I'm also a big fan of the frozen lamb chops. They have a rosemary and garlic rub on them. They're really tender. It's a good option for a quick weekday dinner. We also like the almond butter. The fresh pizza dough (roast some garlic and make a paste, spread it on the dough and top with Trader Joe's Quattro Fromaggio shredded cheese) is convenient and good. Also, the fire-roasted tomatoes, jasmine rice, frozen sweet corn, the mini wheat pitas and their other crusty breads.

I'd nominate the idea of a top ten grocery stores but spots 1-10 would be filled with Wegmans!

I'm originally from upstate New York so while I don't need to camp out at Wegmans, I would appreciate one closer to downtown

We like Trader Joe's because they have: No Pudge brownie mix, everything crackers, great dried fruit/nut section, cornichons, good frozen food section, Advent calendars at Christmas time with chocolate in them, etc. Wish they had Two/Three? Buck Chuck. Don't like trying to park at the Towson TJ's. But don't you go to specialty groceries for "special" items? We like Eddie's in Roland Park for pasteries, sandwiches, and service; Whole Foods for their 365 brand items, free samples, cheese selection, organic produce; Trinacria for, well, you name it, Italian. I don't exactly get the Harris Teeter thing, however, my wife loves the place and went crazy when one came to Monterey Shores. So, I guess if you want everything in one place take a trip to Wegman's for that uberschwanglichkeit experience.

I shop at the Trader Joe's in Pikesville all the time and love it. I agree with your daughter that their strongest suits are their prices and frozen foods. Some favorites: low-fat European-style yogurt; reduced guilt pita chips; frozen meatless meatballs (not to start anything with that one, considering the previous foie gras thread); Indian simmer sauces; the peppermint sandwich cookies they have at Christmas; frozen multi-grain waffles.... AND they give my two-year-old a balloon when we check out, which makes his day.

I love Trader Joes. Yes, they may not have the best selection of meat but their produce is usually very good. I go their specifically for their roasted garlic hummis (don't get the regular garlic it is WAY to strong) and they make an awesome Red Curry sauce that makes great chicken salad.

My big complaint with Trader Joe's is that they do not have decency to open a store downtown somewhere. The Towson one is a total hassle to get to and park!!!

I'll second the lamb at Trader Joe's.

A couple months ago, we cooked and ate a lamb cutlet from Joe's. The next night, I reviewed Cinghiale for Fodor's. The lamb from Joe's was better.

The tamales are incredible. I never get tired of them. Also lots of fun snacks -- veggie potato sticks, white cheddar popcorn, trail mixes out the wazoo.

I love Trader Joe's; their ethnic cuisine product is outstanding, as is their selection of cheeses (and their hummus is wonderful!). I don't work for them, but they also have a location in Silver Spring off Rt. 29 for folks closer to DC. It's a good lesson for the big-box grocery stores (Safeway, Giant) that there's a huge clientele (to wit I submit that Trader Joe's is almost always busy) who they're missing out on and Trader Joe's is capturing.

I like Trader Joe's for their store brand Greek yogurt, good prices on nuts (without having to buy a huge quantity), frozen artichokes, some grains (when they have them) and that's about it. We just don't eat the sorts of things that people always praise them for: prepared dips and sauces, frozen meals, commercially made cookies etc so it isn't always worth my time to go out of my way to go there like I do for say, H Mart.

I am in love with TJ's because I can't cook. At all. Trader Joe's has really awesome frozen and easy-prep food which has saved me from a life of TV dinners and take out. Plus it's super-duper cheap and the flowers there are amazing. I live in the city and *hate* to drive, but TJ's is totally worth the trip to Towson. I just try to avoid Sundays. And it stinks they can't sell wine in Maryland.

I haven't been to Trader Joe's in quite some time (maybe two years) - even though I work very close to the Towson store.

I haven't gone back because it is a bit of a pain to park in their lot, but more because I'm just not interested in buying a lot of packaged and processed foods. Seems that most of their stuff is in cans, bottles or boxes and that just doesn't fit my desires.

But I do remember enjoying the chocolate-covered pretzels...

Trader Giotto's 100 percent whole wheat pizza dough is amazing -- good for you, bakes in just six minutes and tastes fabulous, unlike most whole wheat foods.
And the No Pudge brownies are amazing.
So are frozen shrimp.
And Greens with Envy frozen veggie mix (spinach, edamame and asparagus).

