Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What every Trader Joe's shopper has been waiting for..., October 13, 2009
This review is from: The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook: 150 Delicious Recipes Using Only Foods from the World's Greatest Grocery Store (Paperback)
I am a frequent shopper of Trader Joe's; and this gem of a cooking book has enticed me to explore deep into the crevasses of my "local Joe". Not only have the recipes encouraged me to try more TJ's products, Cherie Mercer Twohy has inspired me to try new flavors and combination's of foods with her wisdom from her "years" of shopping at Trader Joe's and as a professionally trained chef.
You will want to read this cook book from cover to cover. The introduction is FILLED with how to get the best from your Trader Joe's, and most of the recipes include tips and/or a personal comment and sometimes a bit of humor, "Dental floss works great for cutting the goat cheese--just make sure to use the plain version, not the minty-fresh."
If you shop at Trader Joe's, you are probably concerned with the quality of food you eat. With this book you get the quality of TJ's products included in recipes that will put smiles on the faces of your family and friends and build your confidence as a cook. Oh! And most of the recipes, from starters to entrée's and dessert, can be prepared and served in 45 minutes or less.
Cherie has also included recipes that are vegetarian and gluten free. I especially appreciate the Hoardables and Pantry Staples List at the end of the book, because I was one of the victims of TJ's amazing frozen Pie Crust becoming a seasonal item. Take my word, you won't be disappointed.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Recipes Incorporating Trader Joe's Ingredients, January 7, 2010
This review is from: The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook: 150 Delicious Recipes Using Only Foods from the World's Greatest Grocery Store (Paperback)
I have great affection for Trader Joe's (TJ's) grocery stores but unfortunately there are none in Colorado. Trips for business and pleasure usually include a stop at any local shops so my pantry can be restocked. Knowing my appreciation of TJ's wonderful products this book was a well thought out gift that I received this past Christmas.
The author deserves recognition for including over 150 recipes when the trend of cookbooks I've recently looked at is around 60 to 70. Granted, some of the recipes are quite brief - like Cherry Crostini with Pecorino Romano which only has four ingredients - one of which is a loaf of bread -- but most have a range of complexity from easy to somewhat advanced.
Recipes I've tested include Chile Crab Chowder, Roasted Mushroom Polenta Stacks, Turkey with Green Chile Sauce and Roasted Asparagus with Hazelnuts and Clementines. Without fail, the results were delicious and all are dishes I will definitely prepare again. The author is clearly quite accomplished. She succeeds at taking a basic idea and adding a unique slant taking the dish to a new level. Other reviewers spoke of taking a cooking class from her, and given what I've tested from her cookbook, I'd welcome the opportunity.
Most of the recipes do not require an exact match of a TJ's product in order to prepare the dish, but some do, or at least will require some manipulation of several products to reach an acceptable substitute -- for example the Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade or Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar.
The structure of the book is clear and logical -The inclusion of the amount of time required to prepare the recipe is very helpful and often left out of cookbooks. There is no nutritional information given, but that is usually the case. The pages are a reasonably slick paper that should permit any small spills and splashes to be quickly wiped up. A cookbook holder is necessary because, except for the middle section of the book, the binding doesn't stay open when laid on a countertop. The font size is overall quite readable and although I prefer all black for ease of use, the dark brown used for the recipe ingredients is still easy to see.
There is a definite lack of pictures of the dishes. I counted less than 30 photographs representing the more than 150 recipes contained in the book, and an annoying number of those pictures are of a single ingredient - like an avocado or a group of three tomatoes. Most of us know what tomatoes and avocados looks like, and would prefer to see a picture of a prepared dish. If each photo page was simply divided in quadrants, four different dishes (with captions) would permit the majority of the recipes to be illustrated with little additional expense to the publisher and significant benefit to the user. Cookbooks are tools used in the kitchen and should be designed as such. Usually the author has no control over the design decisions and publisher's budget -- but she does control the recipes - and they are terrific.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love TJ's and love this Cookbook!, August 31, 2010
This review is from: The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook: 150 Delicious Recipes Using Only Foods from the World's Greatest Grocery Store (Paperback)
I shop regularly at Trader Joe's, even though it is nearly a half-hour drive for me when traffic is light, at times longer.
It doesn't matter, the trip is worth it because at the end I find so many things at Tj's that fit so well into my foodie life.
This cookbook has some wonderful recipes for the ingredients found at TJ's and many are easy and quick to make, especially when one has guests that drop in with no warning. Happens to me fairly often.
Many of the dishes are elegant enough to be served to special guests but require much less time than the traditional and the fact that they are labeled for people with restrictive diets, gluten-free, vegetarian and etc., is especially helpful.
The recipes are easy enough for the novice cook and yet won't disappoint the experienced cook because some of the combinations are inspired.
I'm a very adventurous cook with 50+ years of cooking experience and I found some things that had never occurred to me to put together.
I like making dishes from "scratch" but there are times when it is most desirable to be able to put a meal on the table without a lot of planning and prep and without having to spend a lot of time thinking about how to get more variety into everyday meals.
Cherie has certainly done an outstanding job on this book and I look forward to more from her pen (or computer) and hopefully in the not-too-distant future.
I am addicted to large purses and this book, while not a "pocket" size, fits nicely in my purse and allows me to consult it while shopping.
It is always consulted prior to my trip to TJ's and (as it is presently) amplified with many little Post-It sticky notes to make it easy to reference particular pages while in the store. (Or while sitting in my van prior to entering the store.)
Altogether, this is a very satisfying cookbook for the Trader Joe's fan and while one does not have to limit one's shopping to TJ's, just the fact that this cookbook provides an easily understood clue to some of the more "exotic" foods found at the store, is an enormous advantage for the novice shopper.
I recommend it for anyone who is new to the TJ's culture as well as to those who simply love TJ's and have been shopping there for years!
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