Trader Joe's

By Mary

A few years ago while visiting my friends, Dave and Cindy, in Gilbert, AZ, Cindy and I went to Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's is a great place. It is a grocery store. But it isn't a grocery store like most. I guess you would call it a store that has mostly organic produce, kosher meats, unusual breads, etc. The also have an extensive wine selection.

On their website, http://www.traderjoes.com/, they describe themselves as a grocery store with the basics plus exotic fare like imported cheeses, organic produce, and hand tossed pizza from Italy-I must say I haven't really seen that but will be looking for it on my next trip. Trader Joe's also prides itself on value and tries real hard to be reasonably prices and I do agree that for a store of it's kind it is reasonable. They currently have 280 stores in 23 states.

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I really don't like going to Vegas but Rex would bribe me with a stop at Trader Joe's so I would go. But thankfully last summer, while we were at Lake Tahoe, they started building a Trader Joe's in Carson City...now I get to go every week....cool.


I wouldn't necessarily call it a health food store....I would call it a gourmet store. I will give you some examples...they have a flyer in the store. It is actually called "Trader Joe's Summer Guide 2007". It isn't a sale flyer, it is like a little magazine featuring some of the goods they sell and a description. For instance...Guacamole Kit...has a two paragraph description, then there is the following tip "if you don't finish your guac right away, consider keeping an avocado pit in it to naturally preserve its lovely green color." This little magazine is filled with really cool stuff like that and it is 16 pages long.


Here's a list of some of the items described in it:


Pollo Asado Grill Ready
Teeny tiny Fresh Mozzarella - A Grill Must Have
Frozen Strawberry fruit Floes - Fat Free
Mini Bags of Almonds - A Baker's Dozen
Buffalo Streak Burgers With Neither Hormones Nor Antibiotics
Fire Roasted Peppadew
Five Seep Almond Bars Not Unlike a Hermit
Champagne Pear Vinaigrette with Gorgonzola Cheese
Fully Cooked, Savory Chicken Sausages


This is just a partial list of the cool items sold at Trader Joe's. Rex looked through the flyer while I was picking up the items I had on my list. His recommendation to me was "Vietnamese Style Chicken Wrap"...a colorful spinach tortilla envelope with grilled chicken breast meat, mixed greens, sweet carrots, jicama, fresh mint and fresh cilantro with ginger lime dipping sauce. As usual Rex knows what I like.....it was great, of course he wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.


Even Rex likes Trader Joe's, he loves looking things over and even found a kosher rib eye...from Postville, Iowa!! It is a really cool and interesting shopping experience.