Day 256 - Turkish Honey

We bought this honey in early 2015 in a LaJolla, CA Trader Joe’s.  As sometimes happened early on in this project, we would see a product in another state at a Trader Joe’s and think, “Wait!  We do not have that at our LOCAL Trader Joe’s!”.   We would be envious!!  And we would BUY said product, thinking we had scored a special gem.  Later, upon returning home and going to our local Trader Joe’s, we would inevitably find the same product on the shelf there…  In truth, most Trader Joe’s carry the same products.  There are a few local items at some stores, but 9 times out of 10 you can find the same products in different states.  (Local BEER is an exception, and some local wines as well.) 

La Jolla, CA Trader Joe's signage - cool lettering, eh?

So though we BOUGHT it early on in this project, we only recently got around to opening it.  Yes, we flew with it in a checked suitcase (couldn’t carry it in our carry on, honey is liquid) from California, put it in the cupboard, and waited months to open it.  We do not get through a ton of honey in our household so this one waited for us until another bottle was empty.

It was worth the wait!

Here is the bottle - can you see the pretty color of the honey?

I served it the other morning over Greek yogurt and peaches.  Here is what we thought of it:

David – “GREAT.  HONEY.  Smooth.  Rich.  Sweet, but not overly sweet.  And with the fabulous lingering afater-taste – no, it is really a taste at the “back end” of the experience like a Crème Caramel Brulee.  I have had many honeys, this is my favorite.  (I clarified here- your favorite of ALL THE HONEYS YOU HAVE EVER HAD IN YOUR LIFE, or of the Trader Joe’s honeys you have had, or what??)  Of all the honeys I can REMEMBER, which severely limits the field (this concept cracked us both up, because David, though he has an amaaaazing memory for the physical work in his solo shows, in general has a pretty crappy memory).   It is nice.“

Susan – This honey comes in a larger container than most honeys (1 lb 8 ounces), which worried me because, as I mentioned above, we do not get through a ton of honey.  David eats the majority of honey consumed in our house.  The last year or so I have taken to putting sugar on my yogurt (I know, I know, spreading SUGAR on yogurt immediately negates any and all health impacts the yogurt may have had…).  The “sugar on yogurt-y like food” thing is something I learned in Paris when we used to cover these little Petit Suisses with sugar.  Yummmmmy. 

Isn't is BEAUTIFUL?  Look at it pouring out - ahhhhh....  

Anyway, I was worried the container was too big for our use, but I think we will get through this one.  David loves this one so much he swears he will get through it.  We usually buy the cute little Honey BEARS, you know the ones.  But this honey is muuuuch tastier than those bears.  It is a darker, more golden color, too.  The cheaper honey bear honey is more yellow and see through.

The label says that the honey bees making this honey primarily foraged Rock Rose, Citrus, Wildflowers and Turkish Pines.  Maybe it is the PINES that give it that different taste.  It almost tastes a little bit burnt, but burnt in a GOOD WAY – a warm, nice, toasty way.  It is SWEET, but with a warm, toasty taste. 

Ahhhh- yogurt, fresh peach, and this golden  honey, what a tasty breakfast!

I like this a lot better than other honey we have had.  It is a good product and we think you should try it.

Price – $5.99

Rating - 5

Day 247 - Vodka of the Gods

Vodka of the Gods - the GODS mind you!!

We are by no means vodka experts.  David’s father used to drink a vodka tonic, one every night.  When he was going downhill in his later years we moved in with him to take care of him, and every single night we would make his vodka tonic.  I had never really had that drink before that time, but boy did I come to like them.  We would sit in the study, which was also where the television was, and watch something (sometimes “Fear Factor”) while we ate dinner off little trays and drank our vodka tonics.  Nice memories…

Mr. Gaines - the world's best father-in-law

 So when we were at Trader Joe’s in La Jolla, California earlier this spring, I was very surprised to see VODKA!!!  Our local Trader Joe’s only carry beer and wine.  California was the first TJ’s I had been to that stocked hard liquor.  So even though we knew it was ridiculous because we would have to FLY with a big ass bottle of vodka, David caved into my giggling and we put it in the cart.

LOOK!  Liquor at a Trader Joe's!!  People in California have no idea how lucky they are...

It made it home safely in our luggage (it’s a plastic bottle) and got put away in the cupboard, with the other bottles of vodka that do not get drunk.

And that is where it sat for MONTHS until recently, when I said, “Hey, let’s have a VODKA TONIC!” and pulled that puppy out.

Supplies - a vodka tonic in the making...

Like I said, we are not experts.  This vodka tasted fine to us.  It brought back good memories of Mr. Gaines (David’s dad).  But the big 1.75 liter bottle is only $10.99…  I guess what I am saying is, if you are some fancy schmancy vodka drinker who wants only the super duper exclusive stuff and looks down their nose at regular vodka, this might not be your drink.

Yes, we know that is not the "correct" glassware to drink a vodka tonic out of.  I TOLD you are not experts, didn't I?
(But really, more than that, we are rule breakers...)

