Turkey Gobbler Wrap

I first noticed the Turkey Gobbler Wrap at Trader Joe's around Thanksgiving, while picking up some last minute items for the holidays. I almost bought one to have for lunch, but decided to opt for another wrap instead. I love wraps, but turkey wraps (in my experience) tend to be overtly dry. And the stuffing either seems to be dry, or soggy and past its prime.

When I noticed the wrap again during a recent trip to Trader Joe's, I figured why not give it a try? Besides, my mother was with me, and she'll eat just about anything, so it wouldn't go to waste if I didn't want it.

After checking out and getting into the car, I finally looked at the ingredients. The Turkey Gobbler has turkey, stuffing, cranberries and cream cheese. ...Wait, what? This is definitely not the standard "Turkey, Stuffing, Cranberry Jelly" wrap that seems to be just about everywhere around here. And cream cheese, not mayo? I was intrigued. I then realized there was a little container of gravy like substance tucked into one opening of the wrap (which you can't see very well from the outside of the packaging).

I've never been a fan of gravy, so that's most likely one of the reasons I tend to hate thanksgiving style wraps. Let's face it, the gravy is probably the saving grace for many people that would otherwise hate how dry those wraps truly are. So I was quite surprised to take my first bite and find the perfect blend of creaminess, moist turkey, cranberry tartness and strangely fresh tasting stuffing. Nothing at all was dry, and the flavor combination was heavenly. It's now my favorite wrap from Trader Joe's, and quite possibly my favorite wrap ever (which is saying a lot, trust me!) As for the gravy, as a gravy hater, I was pleasantly surprised when I nervously dipped a corner of the wrap into the sauce. The gravy was very milky, and offered a nice richness to the wrap. As for my mother, a gravy lover (borderline obsessed, really), she loved the wrap with the gravy, but still thought it was fantastic without it.

Sweet Potato Fries

I love sweet potato fries (who doesn't?), even though I've never been much a fan of regular fries. I tend to only really enjoy them at restaurants, and homemade and frozen versions rarely seem to work out so well. After having luck with the Alexia Brand Sweet Potato Fries (LOVE their waffle version!), I decided it was time to try the Trader Joe's version.

The large 15 ounce bag (about 5 servings...And when they say 5 servings, they seem to be right on with this, only cost $2.29! About one third the cost of similar products found at the grocery store. And less than half what I pay for the Alexia brand (which I would consider to be equal quality.)

After coming home and realizing the price, I had convinced myself there was no hope for these sweet potato fries. So when I finally got around to cooking them, I was baffled to find that they were not just good, but are now my favorite frozen sweet potato fry. They had slightly crispy exteriors, with soft interiors, just the way I like them. And considering the price, these are definitely an ABSOLUTE must buy.

Trader Joe's Sushi

After trying several different Trader Joe's prepared foods, I decided to finally give in and try one of their sushi's. It was hardly an amazing deal, with a small package of shrimp rolls costing $3.99. Yes, that is cheap for sushi, but the truth is the sushi counter at the local grocery store offers a better selection, and a larger serving, for the same price range.

But the real issue, is that the grocery store sushi is also far superior in quality to the rubbish that Trader Joe's is currently selling. I don't know if this is true for all locations, but the sushi I sampled was disgusting. It had been obviously thawed from a frozen state, and had a strange aftertaste and consistency, as though it had been frozen for many months. Other than this factor, the quality was still bad. I couldn't even stomach more than one bite of the sushi, and quickly guzzled down a liter of water in a desperate attempt to try to rid my mouth of the taste.

For the first time in my life, I actually felt it was necessary to get a refund. Normally, I can just have someone else finish off whatever I don't care for. But this sushi actually insulted me. The manager was nice about the whole thing, and I did receive a refund, but this left a bad taste in my mouth (and not just literally). Since I did not even take the sushi home, and did return it, I do not have a photo available  Maybe the sushi changes from store to store, but I highly suggest everyone is EXTREMELY cautious when it comes to sushi at Trader Joe's. After this experience, I'll also be more cautious about any non-frozen fish products as well.