Tilapia Citronette

Rating:
Price: $6.99

Features: Super citrusy sauce
Found in: Frozen seafood

These "marinated Tilapia fillets with grilled asparagus and sliced carrots" were pretty good. The lemon butter sauce has quite the citrus zing to it, and permeates the whole dish. The minimal amounts of asparagus and carrots seem like an afterthought, something thrown on there to give it a little color.

The good: Tastes good - gives a plain fish some powerful flavor, easily enough fish for two people in each package, Tilapia stands up well to being frozen - so the fish is still firm and hearty.

The not-so-good: This dish took nearly twice as long to cook in the oven as the package suggested - I want my dinner now! Not a surprise that a thick block of frozen fish takes more than 20 mins at 400 degrees. I feel like frozen Tilapia should be cheaper...even if you do get a fair amount.

The bottom line: I might buy this again if I want something easy for two people. I did like the intense lemon flavor. I'll just keep in mind that it may take some time to cook unless I want partially frozen fish on my plate.

Fair Trade Organic Bolivian Blend

Rating:
Price: $6.49 (14 Oz)
Features: One of the best Trader Joe's coffees, just the right roast!
Found in: Coffee / tea aisle

I bought TJ's Bolivian Blend because it was the cheapest organic & fair trade option. I figured it would be decent, but didn't expect it to be excellent. Well, I was wrong there! This is easily one of the best Trader Joe's coffees, and certainly the best organic fair trade TJ's coffee blend.

The "medium dark roast" is perfect for my tastes. It strikes a nice balance between the rich smokey flavors developed in a darker roast (without tasting burned), preserves the more complex sweet and spicy flavors of a lighter roast, but isn't overly acidic (which can be a problem for the lighter roasts at TJ's). The result is a very smooth drinking brew with a distinct sweet caramel flavor. I'm drinking a cup straight out of the french press as I write. Usually I go for the cream to smooth things out, but I don't even miss it with this coffee! (It is also great with cream, don't worry.)

Here is what Trader Joe has to say about this blend:

Trader Joe's Bolivian Blend Coffee is a fair trade coffee that is sourced from small family farms in the land located between the peaks of the Andes and the Amazon Basin - the heart of Bolivian coffee country. This region has the ideal growing conditions for this unique, perfectly balanced coffee. Our Bolivian Blend is a medium-dark roast with a smooth textured body, delicate acidity, and sweet flavor and caramel characteristics.

Well, that explains why it is so good. Here is a tantalizing shot of a steaming fresh cup. Go get some!