Pumpkin Season is Back! Here's Your Pro Tip.

Horde all the Trader Joe's Pumpkin Biscotti you can, now. It's the best of their pumpkin items, but they never make enough -- and it goes fast. You have been warned! Meanwhile, I'll be enjoying the pumpkin biscotti into next year.

Quarantine Baking: Homemade Pfeffernusse Cookie Mix from Trader Joe's

Our favorite holiday cookie from Trader Joe's? Easy. The Pfeffernusse. We would consume boxes and boxes of this German spiced powder sugar cookie every year. And then one year... the recipe changed, and they weren't quite as good. And then the following year... they disappeared completely off the Trader Joe's shelves. This is where TJ's fails in its lack of communication with customers. There's no Trader Joe's social media to explain these things, and we're left just hanging with the mysteries of what happens to our favorite TJ items.

This year, in a twist, Trader Joe's didn't sell Pfeffernusse -- but it sold a Pfeffernusse cookie mix kit. It wasn't going to be the same, but it was something. We bought it and made the cookies. And they were good! They wound up being smaller than the TJ Pfeffernusse cookies we fondly remember, but they did have that crispy shell and soft interior just like the ones they used to sell. And of course, you can't go wrong with powdered sugar. We'd make them again... but how about just bringing back the already made cookies next year, TJs!

Quarantine Baking: Pumpkin Bread Pudding

 

For several years, Trader Joe's sold a frozen Pumpkin Bread Pudding during the holidays, and it was incredible. I looked forward to it every year. And then sadly... they stopped selling it. This year, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I was going to make my own Pumpkin Bread Pudding.

Spoiler alert: It was delicious.

The secret was Trader Joe's pumpkin brioche bread. "Pumpkin-y, slightly sweet and lightly spicy. Great for fresh toast, sandwiches and toast with nut butter." Or, if you're really ready to indulge, Pumpkin Bread Pudding. Come along for the ride.

Of course, bread pudding is that odd dish that asks for slightly stale bread. This wasn't quite stale enough, but toasting the bread (cut into cubes) in the oven helps to dry it out.

I followed a bread pudding recipe I found online: Heavy whipping cream, eggs. check.

Vanilla, salt, all the usual ingredients. Instead of cinnamon, I went with the pumpkin pie spice that Trader Joe's also sells. Gotta pumpkin it up!

Now, it's ready for soaking.

Ideally, the bread will marinate in the mixture overnight, fully embracing the deliciousness.

And now, it's ready to go in the oven.

Almost there! This was a success.

Pumpkin Season is Back: Some of This Year's New and Returning Trader Joe's Selections

PUMPKIN SEASON IS BACK. By far No. 1 on my list of Trader Joe's favorites, the Pumpkin Biscotti. Why isn't this sold year-round? I've tried the other TJ biscotti flavors, but nothing comes close to the pumpkin flavor. And clearly others agree, as it seems to sell out quickly every year. One day Trader Joe's will learn its lesson and order more for sale. I can only hoard so many -- and our growing boys can easily inhale nearly and entire container in one sitting.

On the flip side, there are better pumpkin waffles out there. TJ's version is fine... but not as memorable.

No. 2 on my list of Trader Joe's pumpkin favorites... these mini cones mix ginger, pumpkin ice cream and a white chocolate coating for a perfect sized treat.

The pumpkin baking goods, also in full force.

New additions this year include the Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Slims and the Pumpkin Spice Batons, two variations on Trader Joe's standards. The batons are recommended; haven't opened the pretzels yet.

Also excited to try these, from the frozen section: Pumpkin empanadas and spicy pumpkin samosas. These were no-brainers to buy.

 

What We Lost in 2017: Cellino & Barnes, Trader Joe's Corn Dogs, LAist And More

When Elon Musk's SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket at sunset last week, half of Los Angeles wondered whether a UFO had finally made contact. After the events of 2017, I, for one, welcome our new alien overlords.

Turns out the creatures from outer space haven't arrived to save us from ourselves just yet. That leaves us to have to try and once again do better in 2018.

