Organic Fair Trade Sumatra

Rating:
Price: $7.99 (14 Oz, 100% Arabica, whole bean)
Features: Supposed "Full Bodied Earthy & Robust Flavor"
Found in: Coffee

 I remember not being particularly impressed by this coffee some time ago, but I decided to give it a second try before making up my mind. After brewing pots of this for the past few weeks, I have concluded that it really is unimpressive. I don't find the flavor to be full bodied, earthy, or robust. To me, it simply tastes flat - no high or low notes to remark on. It's not bad coffee per se, but there are plenty of more satisfying Fair Trade & Organic options available at Trader Joe's. I generally enjoy a nice deep Sumatra, but this is not the one for me.

Green & Yellow Beans

Rating:
Price: $2.99
Features: Washed and trimmed, microwave in bag
Found in: Prepared veggie refrigerator case

There isn't much to be said about this bag-o-beans. They taste ok, and you can just toss them in the microwave in the bag for a few minutes and they are ready to eat. The price is a little steep, but you are paying for convenience. I do enjoy a product which allows me to integrate a Bohnanza reference though! Trade you two wax for a green?!?

Trader Joe-san's Selected Sake from Japan

Rating:
Price: $10.99 (720 ml, 15% ABV)
Features: Better served cold than hot (unfortunately for me); blessings of God

Found in: Desert wine section...not sure where else it would go I suppose.

"Ahh, a nice cup of warm sake would be just the thing to relax with on this awful stormy evening, and a nice excuse to review another TJ's product" I think to myself. Enter Trader Joe-san's Selected Sake from Japan. The bottle looks fancy with its foil top and tuxedo-vest-like label. Below it states:

Junmai Ginjo Sake is a specially reserved connoisseur class of sake using certified sake rice that has been polished away to 45% of it's original size. This is a supplement-free product of which only "Koji", the blessings of God has been added. May it bring happiness to you.

 Wow, good times. I eagerly heated up a cup of the sake. I'm no connoisseur class of sake drinker, so maybe my tastes are just not refined, but once warm this sake has some serious alcohol fumes coming off it. Far more than others I have tried if, memory serves me correctly. I found it difficult to get my nose close enough to the cup with all the fumes rising up to be able to take a sip, and then I got mostly an alcohol taste as well. So, that was a disappointing experience. Now there is such strong wind outside I'm afraid the house will blow down, so maybe the strong sake isn't all a bust.

Ok, the bottle does say to serve it cold, but it seems like all sakes say that. And yes, I had a few sips of it slightly chilled and it is much smoother and has that soft sake flavor I was seeking. It is enjoyable when cool, but I wish it could be served warm on cold nights as well, and I feel like TJ's should have a decent sake for less than $11.00 per bottle. If you are into sake and you have an opinion on this Junmai Ginjo, let's hear it in the comments!

Charles Shaw Downunder 2008 Chardonnay

Rating:
Price: $2.99
Features: Tastes sweet and alcoholic. Other flavors undetectable.
Found in: The middle of the Charles Shaw wine display

I have been curious to try the new and exciting Charles Shaw from Downunder (there are some excellent wines from Australia ya' know). Well, I was not expecting excellence for three dollars, but I have found other CS wines to deliver unexpectedly decent taste at a low price (except the Syrah...ugh).

This one managed to disappoint in the taste department. It was super sweet on the first sip, then I began to notice more twinges of a dry alcoholic taste. I sniffed, I swirled, I tried again, but still the same result. Actually, I don't think I would be able to sniff out the difference between a glass of water with a few drops of vodka in it and a glass of this Chardonnay. Very much underwhelming. At least give me some citrus, or melon, or something to work with!

I'm not going to run into the store with the remaining half bottle and demand my $2.99 back, but I won't be buying it again.

