Trader Joe's holiday items [Old]

[Ruth Lafler]

Since lots of reports on holiday items are buried in TJ's threads over 100 posts long, I thought I'd start a separate one just for items available during the holidays.

Candy Cane JoJos are back, and now there's a chocolate covered version as well

Candy cane truffles (the soft French-style truffles rolled in crushed candy canes)

Chocolate "palatte": a stack of eight different 1.5 ounce single origin dark chocolate bars tied with a ribbon -- a pretty good deal at $9.99 (for 12 ounces total) and a nice gift or way to organize a chocolate tasting party, since there's info about the bars and their origins

Chocolate covered gingerbread -- a 10 oz tin of gingerbread cookied nuggets covered in dark chocolate. These are evil -- do not buy unless you're sure you have enough to share.

Buche de Noel in the frozen dessert section

Shortbread stars in a vaguely Hanukkah looking blue and sliver box -- I bought these last year and they were very good

Sea salt caramels, both plain and chocolate covered -- I had the chocolate covered last year, and they're pretty good (especially for the price), if you don't mind a faint coconut flavor from the coconut oil in them

Organic eggnog (no HFCS) -- TJ's label, don't know if it's the same as the Rockview Farms I reported on two years ago: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/352413

[Ruth Lafler]

Since people have mentioned that they've see holiday items trickling into the stores, I thought I'd bump this thread.

[madgreek]

Damn you Trader Joe! You ran out of Vintage Ale before I got to the store on Friday! AAAHHHH!

[Melanie Wong]

I tried the Peppermint Cremes, 12 oz. It's a pretty good product, the center filling being softish and creamy in texture, that is, not grainy and sugary. Also has a nice scent and flavor of peppermint. My only real objection is the amount of packaging inside the box: two molded plastic trays with one patty per slot, then each tray is topped with padding and shrink-wrapped.

[biscuit]

Alas, no Double Rainbow Pumpkin ice cream this year. *Sheds a tear*

[yankeefan]

Bold statement but all things Gingerbread or Ginger that come out of their shop during the holiday season are always spectacular.

The sea salt caramels you mention sound enticing. Thanks.

[givemecarbs]

Munching on a snowflake right now, pretzels coated in a sweet and tangy yogurt coating topped with crunchy non-pareils. I was going to share the tin tomorrow but it doesn't look like that's happening.

[dockhl]

I had the gingerbread coffee this morning. Really yummy, in a dessert sorta way.

They used to carry a coffee blend called "Winter Blend" that was great. (I don't remember exactly why!) Now they carry a spice loaded "Wintery Blend" that is different. Not bad, had peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon in it , I think.

[rworange]

Thanks for this post. I was at TJ's in Napa yesterday and the sheer number of holiday items was daunting.

They had samples of the Buche de Noel which was good. Not a buche but more of a frozen mousse covered with chocolate.

They had their brand of oreos in mint. That was good too.

[chicken kabob]

Not spefifically a holiday item (meaning "limited")
- although certainly very appropriate for the holidays- i tried for the first time the cinnamon almonds- and they are incredibly delicious (healthy, too!)...although the big trick is not to eat too many in one sitting, as they are VERY addicitive!

[Pandora]

Strange, I've bought those at least three different times and they've always been very stale and hard.

[chicken kabob]

Pandora- I only bought 1 bag so far and I thought it tasted fresh and tasty.
I hope my next one is as good.

[Amuse Bouches]

Fresh gingerbread, in a flat square in the bakery section backed with cardboard may be my favorite TJ's item ever, but I am a gingerbread fiend. It's chewy and topped with a crunchy glaze. I also love the Weissella Lebkuchen that only show up around the holidays.

[mdepsmom]

I picked up a box of the choc. covered candy cane jo jos (they are covered in dark chocolate) yesterday and, yes, they are as good as they sound! Good thing there are only 12 or so in the box!!!

[Ruth Lafler]

If you want to stretch out your consumption you can put them in the freezer and eat them frozen -- sort of like mint cookies and cream ice cream without the ice cream!