I go to the TJ in Pikesville maybe once every other month (at least partly for an excuse to stop at Goldberg's for bagels, which is only a mile or so down the road) and adore it for certain things. I don't really consider it a grocery store in the traditional sense of the word so the lack of produce and such doesn't bother me. Take it for what it is.

Some of my favorite items: the fresh pizza dough is great for making grilled pizza in the summer, prices on dried fruit are surprisingly low, the parmesan garlic baguette is superb, frozen pre-breaded eggplant parmesan cutlets save a ton of time, and the tofu is hands down the best stuff in the region and is also about half the price of tofu elsewhere, even Asian markets.

Your daughter created a great Trader Joe’s list, which actually looks very much like my shopping list. They also have a phenomenal peach salsa, frozen carrot cake, pumpkin bread mix, and a wonderful selection of soups

I go to TJ's on a regular basis because it's NOT Wegman's. Going to Wegman's is like going to an amusement park:
(1) must plan visits around peak hours, otherwise expect long lines and crowds;
(2) remember to do what you need to do in each department before moving on to another, otherwise you must trek all the way back to the other side (miles, seemingly);
(3) fun when you get there (look at the train! look at the people!); drained of all emotion/feeling when you get back home (other than a compelling urge to eat your rather delicious souvenir - a yummy meatball sub made with ciabatta bread and 4 cheeses, among which is asiago).

How could anyone discuss Trader Joe's w/o mentioning their wonderful wine selections?

At $2.49 a bottle (in Atlanta) how can you miss? OK so the vintage for the reds is April and that for the whites is
May, who cares?

Brother Bim

Well, one reason is that supermarkets can't sell wine in Maryland.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that there's a new TJs in Columbia just off 175 and 95. I live in Federal Hill, and that's the one I go to, usually combining it with a Costco run.

Like aeb, I can't cook for anything, although I'm trying to learn. I stock my freezer full of their frozen concotions -- I also love the green chile and cheese tamales, and as I mentioned in the last thread, the mushroom risotto is really delicious..

It you're downtown, the new TJ in Columbia is easy to get to. I-95 south to 175 West, and take your first right and then the first right again and then the first left. Takes longer to write than to drive.

I've been curious about wine/beer sales in grocery stores since I moved to Baltimore. I went to college in Salisbury and the grocery stores there had the best beer selection in town. What gives?

Someone else needs to step in here, or give me some time to find out. I was mistaken. I thought it was all of Maryland.

My wife likes TJ and I thought their Trader Ming's (clever naming) line is good. I second the fact that TJ and other similar stores should open branches downtown.

Trader Joe's isn't convenient to me either, but I love it. Great breads, produce I can't fine anywhere else (certainly for the price), lots of fun frozen stuff, huge bars of really good chocolate, and on, and on.... The down-side is parking. Several times I haven't been able to find a parking place ANYwhere! Sigh....

I avoid the Towson TJ unless I'm going to be out that way, just because of the parking situation. My California relatives rave about their chocolate truffles. They need a larger space to stock a really great selection of produce, etc. Meanwhile, you'll find me out at Wegman's twice a month--it's worth the trek out there.

I usually go to TJ's once or twice a month. We, as so many others, love the lamb. I also pick up salsa there for my hubby and he thinks they're all good.

We get other frozen things to keep on hand for last minute meals. I also love the low-priced nuts and dried fruit. Also, dog treats.

One thing I don't think has been mentioned yet it their line of vitamins & supplements under their Trader Darwin brand. Very inexpensive compared to any other source.

BTW, I've seen a mention of of H Mart. What it that and where is it located?

Brother Bim said:

At $2.49 a bottle (in Atlanta) how can you miss? OK so the vintage for the reds is April and that for the whites is May, who cares?

The stuff I tasted from the Newport News TJs seemed more like vintage Tuesday.

Liquor regulations are not the same statewide, they vary from county to county (and, of course, Baltimore City).

Can someone fill me in? I 've heard rumors that the construction on Key Hwy (near Locust Point) is going to be a new grocery store? (possibly harris teeter) As a resident who is forced to endure Shoppers on Fort Ave on a regular basis I beg of you to find out and tell me the good news!

"Well, one reason is that supermarkets can't sell wine in Maryland." - Elizabeth, I know for a fact that the Eddie's on Eager Street sells wine. However, they are not allowed to sell it on Sundays, if I'm not mistaken.