While we are here it is worth mentioning another disappointing item I prepared for dinner tonight: TJ's "fresh from the sea" (previously frozen but sold thawed) wild salmon fillets. This fish was not very fresh (smelled quite fishy), nor was is the highest quality salmon (looked pretty beaten up actually). I drenched it in teriyaki sauce and cooked the heck out of it and it was edible, but not good. The fish didn't have as much natural fat and oil in it as salmon usually does, so it did not cook up soft and flaky. Maybe this will work for people buying seafood at TJ's in Kansas, but here in the Pacific Northwest you are going to have to do one heck of a lot better than that for $10.99 a pound. One serious 1-star fish experience.

Nutty Chocolate Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars

Rating:
Price: $1.99 (6 bars)
Features: Partially organic, should be more thrilling
Found in: Granola Bars

Something about these bars is always a disappointment to me. Well, maybe not a full on disappointment, but I always expect better and then I am let down when I eat it. I guess that defines disappointment...whatever. Let's just say they could be so much better, but they aren't.

Let's see if I can quantify what I'm always looking for but never getting. The let down really starts with the chocolate. There's nothing quite like a generally "healthy" snack item that gets dipped in chocolate. Good times! Except this chocolate doesn't make the cut. It's kinda sweet, maybe a little waxy, not that chocolaty. So that brings me to the nutty part. Here again I encounter a very muted attempt at bringing in the full peanut ensemble. Sure, there are crunchy little bits of nuts, but they have more texture than taste. I want to taste peanuts, peanut butter, and chocolate. I get: Overly sweet and chewy with crunchy bits. Just not what I want out of them.

Funny, I keep buying these and I keep getting annoyed that they are not as good as they should be. I got this box because every other type of granola bar was out of stock, and I needed something to take to work. They do function as a snack to give you energy, but not the chocolate dipped "healthy" snack that tastes like a candy bar you think you are getting away with.

Scalloped Potatoes with Quattro Formaggio

Rating:
Price: $3.99
Features: Contains 4 different cheeses, somehow doesn't taste very cheesy.
Found in: Refrigerated prepared foods section

I can think of a number of things that don't thrill me about this product, and one semi-positive thing to say. Let's get that one thing out of the way right now: This scalloped potato dish is refrigerated as opposed to frozen, so it microwaves in 6 minutes rather than 25 minutes.

On the other hand, I found this dish to be rather bland, especially considering all the trumpeting about the four different cheeses it contains. I expected a medium to strong cheese flavor, but instead I tasted... "blah." At $3.99 per small dish, I didn't feel this product delivered nearly as much value as many TJ's items do. One package was barely enough to serve four people as a second side dish along with a main course, veggies, and a salad.

The bland and unimpressive taste of these potatoes makes them not worth the large dose of fat, saturated fat, and salt in each serving. I've made a potato gratin before with cream, cheese, and bacon.
Healthy? No.
Tasted like it was full of cream, cheese, and bacon? Heck yes!
Good and hearty? You bet!

So, you want scalloped potatoes or a delicious gratin? Why not just make your own and serve it as the main dish? People will be much more impressed, and I am willing to bet you can make a heartier dish for less than $1.00 per tiny serving.

Eggplant Hummus

Rating:
Price: $2.19
Features: Not that impressive
Found in: Refrigerated section

Since both hummus and baba ganoush are delicious on their own, I thought TJ's might be on to something by striking a happy combination of the two in this Eggplant Hummus. Sadly, not the case - I recommend sticking with either one or the other - and we know the regular hummus from Trader Joe's is a steal, so go with that!

This stuff will work as a dip for chips or veggies, or a spread for pita bread (as demonstrated in the photo) . The eggplant flavor is subtle, if you can detect it at all. The 'mates and I agree that it doesn't have the flavor and kick of the plain hummus, which we all devour frequently.

So, not the best, and maybe I really should have given it just two stars, but it was only $2.19, so it was worth a try and an extra half star for value. I know, I'm a sucker for a deal.

----------------
Now playing: Slightly Stoopid - No Cocaine
via FoxyTunes