[cheesecake17]

ooh I have to try these next time. I bought the regular candy cane JoJoes and half the box is gone!

[goodhealthgourmet]

Ruth, that's precisely what we used to do with Girl Scouts Thin Mints...they were excellent frozen! [as were the peanut butter Tagalongs].

[cheesecake17]

Thin Mints.. I can't wait for girl scout time to come around this year

[coney with everything]

I looked in vain last night for their peppermint bark--has anyone seen that in their store?

[goodhealthgourmet]

i could swear i saw it in one of their NJ stores today.

you should ALWAYS ask someone at the customer service desk - they're really very helpful.

[phimoez]

I some some today in Minneapolis. They had all of the holiday stuff out.

[chicken kabob]

I thought the holiday peppermint bark (in candy bar form) was NOT good.
Artificial chocolate taste. A little off subject-however, haagen dazs peppermint bark ice cream (limited for the season) is GREAT!!!

[chompy]

The Mexican Hot Cocoa cookies are in a Christmas-y looking red and green box, so I figure they're probably a holiday item as well.

Not recommended - really dry and they taste more like cinnamon than chocolate. I did discover that they're not bad crumbled into vanilla ice cream, though.

[givemecarbs]

that's pretty creative chompy. I'll remember that for the next time I have leftover cookies that I am tired of but don't want to toss.

[cheesecake17]

I bought a gingerbread cake/cookie mix.

I saw the eggnog, and I wondered if it was any good. Like worth a lactose intolerance reaction good. If you've tried it, I would love to know how it is!

[sweet ginger]

Love that gingerbread mix- you'd never know it came from a box- really moist and spicy!

[cheesecake17]

I baked it the other day and it came out really good. I used applesauce instead of the oil. Loved it with vanilla ice cream. Have you tried it in the cookie form?

[sweet ginger]

Not yet- glad to hear the applesauce version turned out well.

[toutefrite]

do you happen to know if it contains egg or must have eggs added to it? looking for an egg free cookie mix

[cheesecake17]

toutefrite
It called for one egg, but I'm sure you can use an egg replacer. I don't remember if there were eggs in the mix itself. It was marked OU or Kaf K (forget which) Dairy, so it's definitely not vegan. I'm going to get another box Sunday, so I'll let you know.

Sweet Ginger
It turned out probably a little chewier than if I made it with oil, but I really loved the flavor. My husband couldn't tell it was made applesauce, so it passed the test, because he's the cake eater around here.

[chompy]

I made cookies with the TJ's gingerbread mix. I rolled the dough nice and thin, and decorated them with pieces of candied ginger. They were crisp and spicy and quite good.

[freshchester]

How did you alter the mix to make it for cookies? I want to do the same but am not sure what to omit/change.

[cheesecake17]

The box has directions for cookies and for a cake.

[chompy]

Yeah, I just used the directions on the box, and added candied ginger on top for decoration.

[sweet ginger]

Just bought another 2 boxes this past weekend to make cakes- layered them (1 box per layer) with cream cheese frosting- heaven!

[Cathy]

The Trader GIotto's pannetone, imported from Italy.~$6
The Weissella, soft gingerbread coookies, product of Germany. These taste like Christmas to me. Just a pite of gingerbread, nuts and fruit.~$2
The fresh cranberry sauce and fresh cranberry orange relish.
Pfeffernusse in a box, not in the plastic tub.
Buttery Almond toffee in milk chocolate (in a box) (different than the English toffee in the plastic boxes)
Shortbread almond snowman cookies.

[chococat]

I've stocked up on my Weisella lebkuchen (gingerbread cookies)-- both sugar-glazed and chocolate covered. Last year they sold out in early December and I never got my fix!

[goodhealthgourmet]

also:

steamed, peeled chestnuts
pumpkin butter

[artemis]

i love that pumpkin butter. it's especially great in a bowl of the mccann's old fashioned (not quick cooking) oatmeal.

[Jacey]

pumpkin butter is great in cottage cheese and greek yogurt

[Amuse Bouches]

Try adding a spoonful of whipped cream cheese with the pumpkin butter. Awesome.