I'm not sure what the rules are on the wine and beer in grocery/convenience stores. In Harford county, some convenience stores sell beer and some wine but grocers do not. Ocean City also sells it at convenience stores...Perhaps it is at a county by county level.

Buffala Mozzerella, a fantastic feta cheese from Israel, and the BEST extra virgin olive oil prices around!

I think (generally) in Maryland, holders of liquor licenses may only have one location, so while Rite Aide or Giant might sell beer & wine in Virginia, they can't do it in Maryland. I suspect the OC stores are not related to each other. Now what I don't understand is how restaurant chains (i.e. common ownership, like the Foreman/Wolf group) have liquor licenses at their several locations. I suspect it may have to do with on and off sales.

Now on a different portion of the thread: the lamb chops. Thaw them? How are you cooking them? Thanks.

I can't do all of my shopping at TJ's because there are just some things they don't have. But I love love their bread, their selection of "hard to find" produce, frozen foods (Asparagus Risotto is good, Pancetta cubed up easy for cooking, and low prices.

I LOVE Trader Joe's. Some of our favorites are:

The fresh herb pizza dough- makes the BEST pizza crust for pesto pizzas.

Organic products- the best prices in my general area outside of MOM's.

Olive oil- great prices, great quality!

Dried fruit- the selection there is amazing. I love the dried hibiscus flowers and the different fruit leathers that they have. Also the trio of jumbo raisins is fabulous and is a must-have for the most delicious oatmeal raisin cookies.

Lemon curd- great quality and about $1 less than you can find it in other grocery stores.

Organic french truffles- if you haven't tried these they are superb, not to mention ridiculously cheap. Don't bother getting the non-organic ones as the cocoa powder on those is coarse and too bitter.

Organic reduced sugar blueberry preserves- tastes like Gramma's!

Desert mesquite honey- this is the most delicious honey I've ever tasted in my life.

Guacamole/Salsa kits- can't beat the price and outside of seasonings, they have everything you need to make it fresh.

Trader Joe's french liquid handsoap (orange blossom honey scent)- I keep this on the vanity in my bathroom and every single one of my guests has commented on how wonderful it smells.

From what I've heard, Robert is closer to the answer.

Businesses typically can only have one liquor license in the area. So while Giant could have one store with alcohol, that's the only one. The others would not be allowed.

When it comes to restaurants and other entities, I think it depends on who is on the license itself. In Baltimore City, it must be a city resident and then I think that person can only be listed on a maximum of two licenses.

What really needs to happen in Maryland is "deregulation" of alcohol. Put an end to these arcane laws and let the liquor flow.

I go to TJs for the amazing frozen enchiladas, the frozen salmon stuffed with crab, the cheap nuts, and the Habeas Crispus potato chips.

p.s. Rite Aid sells liquor in Baltimore City, but you can't get much in the way of groceries there. The powers that be seem to just want you to have to make two stops, and remember which day of the week it is so you don't get stuck dry on Sundays. It's a lot to ask, given the taxes we pay. Plus, it's bad for the environment, asking folks to drive around more to buy things people in other states get at one place. When I lived down south, you could get alcohol at the grocery store AND the gas station. Didn't seem to cause harm to anyone.

Rite Aid sells liquor in Baltimore City

I believe that there is a Rite Aid in Baltimore City that sells liquor, but it certainly isn't true that all or even most Rite Aids in Baltimore City do.

The liquor license may also have to do with how long it's been in existance. At Eddies in Roland Park, they sell booze, or they used to.

In Louisiana, they make it really convenient with drive-thru daquiri shacks... now that's some drinking & driving!

I think Eddie's liquor store is technically a separate business, even though they are side by side.

Okay, Kiki--now I have to know--what do you do with dried hibiscus flowers???

Janet, H Mart is just off Rolling Road and Rt. 40 in Cockeysville. It's a giant Asian supermarket, and is a must stop for anyone wanting to do Asian cooking at home, since they have a huge selection of products imported from China, Korea, Thailand and Japan.

They also sell meat and fish. The fish is always fresh and well below the prices at area supermarkets.

The highlight is their produce department though. It's just huge, and filled with not only standard produce but Asian specialties as well -- bok choy, Korean pears, etc.