Looking back at this year, there was some reason to be hopeful — particularly as voices were heard and amplified as countless instances of serial sexual harassers and cases of assault were finally exposed.

But we also lost a lot in 2017, including superstars like Tom Petty, Mary Tyler Moore, Chris Cornell and even Judge Wapner.

Some of what we lost we won't miss (remember that tone-deaf Kylie Jenner Pepsi commercial?) and some of what we lost we really won't miss (ahem, "The O'Reilly Factor," ahem). But here are a few more things we said goodbye to in 2017:


10. Cellino and Barnes 
Yeah, Selena Gomez and The Weeknd was big, Fergie and Josh Duhamel was sad, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor was unexpected, and Chris Pratt and Anna Faris was heartbreaking. (Let's not discuss Kylie Jenner and Tyga or Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian.) But the most stunning breakup of the year had to be the ugly split between ambulance chasing attorneys Cellino and Barnes. You know their mad catchy jingle, the staple of daytime TV across the country. Ross Cellino and Stephen Barnes hate each other so much now, they're tossing grenades at each other while launching separate, rival firms. Who gets the jingle? Apparently Barnes spent nearly $1 million to recraft the song with his new phone number.



9. Wet Seal 
The "retail apocalypse" continues. As someone who spent a great deal of time at shopping malls as a teenager in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it's quite sad -- and yet fascinating -- to see the collapse of something that once defined the retail experience. (I still remember Wet Seal as the store with the big video screens blaring freestyle music videos by Seduction and Stevie B as teens shopped.) Also in 2017, The Limited closed its doors, American Apparel shut all of its retail locations, Radio Shack is mostly out of business, Teavana announced it was closing all of its stores, and even retail giants Sears, JCPenney and Macy's shut down hundreds of stores. Also in 2017, Toys 'R' Us, Gymboree and Payless ShoeSource were among the companies filing for bankruptcy — which means the retail apocalypse will likely consume many more major companies in 2018.

8. Cloo, Esquire, Chiller, Seeso
NBC Universal continued streamlining its entertainment offerings in 2017, eliminating some of its smaller cable networks, including crime drama channel Cloo, the young male-oriented Esquire, and horror channel Chiller. Cloo was the successor to Trio, a channel still fondly remembered for its scrappy pop culture programming (including franchises like “Brilliant But Canceled”), while Esquire replaced Style Network's channel slot (and G4's programming mandate) as an attempt to reach upscale male audiences, and Chiller began life in 2007 but was never a major cable player. Several channels have shut down over the past year as the cable industry prepares for an uncertain future in the wake of so-called “skinny bundles” (cable packages with fewer channels) and the growth of cord-cutting. But the rise of over-the-top platforms has already gone through a shakeup of its own, as witnessed by the decision to shut down comedy service Seeso so soon after launch. The comedy streaming platform pitched itself as a home for “Saturday Night Live” episodes as well as originals like “Take My Wife,” “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$” and “HarmonQuest,” but after it failed to find much traction, NBCUniversal pumped the brakes on original content.

7. 140 characters 
We didn't ask for 280 characters. We didn't need it. Twitter, fix youself.

6. San Diego Chargers
Speaking of what we didn't need, Los Angeles went 21 years without an NFL team, and suddenly it has two. The return of the Los Angeles Rams in 2016 made a lot of sense, as that team still had fans in Los Angeles and an emotional attachment to the market, having been here from 1946 to 1994. Still, the Rams had a bumpy first season back in L.A. (it's been a different story this year), making the arrival of the Chargers all the more perplexing. In a city with many more Oakland Raiders fans, and transplants rooting for their old hometown teams, the Chargers are now more like the fourth NFL team in Los Angeles.

5. Popular Photography, Surfing, Self, Teen Vogue, Nylon
Of course, even bigger than the retail apocalypse is the continuing slow death of the media. In 2018, we'll be discussing the disappearance of the Time Inc. and Tribune Media labels, as both disappear for good (unless Tronc comes to its senses and grabs back its rightful claim to the Tribune name). In 2017, we said farewell to several major titles — perhaps, most notably Teen Vogue, a more recent title that has made a name for itself in covering politics and social issues.


