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Dear Trader Joe's

My (somewhat) typical shopping cart at Trader Joe's
 
I love living in New York City, but I do not love grocery shopping here. In the last few years, three grocery stores that were in easy walking distance have closed, leaving a grocery void in my life. One has become a cosmetics/drug store, which is convenient, but does not replace a grocery. The other two are empty, a sad commentary on the commercial rents in the neighborhood. 
 
But last summer, Trader Joe's opened at an easy walk from my building. It's an easy walk as long as I remember to go light on the canned goods. I'm generally there once a week and their cauliflower fried rice has become a staple of my menu. It's a great store with wide aisles and somewhat unique for Manhattan, it's all on one floor. I love it!
 
I love the cauliflower fried rice, I love the frozen cherries and I love the guilt-free macaroni and cheese. But I also try to buy one new food each visit. My best find was Blue Cheese Mustard. It was great as a base for salad dressing and one tablespoon was zero Weight Watcher's (WW) points. 
 

All I have left are memories and an empty jar
 
I made my first post-surgery trip to Trader Joe's on Tuesday. I needed cherries, macaroni and cheese and mustard. I found the mustard section, but I didn't find blue cheese mustard. I thought I must be in some post-surgical fog, but alas it wasn't. Blue Cheese Mustard was a seasonal/special item and it was gone, perhaps never to return. The nice young man who gave me this information also added that it was a popular seller -- of course! -- and it might be back. Might! I am holding on to this slender thread of hope. Dear Trader Joe's, I implore you, please bring back my beloved Blue Cheese Mustard. I will be forever grateful.
 
On a different note, I'm thrilled that I made it through, what I hope will be, the coldest days of the winter of 2019 in New York. Boots, gloves, heavy down coat and hat. Thankfully, the snow that is was forecast was a dusting of flakes and not an icy mess and I managed to get out every day, get to my Weight Watchers meeting and two sessions of physical therapy. I'm feeling good and pleased to do as much as I did, three weeks post-surgery. I know everyone wasn't as fortunate as we were and I am sending warm thoughts to my friends in the Midwest. 
 
As ever, thanks for visiting. Take good care and keep warm.     
 

8 comments

Terra said...

I shop at Trader Joe's at least once a week, and will look for their cauliflower fried rice.

TARYTERRE said...

the closet trader joes to me is 90 miles away. but when i get to go there i just love it. glad there is someplace close to home for you to shop.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I'm glad you now have a grocery store close by. For me going to Trader Joes is a real treat. We don't have one close by and it means going further than I like in order to get groceries. Thankfully I do have a car and don't have to walk to buy groceries. You really did good getting out and then being able to carry your groceries home too. Take care and don't overdo! Here we are finally warming up. Today 40 and tomorrow 50 they say! We need a few days to thaw out. Hope you have a great weekend!

Kerin said...

So glad that you are feeling well, and also glad that you have been ok during the arctic blast!

We LOVE Trader Joes as well!
The closest store to us is about 75 miles away, but we generally go shopping there at least once a month.
We always stock up on lobster ravioli :)

Have a happy weekend, and stay warm.
~K.

Theresa said...

It never fails when we find something we love, poof it is gone. Hope they bring it back, sounds yummy! It is going to be a beautiful day and I just saw that your Groundhog didn't see his shadow, EARLY SPRING:) Keep up the good work on healing! HUGS!

Lonni said...

Oooo- good to know about the mustard - what season do they have it?
Impressed with your outing to TJ's!

A new Trader's opened in Manchester and I happened to be nearby so I went in looking for their "Everything but the bagel"seasoning- alas it was not in stock yet. But I did buy heir delicious "Everything" crackers.

Elaine Sipos said...

No Trader Joe’s by me either but we now have an Aldi owned by the same Company, I believe. Great fruit and veggies at reasonable prices. Lots of interesting stuff that comes and goes like TJ’s.

Julie's Creative Lifestyle said...

I love TJ's and will have to make a trip there soon. I never tried that mustard but it sure sounds good. :)