Trader Joe's, Oh How I Love Thee!

One of the things that I enjoy most about coming to California is the abundance of Trader Joe's stores. There is one only about 15 miles from the town Trae is in. For my Mississippi friends who may not be familiar with Trader Joe's, because the closest one is in Atlanta, Trader Joe's is a wonderful place. It makes me smile just walking in the front door. It is a grocery store, basically, a lot like Whole Foods. But you will not find many items made by a popular or well known brand. Instead, they sell Trader Joe's brand of EVERYTHING! Meat, produce, bread, baking needs, frozen veggies, canned veggies, frozen pizzas, desserts, chips, cereal, cookies, dairy, spices, and just about every other item you could possible imagine, only there is one brand to choose from. But don't be alarmed that if you shop here, there is a limited variety, oh no! Trader Joe's brand is the most delicious brand I have tried in numerous food varieties. They have my favorite cereal, granola, cookies, bread, frozen veggies, frozen desserts, pita chips, spices, boxed macaroni and cheese, and wine.

Last time I went, I got a box of frozen chocolate croissants. I thought, these will be good for breakfast. The box instructs you to let proof and rise for 9 hours or overnight. I was a little disappointed that it would take that long, but the disappointment soon faded when I took a bite of that big beautiful croissant. It was delicious. It very well could have come from a pastry shop where they make croissants by hand everyday. You know how some frozen foods come out of the oven or pot and they just don't really taste fresh? They don't taste bad, they just don't taste fresh? Well this is not like that at all. These croissants were delicious!!! Fresh, buttery and flaky. The 9 hour wait is definitely worth it, and I would definitely serve them if I had company over. They were impressive.

Probably what I love most about Trader Joe's is that the prices are so reasonable, actually, cheap! Inside and outside the store are some clever and very cute hand written signs about specials and certain products. All the employees wear shirts that have some kind of Hawaiian design on them. They are always nice and helpful. I am trying to figure out how to get a bunch of my staples back to Mississippi when I leave California this time. My mom is also a Trader Joe fan. There are a few staples that she only likes from there. I definitely am going on Friday with my granola, pita chips, and some cookies on my list to make it back to Mississippi. I may have to buy an insulated bag so I can get my frozen croissants back home! I have written TJ's to inquire why there isn't one in MS yet. I have not gotten a response, but maybe one day there will be one in the Jackson area. I miss it when I am not here in California.