>Today, there's a Smart & Final right next door,
>which is useful for certain commodities.
>You'd think that some marketing guys came up
>with the name. An odd fact is that Smart & Final
>are the names of two people, Jim Smart and
>Hildane Final.
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_%26_Final
>
>They bought the predecessor company in 1914, and
>changed the name. The company is about 138 years
>old, which is unusual for a company which started
>in California and continues to do most of its
>business in California.

HA! I had no idea Smart & Final was that old and thought the name was
just some marketing executive's brain child. I see Old Man Smart is
from Michigan. Maybe that's what happened to my great, great
grandpa... the one who went West and was never heard from again.

Mark Thorson > wrote in message
...
[snip]
> I started at the one near Lawrence and Prospect.
> I don't remember when they opened.
>
> Today, there's a Smart & Final right next door,
> which is useful for certain commodities.
[snip]

Minor nit: Smart & Final was there LONG before Trader Joe's went in. Do you
remember Payless? S&F was buddied up along side that stretch during that
time...

The Ranger

The Ranger wrote:
>
> Mark Thorson > wrote in message
> ...
> [snip]
> > I started at the one near Lawrence and Prospect.
> > I don't remember when they opened.
> >
> > Today, there's a Smart & Final right next door,
> > which is useful for certain commodities.
> [snip]
>
> Minor nit: Smart & Final was there LONG before Trader Joe's went in. Do you
> remember Payless? S&F was buddied up along side that stretch during that
> time...

And before that, wasn't it Thrifty? I remember
they had ice cream cones for like 10 cents,
which was a clever way of drawing in people
with children.

On Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:42:46 -0700, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>And before that, wasn't it Thrifty? I remember
>they had ice cream cones for like 10 cents,
>which was a clever way of drawing in people
>with children.

Thrifty was bought by Rite Aide. Rite Aide kept their ice cream and I
saw other Thrifty products there too. As of the moment, we have no
Ride Aide left in San Francisco. Walgreens has taken over most of the
locations. Unfortunately, the huge one near us is still sitting
empty. Probably because there are two Walgreens within easy walking
distance in either direction.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Mark Thorson > wrote in message
...
> The Ranger wrote:
>> Mark Thorson > wrote in message
>> ...
>> [snip]
>> > I started at the one near Lawrence and Prospect.
>> > I don't remember when they opened.
>> >
>> > Today, there's a Smart & Final right next door,
>> > which is useful for certain commodities.
>> [snip]
>>
>> Minor nit: Smart & Final was there LONG before Trader Joe's went in. Do
>> you
>> remember Payless? S&F was buddied up along side that stretch during that
>> time...
>
> And before that, wasn't it Thrifty? I remember
> they had ice cream cones for like 10 cents,
> which was a clever way of drawing in people
> with children.

I believe Thrifty Drugs was across the street in Westgate Mall, down by the
Montgomery Wards anchor. Smart & Final was filling a portion of the Liquor
Barn stop, which is now PW. <sigh> I wish someone had snapped a picture of
that combined strip mall. Westgate West and West Valley malls were WAY
different after Bob's Big Boy closed and they leveled almost everything
giving the entire area its much-needed facelift.

The one that would "remember the area is my mother-in-law. She has a memory
for this stuff like an oiled steel trap. She new most of the owners on a
first-name basis and was one of those regulars that got invited to special
events - business and personal.

The "Nostalgic" Ranger

Sqwertz wrote:
> Mark Thorson wrote:
>
>> I've been shopping at Trader Joe's ever since they
>> opened up around here,
>
> Pruneyard in Campbell - 1994.

Arroyo Blvd Pasadena, 1976.

On Sep 8, 9:47*am, Doug Freyburger > wrote:
> Sqwertz wrote:
> > Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> >> I've been shopping at Trader Joe's ever since they
> >> opened up around here,
>
> > Pruneyard in Campbell - 1994.
>
> Arroyo Blvd Pasadena, 1976.

arroyo blvd in pasadena, & the original in south pasadena...circa 1973

On Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:13:33 -0700 (PDT), critters & me in azusa, ca
wrote:

> On Sep 8, 9:47*am, Doug Freyburger > wrote:
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>
>>>> I've been shopping at Trader Joe's ever since they
>>>> opened up around here,
>>
>>> Pruneyard in Campbell - 1994.
>>
>> Arroyo Blvd Pasadena, 1976.
>
> arroyo blvd in pasadena, & the original in south pasadena...circa 1973


Yes, but they didn't have Trader Juan, Trader Chan, and Trader
Giotto back then, too? (Do they still use those wonky names or did
the PC police put a stop to that?)

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
> critters & me in azusa, ca wrote:
>> Doug Freyburger > wrote:
>
>>> Arroyo Blvd Pasadena, 1976.
>
>> arroyo blvd in pasadena, & the original in south pasadena...circa 1973

For the first year I knew it was a chain because of their
Fearless Flyer ad magazines but I didn't know which store
was the original. When I went to the So Pas one because
it was original it didn't seem any better to me.

That plus being in So Pas and the city's lawsuit to keep
the freeway from going through I didn't like spending a
cent in the city so I avoided retail there. Except the
popcorn at the Rialto Theatre ...

> Yes, but they didn't have Trader Juan, Trader Chan, and Trader
> Giotto back then, too? (Do they still use those wonky names or did
> the PC police put a stop to that?)

Ah the old Fearless Flyer ad magazines. I still see them
for pick up at the stores near me. I loved the stories
of where they found various items that would appear in the
stores once and then never be there again.

The most recent item I've liked at TJ - Greek style yogurt.
More dense than other styles of yogurt. Very rich.

On Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:14:30 -0700, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>Of course, I don't buy cheese at Trader Joe's.
>For some reason, when Trader Joe's wraps and displays
>cheese, it acquires an off-flavor -- a sort of
>chemical flavor. After throwing away a couple
>blocks of cheese like that, I decided never to
>buy cheese at Trader Joe's again. I think it has
>to do with the plastic wrap they use -- either the
>flavor is coming from the plastic, or it is not an
>adequate barrier against flavors being picked up
>while in the display.

Wow! You have quite a sensitive palate, I've never noticed that.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Sep 7, 5:14*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> I've been shopping at Trader Joe's ever since they
> opened up around here, and I thought I knew all of
> their good food. *But recently I've run across three
> items that I passed by for years, but recently learned
> are very nice.
>
> Kipper Fillets Smoked Herring -- this is some of the
> best kippered herring I've ever had. *There was a
> Canadian brand I like as well, but I forget which
> it was (except that it was NOT Brunswick). *This is
> a better value, a big can, 4.4 oz. drained weight,
> for $1.99. *It's wild-caught, from Germany. *Good
> appearance, good texture, good flavor. *And the
> liquid part is good, too.
>
> Roasted Piquillo Peppers -- very similar to roasted
> red peppers, but smaller and more flavor. *The jar
> is smaller than the jar of roasted red peppers right
> next to it on the shelf, but it has a higher drained
> weight, 7.7 oz., presumably because it's packed
> tighter. *I've forgotten what it cost, but I think
> it was $1.99.
>
> Pesto alla Genovese -- a jarred pesto not as good
> as homemade or a fresh refrigerated pesto. *I was
> surprised to see potatoes as the third ingredient
> on the list. *The aroma has a slight sulfurous note
> which is to be expected from a jarred or canned
> product. *It's also saltier than I'm used to.
> But it's darned convenient, and I get three or
> four servings out of it when I use it generously.
> It keeps well in the fridge, probably because of
> all that salt. *I believe it cost $2.69 for the
> 6.7 oz. jar. *I mostly use it in my pesto
> quesadillas, where it works quite well. *I can
> make four full-size or eight half-size quesadillas
> with one jar. *I use two 9-inch tortillas to make
> a full-size quesadilla, or one tortilla folded over
> to make a half-size. *Any white melting cheese can
> be used like mozarella, but I prefer the Rumiano
> brand habanero pepper jack which sells for $4.99
> a pound at Whole Foods. *It's probably the only
> good deal WF has on cheese in the whole store.
> (Of course, if their evil CEO John Mackey discovers
> it, he'll probably raise the price or get rid of it.)
>
> Of course, I don't buy cheese at Trader Joe's.
> For some reason, when Trader Joe's wraps and displays
> cheese, it acquires an off-flavor -- a sort of
> chemical flavor. *After throwing away a couple
> blocks of cheese like that, I decided never to
> buy cheese at Trader Joe's again. *I think it has
> to do with the plastic wrap they use -- either the
> flavor is coming from the plastic, or it is not an
> adequate barrier against flavors being picked up
> while in the display.

That's interesting about the cheese, as I love their stuff. Good
prices, too, IMHO.

Kris

I didn't think to look for kipper snaks at TJs. I like it best on Kavli
hearty rye crispbread.

That pesto is excellent. It's replaced my homemade for convenience and cost
NOT flavor (but close enough).

I like the sandwich sliced mild cheddar cheese. I wish they'd make half
packs, as rarely as I use it.

The netted bags of avocados are excellent. I've rarely had a rotten one.
Trouble is, they all ripen at once, so for a couple days, everything has
avocado on it. Not that that's a BAD thing! :9

Their boxed thin crust pizza margherita (recommended here at rfc, I forget
who to credit) is quick and delicious.

Their frozen fish section is very good. I buy the wild caught mahi mahi
filets mostly.

The frozen organic microwavable brown rice (in 2 cup bags is done in 3
minutes) is easy and delicious if you're not adverse to saving a little
time and not cleaning a sauce pan!

The red (med-hot) and green (mild) salsas are the right heats for me. I use
them for dipping baked chicken, etc.

The Hawaiian potato chips are a rare treat. They're either extra thick or
twice fried -- very sturdy and crunchy! They can easily sub for tortillas
for dips, etc. Downside: very salty.

Trader Joe's O's (the Cheerios clone) is the better natural choice, imho.

Many other good least- or non-processed products I enjoy. That's TJ's major
attraction, imho.

Only minor complaint is the products vary by the different regions they
serve. To what extent I don't know.

Best,

Andy
--
I'm no longer a danger to society.

"Andy" wrote:
>
> The netted bags of avocados are excellent. I've rarely had a rotten one.
> Trouble is, they all ripen at once, so for a couple days, everything has
> avocado on it. Not that that's a BAD thing! :9
>
>
Placing avocados in the fridge (up to three days) retards ripening.
http://www.avocado.org/about/fruit-selection

brooklyn1 said...

> "Andy" wrote:
>>
>> The netted bags of avocados are excellent. I've rarely had a rotten one.
>> Trouble is, they all ripen at once, so for a couple days, everything has
>> avocado on it. Not that that's a BAD thing! :9
>>
>>
> Placing avocados in the fridge (up to three days) retards ripening.
> http://www.avocado.org/about/fruit-selection


"When selecting an avocado, look for the Fresh California Avocado Brand,
your assurance that the fruit was grown under the best conditions
possible."

HA!!!

Uncle had an avocado tree in his backyard in Kalifornia.

The TJs net sacks only contain four mediums. If overripe, they become guac.

Andy