But if you are like us and just want a vodka tonic that tastes good, buy a bottle!  (That is, if your store carries hard liquor.  It all depends on local regulations.)

Only $10.99

Price - $10.99

Rating – 4

Day 124 - Blister Peanuts

Let me first say that I think the name of this product is funny.  And let me also say that I am not above taking off the “pea” and just calling them “blister nuts” then giggling over the double meaning of that. 

Anyway, we saw these at the LaJolla, CA Trader Joe’s and had never noticed them at our local store before so picked up a bag.  David, a big fan of various nuts, was quite excited about the find (as you see here).

David loves NUTS (actually, he pretty much loves SNACKS...)

Turns out these are called BLISTER PEANUTS because a long time ago people soaked peanuts in water to remove the red skins before they roasted them, and that made them blister as they were roasted.  The THINGS you can learn from reading packages!  This roasting process makes them really CRUNCHY.

We liked these.  They are good to eat on their own as a snack (pair with Pepsi), and David also jazzed up a recent chicken curry by putting some on top.  They are a good amount of salty – enough to taste good but not so much you get super thirsty. 

Old fashioned looking bag for an old fashioned method of roasting nuts

If you like a good peanut you should give these a try.  David says, “Those peanuts should get extra marks, cuz Trader Joe’s is trying to find something new and different,” (which I think is funny because the concept of blister peanuts is I guess very old).

Price – $2.69

Rating - 4

Day 100 - Chicago Style Popcorn

I have made it to DAY 100 on this blog!  And for the big 100^th review I have chosen one of our very favorite new products – CHICAGO STYLE POPCORN!!!!

I am going to tell you right off the bat – this product is a solid 5 stars!!!!  We are so excited about it!

Let me explain…  My friend Amy told us once about this “delicious popcorn available in Chicago” that is a combination of caramel and cheese.  Sure, it sounds gross, but it is NOT gross.  Anyway, it is available in O’Hare Airport at a little place called Garrett Popcorn Shop.  Oh suuuuure – you can also get it at “Nuts On Clark” at O’Hare, but if you do that, you are a beginner and do not GET IT.  No – it is worth waiting in line at Garrett’s. 

Let’s just say this – once Amy told us about Chicago style popcorn at Garrett and we had tasted it, our travel changed.  We cannot go thru O’Hare now without going to Garrett and stocking up – even if it means running through a terminal to get there and back to our gate in time.  My partner David has been known to fly strange routes and accept long lay-over times JUST TO GET GARRET POPCORN (he sometimes buys straight caramel instead of the mix, but that is another topic…).  I often travel alone and if I go through Chicago I MUST stop at Garrett and bring back a bag for David.  Last time I was there I snapped a photo to text him while I was in line, and the guy in front of me did the same thing and texted it to his wife – it seems we are not the only addicts!  And I should point out – this popcorn is not cheap at Garrett, not at all.

What the WHAT???  Wheeeee!

ENTER TRADER JOE’S!!!!!  You guys – they now have CHICAGO STYLE POPCORN for only $2.99!!

Does he looked a little bit EXCITED???!!!

We were nervous…  We thought, there was no way it could be as good as Garrett’s…  I mean, when you have had the BEST, isn’t it dangerous to even try a new kind???

But it ROCKS!  It is so, so, so good!  The caramel pieces are amazing and the cheese ones, too!  There are very few “yuckies” at the bottom of the bag.  Even if you think this combination of flavors sounds disgusting I urge you to try it!  You will like it or your money back  (note:  the “money back” is from Trader Joe’s, not me.  Just take the bag back if you think it is not good and they will give you your money back with a smile.)

SO CHEAP!

There is a bit of a mystery with this product -it is exciting!!!  When we first bought it at the La Jolla, CA store, the bag said “Chicago Style Popcorn”.  Then, in New York City, they called it “Caramel and Cheese Popcorn”!!!  Same bag, same great taste, all the other artwork is the same, but the NAME is different…  So I checked at our local Trader Joe’s in Virginia and guess what – they had one bag that was named “Caramel and Cheese” and the rest were called “Chicago Style”!!  Bizarre!  I hope they stick with “Chicago Style” cuz that is a much cooler name.  Even if shoppers don’t know right away what it means, if they read the package they will get it.

The mystery of the names....

Color us happy that we don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars to fly to Chicago to get this anymore (but we will still go to Garrett’s when we are at O’Hare!).

If you would like to see some Yelp reviews of Garrett -  look here:  http://www.yelp.com/biz/garrett-popcorn-shops-chicago-17

You will find things like, “HOLY SCHNIKIES” and “WTF!” and “Have you ever found yourself with the a warped sense of morals in which it is suddenly okay to trample small children to snag the last bag of your favorite treat?”

Price - $2.99

Rating - 5

Day 89 - Head to Toe Moisturizing Balm

Yeah…  Ummmm…  Not so much…

I think I was a bit mis-lead by the NAME, but my bad for not reading the fine print before purchasing. 

