Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
The B-52 Cocktail might come in a shot glass, but don’t let this college looking drink fool you; it’s delicious and a balanced drink that is perfect for the end of the day. It has the flavors of coffee liqueur, cream liqueur, and orange liqueur that is mild in strength but pleasure to drink.
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It’s not often that I review things as basic and a half gallon of milk. Normally, I wouldn’t. But this product jumped out to me on a few different levels. First, it’s organic and grass fed (all buzzwords right now) AND for the price. Second, this half gallon set me back nearly $5 and that is a premium beyond the price of a regular half gallon and even the organic half gallon.
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If you are looking for the perfect end of evening dessert drink, then look no further than this Nuts and Berries Cocktail recipe. This only requires three simple ingredients but yields and absolutely delicious drink that has perfectly balanced flavors of nuttiness and sweet berries. I’ve also included ways to make it dairy free.
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My Chocolate Martini recipe uses three simple ingredients: vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate liqueur, and creme de cacao to make a deliciously balanced vodka martini. Modifications are listed if you wish to make this recipe dairy-free and still have the best homemade chocolate martini without the bar bill or a cab ride home.
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Basil. A common ingredient in my household. So is tea. But if you are thinking that this is just basil in tea form, you might be a bit mistaken depending on what ends up in your cart regularly. The basil I keep is the one that pairs really well with tomatoes and cheese. In reality, the one variety I use is among the 40 varieties of basil available. Tulsi or Holy Basil is a totally different variety than what you might be picking up in the fresh herb section. Now Trader Joe’s introduces those of us who might otherwise be unfamiliar to Holy Basil Tea.
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A little while back I reviewed a fun item that wasn’t too dissimilar to this Hibiscus Tea and Lemonade. It was Trader Joe’s Organic Tea and Lemonade. Essentially, what that drink was is more commonly known as an “Arnold Palmer.” Trader Joe’s Organic Cold Brewed Hibiscus Tea and Lemonade is a playful spin in a substantially smaller bottle.
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If you enjoy a fruity, but strong cocktail, then look no further than this Red Russian. It’s a stark contrast from the traditional from the more common Black Russian and White Russian that are Kalhua based. For those who enjoy a sweet and strong cocktail, this is a perfect drink. As an added bonus, if you find you are missing an ingredient, then I have you covered so you can have THE most amazing bar setup ever.
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A sweet, but not too sweet drink that is the ideal balance of pineapple, cranberry cocktail, and coconut rum. This easy beginners drink to make at home is visually stunning as your can enjoy the layered effect from this cocktail. Plus it is the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors that will remind you of summer time.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Kingslynn Green Tea looks like a new tea that is done in the same spirit as much of Trader Joe’s coffee offerings.
The cons: If you don’t like the taste of green tea, you won’t be a fan of this. This priced $2 above the organic fair trade green tea already on store shelves.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s To the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice Blend is new and capitalizes on green juice popularity.
The cons: The primary flavors are celery juice, ginger spice, and apple. For something that should be healthy, I personally wasn’t blown away by the nutritional information of this product.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Seltzer Water flavored with Lemon and Ginger Juice is one of two new seltzer flavors and if you love ginger then you might dig this.
The cons: This is very assertively gingery for something that only contains 2% juice.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Seltzer Water flavored with Cranberry and Lime Juice is one of three new seltzer waters that are quite distinct from other sparkling beverages around them.
The cons: This is pricier than the bottled sparkling water options at Trader Joe’s.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Tea and Lemonade is essentially the beverage better known as an Arnold Palmer which is a mix of lemonade and tea.
The cons: Nothing really stands out other than the obvious sugary nature of this drink.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Almond Cashew and Macadamia Nut Beverage is a new addition to a growing line of shelf stable, vegan, soy free, dairy free, and gluten-free options.
The cons: Depending on how sweet you like your nut milk might dictate how much you might end up liking this.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Matcha Almond Beverage is new to shelves. This is a half way point between a the canned matcha beverage and a matcha latte in terms of sweetness.
The cons: If you are not a matcha fan, then this is probably a flavor you can skip.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Tonic Water is sold in a six pack of small cans. If you enjoy the occasional Gin and Tonic, then this is a good item to keep near your bar.
The cons: If you like this a lot, you’ll find these six cans will get pricey quickly.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Sparkling Pressed Apple Juice Beverage is new to the canned drinks.
The cons: This was not very sparkling or delicious.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s 100% Mango Juice from Carabao Mangoes is sold in a four pack of cans. It’s good mango juice but…
The cons: Not terribly different from Trader Joe’s Mango Nectar. Since this can only be grown in the Philippines then this too is likely seasonal.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Earl Grey de la Creme is one of two new loose leaf tea blends to hit store shelves.
The cons: I found the measurements to be a bit off, but then again that comes down to personal preference. Floral nature of this tea might not work for everyone.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s When Life Gives You Lemons Loose Leaf Green Tea Blend is the perfect cold weather or “I have a cold” tea. With a touch of honey, it may become your go to tea.
The cons: This might not be a great daily tea.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Cocoa Almond Cashew Beverage is a fantastic substitute for those who can have nuts but are dairy free, soy free, gluten-free or vegan. It’s also darn good if you also want to change. This is ultra pasteurized so it is shelf stable.
The cons: Not as smooth as chocolate milk, but this isn’t a milk product. Price. This is more expensive that buying Trader Joe’s Almond Beverage by the half gallon.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Lemon Elderflower Soda is lemon soda with the added twist of fragrant elderflower. Could probably be used as a solid drink mixer.
The cons: The floral fragrance might not be for everyone.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Rhubarb and Strawberry Soda is new, actually contains rhubarb and strawberry juice and is something fun to try.
The cons: I would still reach for Trader Joe’s French Berry Lemonade to get my strawberry soda fix over this.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Almond Nog is soy free, gluten free, diary free, vegan, kosher, and seasonal. Best of all, it does a very good job of replicating the flavors that you might expect in a regular egg nog.
The cons: Why is there not a recipe on this carton to make this boozy egg nog? Isn’t that what egg nog is supposed to be about? It’s also not quite as thick as a regular nog.
The verdict: …
