Price cut - Basmati Rice

Trader Joe's always has reasonable prices.  Seriously.  You can save money by shopping at TJ's.

But one thing I really respect about the store is that, every once in a while, they CUT THEIR PRICE on something.

They don't have "sales" like other stores do.  They don't have an ad in the Sunday paper like other chains.  But they keep their prices down overall, and, like this sign says, sometimes when THEIR cost goes down, they pass that savings onto you, the customer:

As they say, "When our cost goes down so does our price" - now only $2.99!

I am not naive.  I mean, obviously they are still making a profit, and I want them to!  I want them to stay in business, employing lots of people and filling my belly with (mostly) healthy, great food!!!

But man, when they can sell super delicious basmati rice for only $2.99 a bag???  Yup.  That is when I sorta worship them.  Try finding this much delicious rice for this low of a price somewhere else - it'll be tough.

Last note:  the packaging still sucks.  :)

Original review of TJ's Basmati Rice
Original review of how hard the packaging of said rice sucks:  Packaging Fail

And finally, here is how I feel about scoring a big bag of basmati for under 3 bucks!!

Price:  $2.99
Rating:  still a solid 4.5

Bollywood Popcorn

I have a new obsession from Trader Joe's; it is BOLLYWOOD POPCORN!!  Sure, at first glance Indian Popcorn might not be the exact thing you expect to quench your hunger, but for my taste buds, it is all that and a bag of chips!!

Sometimes you MUST try the new items

David's take:  "Very nice.  I think this is a successful attempt at finding something new to add to popcorn. It's a little bit CUMIN-Y, so if you don't like cumin you might not go ravenous over this.  I like how FLAVORFUL it is - it's very flavorful and that's good!  I don't think it supplant my love of cheddar flavor on popcorn, but it is very nice and successful for a different take on popcorn!  I give this a 4.25."

I hereby declare my love of Trader Joe's Bollywood Popcorn
 (and I do a little Bollywood move in the middle of Trader Joe's)

I declare - THIS IS GOOD STUFF!  The ingredients say it is flavored with vegan Tikka Masala - I say bring that tikka on!! 

Paprika, turmeric, and garlic powder are also mentioned in the ingredients (but not the cumin that David tastes so strongly, though that may well be a part of the tikka masala or the unnamed "spices").  I really like this product.  I like that it TASTES SAVORY.  Why, it doesn't just taste like a snack, it tastes kind of like a meal!  The bag says one serving is two cups and there are five servings in a bag, which seems about right.  I don't think I could eat an entire bag in one setting (though I might "have to" try, just for scientific research for this blog, of course...)

Go ahead, invest two bucks in a bag

This is definitely different than your run of the mill snack food and it's a great invention!  I was never into flavored popcorn until we first had Garrett's Chicago Style popcorn (later emulated at TJ's - 5 star review here).  I then got up enough nerve to taste TJ's Popcorn in a Pickle and liked it, too (review here).  I am glad my taste buds "matured" enough to accept flavored popcorn, because this Bollywood popcorn is a welcome addition to my snack food! 

The only negative I noticed was that your fingers get SUPER MESSY while you eat it.  I do not recommend chomping on this snack while reading a library book, cuz that can only end in you paying a fine for ruining a book.  At least, that is what I thought the first couple of times I ate Bollywood Popcorn, until I invented my NEW TECHNIQUE for eating it!  Check it out!!

THIS is how you should eat it!  No more messy fingers!!

Yup - all you have to do is put your Bollywood Popcorn in a small bowl and use your tongue to pick it up instead of your fingers!  Voila, problem solved!  (Important note:  it is recommended that each snacker have their own bowl when employing this technique, cuz, well, some people might think your tongue in their bowl is gross.) 

This is a creative product.  We went to India in May and this brings back nice memories of that trip.  Here are a couple of Indian vacation photos, plus one shot of David wearing a fun and rather lovely mask a friend him.

I love this photo of an Indian woman making coir.  We had such an inspiring time watching these women.

This man is a TODDY TOPPER!!  He climbs trees and collects "toddy" to be sold in toddy bars.
Only MEN drink in toddy bars, but I got to go in one!  Color me lucky.  (No, we didn't taste it...)

Beautiful Indian woman in her boat

David with a very famous Indian Kathakali performer

Tuk Tuk Driver in Southern India - he let DAVID try out driving the tuk tuk!!

Back in America with the new BOLLYWOOD POPCORN!

I give this Bollywood Popcorn a 4.75.  If you have an adventurous palate I recommend you grab a bag and try it out.

Price: $1.99
Rating (average of 2 raters):  4.5

Mango Tangerine Scented Candle

As you know if you read the post before this one, we just went to India.  It was our first visit there and I spent the whole time with eyes wide open in amazement at all there was to see, smell, taste, and do. 

And while we were there – IT WAS MANGO SEASON!  And when it is mango season in India – It.  Is.  Mango.  Season!!!  There are loads of different varieties of mangos there, and they are insanely delicious and juicy!! 

Mangos at Crawford Market in Mumbai, India

Anyway, we are now back in the US.  And of course, one of the first places we went upon our arrival was TRADER JOE’S.  I mean, one has to get fresh half and half for coffee, right???  But after we unpacked, did laundry, and caught up on a bit of sleep, we went back to TJ’s to see what was new and stock up on some fresh veggies, etc.

