Tag: product review

My review of this must be prefaced by the fact that apple pie is not even my most favorite pie. Any yet, this Apple Pie Spread is easily my favorite item of the whole month. That’s how unreal it is. 

First off, it nails the buttery baked crust flavor, but no crust is present in this smooth and fruity spread. It does contain butter, but that’s not even the main player here; it’s followed up with sweet-tart apples all coated in caramelized brown sugar and sea salt to mimic a bite of homemade apple pie. It’s like you did a culinary Shrinky Dink to a whole pie that was made with love and put into spreadable form. 

Obviously put this on any and all carbs you fancy (like toast or puff pastry), but I think this spread should get to know a whole lot of other dishes, too — especially cocktails. Apple Pie Manhattans are on the menu for me, that is for sure. 

I’m held together by a long string of fun little drinks, with coffee being the most important one of all. Now it’s about to get even more fun and all kinds of autumnal with Trader Joe’s new Salted Maple Cold Foam Creamer. After one sip of this, I wanted to go buy a bunch of gourds and look up “fall tablescapes.”

So if you’re not over summer, this maple-kissed cloud of a creamer will have you getting in the fall spirit immediately — especially if you’re not of the pumpkin spice latte persuasion. The salt perks up the toffee-esque sweetness of maple syrup, and the foam itself holds its own, whether you use it on top of your next iced latte or two shots of hot espresso. It only dissolves if you really get in there and stir.

I really didn’t know how Trader Joe’s was going to stick the landing here, but by golly, the grocer has done it again. I should limit my doubting, clearly, as this loaf is going to be an MVP for any and all falltime meals. First off, the apples are plentiful. 

The initial slice I enjoyed was the “butt” of the bread, and even that was loaded with custardy, roasted cinnamon-coated apples. Those same apples play so well with the slight tang of the sourdough, which is more mellow than other TJ’s sourdough loaves, but I think that’s a plus in this case. It means these slices are going to be just at home in a buttery grilled cheese as they are in the next morning’s French toast. 

Warning! Proceed with caution; danger ahead. You heard it here first. These ultra-rich, melt-in-your-mouth truffles made a group of grown adults all agree on one thing: We must never buy these again.

This is not because they are not delicious — mostly because any and all grocery budget would then go to re-upping supply of these decadent cocoa-dusted truffles ad infinitum, and that’s just not a sound financial decision — even if they are filled with crackly bits of crunchy maple sugar. I may have dropped one or two of these into my morning cup of hot espresso “just to see what would happen,” and I think you know what happened (utter bliss). 

Riddle me this: Why aren’t all chips lattice-cut? I may never know, but these chips make a strong case for lattice being the ideal shape and cut for max-capacity chip flavor-coating. You’ll absolutely want as much of this sweet-vinegary punch of ketchup seasoning as possible, too, which comes together to form a mega-crunchy multi-layered chip with all kinds of satisfyingly savory surface area.

Imagine if a salt and vinegar chip befriended some jammy tomatoes, and that’s what Trader Joe’s achieved with this potato chip. Pop a few of these on top of your next burger or sandwich, or crackle into a potato salad or along a hot dog bun for a tasty, textural treat.

Clearly there’s some sort of Chief Carb Officer at Trader Joe’s HQ who is blessing us all with so many delicious breads from all over the world. The latest? Simit, a sesame bread from Turkey, which joins their Egyptian baladi bread that came out last month. Give that person a raise, because this crunchy, sesame-coated crown is such a hit that it made an 11-year-old boy give this one-word shout of a review: “MORE!”

The crispy outside gives way to a fluffy, airy inside with more than enough heft to hold its own when dipped into all kinds of spreads. It’s also a must-have accompaniment to a cheese board. My favorite part? How roasty-toasty the sesame seeds get, which makes the bread itself taste tahini-esque and subtly earthy. 

One thing that’s always an issue in my family come holiday time is that cooking space is at a major premium. What does this end up causing? A lot of dishes that aren’t quite the right temperature because they got booted from the oven or stovetop, or the slow cooker got unplugged. You know what’s going to save a whole lot of drama? These particular sweet potatoes that only need a quick jolt in the microwave.

These sweet potatoes could be popped into a serving dish and no one would be the wiser that they weren’t homemade. The vanilla-bean speckle is downright inspired and adds a complexity much deeper than any odd recipe that uses vanilla extract. I’d put the sweetness factor at a conservative “medium” level, which makes them a pleasing option for those who like a buttery, savory-sweet potato side as well as those who need their sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows.

It feels weird to say a cheese isn’t great, but here we are. Trader Joe’s seasonal Stilton cheeses are pretty much always a hit with me and other shoppers alike — but this creamy English cheese punctuated with pear and apple unfortunately reaches the fall-time uncanny valley that I can only describe as “tastes like candle.” I’ll catch the next Stilton bus. 

In truth, it should be a crime punishable by law to mess up something so foolproof as macaroni and cheese. Consider this review to be a warrant — especially because TJ’s frozen four-cheese macaroni and cheese is SO good. This three-cheese-boasting fresh mac is shockingly bland for all the cheeses listed on the label (Unexpected Cheddar, Parmesan, and Mild Cheddar). I was really excited for the fun noodle shape (Pipette Rigate), but what are fun noodles if the coating is dull?

What new Trader Joe’s item are you most excited about? Tell us about it in the comments below.