And it's dirt cheap -- lemons 3 for $1, pineapples for $1.79 each, snow peas for $.89 lb., red peppers for $1.79 lb., cryovac tenderloin for $5.99 lb., etc. They may not always be that cheap, because the prices change frequently according to what they're paying. But they will almost always be cheaper than any supermarket.

H Mart is fantastic. If you go on Saturday morning between 8 -8:30 am, you will always find me there. I love the place.

To the previous poster: that would be Route 40 and Rolling Road in CATONSVILLE, not Cockeysville.

The Towson TJ's hasn't stocked the pear & gorgonzola pizza in at least a year. This is extremely disappointing - it was probably my favorite thing there.

I would be lost without TJ's Goddess salad dressing, bagged salads and extra-firm tofu.

I am extremely loyal to TJ's but fear that in the end its corner-cutting will catch up with the enterprise. There have been more than 10 occasions when I have discovered stale food because the packaging was faulty. I love the crackers and O's cereal but have been crestfallen to find that the inner bags were not sealed. There is no way to tell this when you are buying the product. The hummus, however, is another story. Be sure to open the lid to make sure the plastic seal is intact. I have brought home bad hummus three times and have learned to check the package carefully before buying it. Sure, customer service is happy to replace the items - but why not avoid having to do that by tightening up what goes on in the processing/packaging plants???

I just picked up some of the lamb yesterday to try - thanks for the recommendation!

And to return the favor:

- Choclate-covered almonds with sea salt and tubinado sugar
- Horseradish-cheddar spread
- Frozen lemongrass "chicken sticks" (basically spring rolls)

Hope they won't be sold out of my favorites next time I go!

Davis Sattler,

Oops. What's really sad is that I'm both places frequently.

"H Mart is fantastic. If you go on Saturday morning between 8 -8:30 am, you will always find me there. I love the place."

Shall I page you, Jon? ;)

Darlene-

I've actually done a lot with the hibiscus flowers from TJ's.

The dried hibiscus flowers are lightly sweetened and have a similar texture to fruit leather and taste a bit like dried sweetened cranberries. I like adding them into homemade trail mixes with nuts, white chocolate and other dried fruits.

They make gorgeous additions to salads. I enjoy adding them to a salad of baby lettuces, red onions, orange slices and the hibiscus flowers.

I also make a hibiscus iced tea and they're cute to slice and hang next to a lime wedge over the rim of the glass for a little snack. I've also frozen them into ice cubes before too so they can be enjoyed once the ice has melted in the drink. They make cute garnishes for other things too- aside custards or with angel food cake and some whipped cream.

You can also use them in cooking. I made a chicken dish once and used them in the sauce- it was delicious!

Or... just enjoy a few at a time as a snack right out of the bag, too.

Okay, that's it--I'm braving the parking lot of TJ in Towson to pick up some hibiscus flowers (and maybe some organic truffles while I'm out there).

Thank you, Kiki!

The parking situation at the Towson store is too much of a headache. Just drive the extra 5 minutes to the one in Pikesville.

Now, the Pikesville store used to be a sutton place gourmet, and if given the choice I would easily trade the TJ to have the SPG back.

I'm lucky enough to live less than a mile from H Mart, so I'm there all the time. The produce is generally fantastic, especially citrus fruit. Like Jon Parker mentioned, lemons are 3 for a dollar, occasionally 4 for a dollar, when the competitor up the street (let's just call it SecureFashion) charges 3 dollars for 2 stinking lemons.

They've also got a killer bakery in the front of the store. Asian desserts for me can be hit or miss, but they make rice twist doughnuts that are sublime. To paraphrase Selma Bouvier, it's like eating five doughnuts at once.

I'm wondering if I shouldn't start a separate thread for H Mart, or maybe Asian markets in the area, so these comments won't get lost in the Trader Joe's thread. I'm sure a lot of people would like to know more.

I agree with you, JLA, H-Mart is fantastic! I'll have to try the rice twists, and thanks for the tip!

My favorite item to get from H-Mart is their frozen dumplings and fresh shrimp.

Agree with all who said the TJ lamb chops are the best. They really are! [small voice] I ate a whole box once because my husband didn't like it, so I ate his portion too.[/small voice]

Jon -

I finally went to H-Mart this past Saturday. Wow!!! What a great place!

The only problem is that, once it gets warm again, I'll have to remember to put a cooler in the car when I go.