Guess what?  IT IS MANGO SEASON AT TRADER JOE’S, too!  I mean, boy HOWDY is it mango season!  The first thing we saw when we walked in the door of the Fairfax, Virginia TJ’s this sunny Saturday afternoon was a display of some new mango coconut popcorn (which of coooourse we bought but haven’t tried yet, review to come…).  Oh man, TJ’s has gone NUTS!!!  There is mango EVVVVERTYHING – mango WAFFLES, mango SHAVING CREAM, mango mini pies (we got those!), mango cereal (got it!), mango ice cream, mango mochi, mango margarita mix, mango, mango, MAAAAANGO!  Let’s just say, in Trader Joe’s terms, JUNE is to MANGO as OCTOBER is to PUMPKIN.  If you have ever stepped foot in a TJ’s in the autumn season you will know exactly what I mean.  They’ve gone a wee bit overboard in the mango department (one worker told us there were gonna be, like, 50 mango items in the Fearless Flyer….)

So this is my first of several MANGO product reviews!  Drum roll please….  May I present the MANGO TANGERINE SCENTED CANDLE!

Candle in a metal tin

This candle comes in a metal tin.  I like to buy metal tin candles in small sizes to throw in my toiletries bag when I travel.  They are great for helping out musty smelling hotel rooms.  This candle is 5.7 oz though, so is too big to be called a travel candle.  But I grabbed one anyway.  In fact, let’s not lie, I grabbed 3.  1 is for me and 2 are for gifts!

Had to take a little sniff in the store to make sure it smelled good...

Then I came right home and lit mine.  I mean, I needed to make sure it is a nice candle before GIFTING it, right???  Turns out, it is!  The scent is nice – strong without being too strong and not overly in your face mango.  It is a nice balance of the mango and tangerine – it smells fruity and summer-ish. 

Ahhhh, mango and tangerine scent filling up our house

The label tells me the wax is a natural coconut-soy blend and the wick is lead free cotton (which is not something I am concerned about, but if YOU are there ya have it, this is a fancy wick). 

So it is a nice scent, natural wax, metal tin, and fancy wick, all at only $3.99!!  That is a really reasonable price for a good candle if you ask me.

This is a good candle at a really good price - go get yourself (and a friend!) one

I hate even listing the price here, and I hope that the people I am gifting these to don’t feel like I am a cheapskate…  But I want You guys, the readers who I am not gifting these to, to realize how cheap they are and go grab 1 (or 2!) now while it is “mango season”.  Cuz you know how it goes; just like pumpkin time, Trader Joe’s won’t keep these around forever. 

Price - $3.99

Rating – 4.5

Namaste from INDIA!

Namaste from Kerala, southern India!!

We are on a vacation, celebrating my 50th birthday (which actually doesn't come until mid-June, but it never hurts to celebrate early, eh??).  We have never been to India before and have been amazed at the sights, sounds, tastes, and colors that surround us here.  We traveled through a few northern cities and have now come down south to finish out the holiday.

One thing we love to do when traveling is, you guessed it, SEE THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE!!  Here in India we have been fortunate to see some MARKETS, which are absolutely amazing.  We even went to one, Crawford Market, where they MAKE SPICES.  By that, I mean they take the spice blends that the women bring (yes, it seemed to be all women ordering them), roast them, then GRIND THEM into the types of spices you and I would expect to see in a jar on a Trader Joe's shelf.  I was fascinated and could have easily stayed at that stall for hours observing and smelling.  Heaven!

Spices, having just been roasted, now resting on a burlap bag in the sun waiting for their turn to be ground

A long queue of spices on a Sunday at the spice market, all waiting to be ground

A grinder!  These large pistons slam down very loudly onto the spices, grinding them very finely

Most people here seem to shop at markets, but I also wanted to see an Indian GROCERY STORE.  Locals never understand my desire to check out the groceries, but I really think it is a great way to learn something about a culture!!  What cookies do they eat??  What drinks?  What CONDIMENTS???  There is a lot to learn in a grocery store!!

So we popped into one in Mumbai.  Let's just say, it was NOT a Trader Joe's :).

First off, no air conditioning.  And this is the HOT season here, record highs actually.

Secondly, they have STATUES in their grocery store.  See, here is a Ghandi one!!!!!  Isn't it great?  I have never seen anything like THAT at a TJ's.

Look, a Ghandi bust in aisle 1! 

Thirdly, the sample lady was giving out WHOLE CARTONS of Greek yogurt, not little cups of it.  Oooh-la-la!!  They also took our photo after we tasted it.  David did a funny face where he was spitting some of the yogurt out as if it tasted super disgusting.  I bet they don't use THAT in their marketing campaign.

Fourthly, the snack food section had FAIRY LIGHTS over it!!!  You know the ones, the fancy twinkling Christmas lights!!!  Cuz nothing says EAT SOME CHIPS like FAIRY LIGHTS!  It was pretty fabulous.

Snacks and fairy lights, a great combination!

We were glad we persevered and figured out where the heck the hidden grocery story was.  We crossed some crazy Mumbai streets, dodging traffic, to get there, but it was worth it.

We didn't buy a bottle of "Thums Up" soda  but we probably should have, eh?