But hey – we were visiting a Trader Joe’s in a city we had never been in, La Jolla, California, and I was excited to see a product I had not seen before!  So don’t be too mad at me for this incorrect purchase.

Here’s the deal – it is NAMED “Head to Toe Moisturizing Balm”.  To me, that meant like a body butter balmy sort of thing that I could use as something similar to LOTION, which I use a ton of.  Sounds perfect, right???

Pretty little tin, no??

But my first clue should have been the size of the TIN…  It is only 2 oz.    How much “head to toe moisturizing” action are you gonna get out of a mere 2 oz?? 

But really, I should have read the fine print.  Right there on the top of the tin, in teeny tiny fancy letters, it says, “This moisturizing balm works wonderfully on chapped lips, dry elbows and knees, heels, over-worked hands and cuticles.   It’s also great for fly-away hair or even fly away beard!”

Don’t get me wrong – I like a good multi-use product.  But a product you can put on your LIPS and also your HAIR seems a bit, welllll, stretching it… 

Not only does the sign say "NEW", it also says "exciting"!!  :)

So I set about TESTING it.

I have tried it on my lips – works fine.

I have tried it on my legs after shaving – it is awkward…  It is a hard balm in a tin, much like some hair goo I have had before and really liked.  It is hard to get OUT of the tin – I had to dig a finger down into the goo and pull a hunk up, then rub it between my palms before applying.  Basically, I was a gooey mess just from trying to moisturize my legs.

I tried it on my hands, but no thanks.   I mean, I USE A BOATLOAD of lotion and hand creams, but this is too gooey to be functional.  You just want to wash your hands after you get it put on, and that sort of defeats the whole purpose of having put it on in the first place, no?

And, just for the sake of this blog, I tried it on my hair.  (Oh the things I do for this blog…)  It worked quite well on my short, spiky doo. 

Not bad as a hair product!

For the record – I do not have a BEARD to try it on so I cannot attest to whether it would be good for “fly away beard” as advertised.

If you want it for a hair product, go for it.  At $3.99 it is cheaper than most.  But if you are buying it expecting to be able to actually use it from HEAD TO TOE like the name says, you are going to be disappointed.

NOTE:  This product review has an ADDENDUM!!  I found someone with an amazing mustache to help me by trying it out!  See his opinion here:  Head to Toe Moisturizing Balm Addendum
Price – $3.99

Rating – 1.5

Day 74 - Partially Popped Popcorn

We did NOT expect to like this.  We saw it on an end cap of “New Products” and we looked at one another and went, “Ewwww!”.  I mean, it bills itself as “…the little crunchies usually found in the bottom of the popcorn bowl…” – aka the WORST PART OF THE POPCORN EXPERIENCE.  I hate those bits at the bottom of the bowl, doesn’t EVERYONE?  They are hard, don’t taste good, hurt your teeth, and worst of all they break into little razor sharp bits that deposit themselves deep into the bed of your gums where they annoy the heck out of you until you get off your butt and find a toothpick or dental floss to force them out!!!  (Can you tell by my description that the bits at the bottom of the bowl are NOT my favorite part?)

Partially Popped Pop Corn??  David's teeth hurt jusst THINKING ABOUT EATING IT!

Anyway, the description on the back of this bag goes on to say that these bits have, “…a texture that makes them almost addictive and easier on the jaw”.  Hmmmm, color me a doubter on this one…

But we need to try loads of Trader Joe’s products this year – reviewing one per day requires COMMITMENT, folks.  And like they say, in for a penny, in for a pound!  So, we needed to try this.  We asked a Trader Joe’s associate if she had tried it yet, she hadn’t and she sort of wrinkled up her nose and agreed with us that the premise sounded bad…  However, as Trader Joe’s employees are wont to do, she offered to OPEN A BAG SO WE COULD TRY IT!  Yuppers – right there in the store. 

And try we did (as did she).  Turns out – THESE LITTLE SUCKERS ARE GOOD!  They are CRUNCY but not tooth-hurting crunchy.  They taste GOOD.  And they somehow managed to eliminate the little bits that love to get stuck between your teeth!   We put a bag in our cart – sold!! 

La Jolla, CA Trader Joe's sign - each store has an in-house artist to make signage so your sign will look different than this one

We soon found a terrific pairing for this snack – beer!  We snuck the bag into a craft brewery in La Jolla, CA and ate Partially Popped Popcorn with beer – yummmm!  They almost have a “corn nut” flavor (which got me to thinking, “I haven’t had corn nuts in years.  In fact, what IS a corn nut????” – this deep thought may have been because of the beer…).  One negative thing about these – they are made with butter and sea salt, and that really sticks to your fingers.  But heck – just lick ‘em off when you are done!

I highly recommend you pick a bag of these up and TRY THEM.  We are now on our second bag!    If you get them and do not like them, remember, you can always return the opened bag and Trader Joe’s will happily refund your money.  Seriously, they give you no grief about returning a product.  (But I don’t think you will return this one because they are delicious.)

Price – $2.49

Rating – 4.75