4. "The Carmichael Show"
Plenty of shows ended their runs in 2017, including faves "The Leftovers" and "Orphan Black." But at least those shows got to tell the endings they wanted to tell. There was no bigger TV tragedy than the end of NBC's "The Carmichael Show," a comedy that received plenty of critical acclaim but never turned into the hit it should have been. Despite being on the air for three seasons, "Carmichael" only produced 32 episodes. And the show never even aired in the fall, having been relegated to the summer in 2015 and 2017, and late spring in 2016. Could it have thrived with more care? Unfortunately, we'll never know, but at least Jerrod Carmichael had the chance to craft the right comedy at the right time, and provide a platform for performers who have already gone on to big things — including Tiffany Haddish and Lil Rel Howery.

3. Trader Joe's Veggie Corn Dogs
How dare you, Trader Joe's. I'm not vegetarian, but these were better than any regular corn dogs (including the disappointing Trader Joe's turkey corn dogs, which are rubbery in comparison). On the go, the TJ veggie corn dog was the perfect lunch meal. Then, like so many great TJ products, they just disappeared one day without any explanation. This one hurt.

2. Gothamist/DNAinfo/LAist
In a depressing, shrinking media world where local news has been hit hardest, sites like DNAinfo and the Gothamist chain (including LAist in Los Angeles) were more important than ever. As the alternative press shrinks, these sites picked up the slack and covered stories that other outlets were also struggling to handle, given smaller staffs and budgets at even major newspapers across the country. That all came crashing down when billionaire owner Joe Ricketts shut the sites down in November, without warning. Ricketts closed them down after the staffs of DNAinfo and Gothamist had unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East. A right-wing owner who had donated to anti-labor causes, the swiftness of Ricketts' decision to shut the sites was stunning, and left a tremendous void in local coverage.

1. Shame 
The Republicans pass a tax bill that funnels money into the pockets of millionaires and corporations, yet drags its feet to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program. Hundreds continue to die in Puerto Rico, where power won't be restored for several more months, and the administration says nothing about it. Donald Trump lies with impunity, and has golfed at least 80 times (at a cost to taxpayers at over $40 million) after having criticized President Obama for spending a fraction of that time on the course. Louis C.K. apologizes for sexual harassment but makes it all about himself. Many Republicans flocked to Roy Moore, despite the fact that he's a pedophile, choosing party over country. Moore lost, but still won't concede. Kellyanne Conway made up the fake "Bowling Green Massacre." Trump said there were "some very fine people" among the white supremacists causing violence (and an eventual death) in Charlottesville. There is no shame anymore, and hypocrisy now rules the land.

It's been a rough year, setting the stage for what should be a history-making 2018. "Looking back and looking ahead: 2017 was the Year of the Con," tweeted U.S. "House of Cards" creator Beau Willimon. "2018 will be the Year of the Turn." Happy New Year!

Pumpkin Spice Mania Returns, As We Head Into Fall

Remember when I asked last year if the Pumpkin craze had gone too far?

I'm inclined to say no, but I'm a sucker for pumpkin flavors -- and every year, more mainstream products get into the act. This year, pumpkin is invading the cereal aisle. Above, pumpkin flavors of Mini Frosted Wheats, Life and Special K cereals. (All found at Target). I haven't been to Trader Joe's yet this week, but I assume the aisles are starting to look a lot like this, from last year:



Fall is here!

First Look: Silver Lake's New 365 by Whole Foods Market

Trader Joe's, don't worry just yet. "365," the new supermarket concept from Whole Foods Market, recently opened in Silver Lake to much fanfare -- but also much confusion.  We finally visited for the first time, on Sunday, and although the experience was pleasant, I'm left wondering what the strategy is.



Again, that's not to say it's not a pleasant shopping experience. But as Devon Maloney wrote in the Los Angeles Times, it's hard not to keep thinking about how 365 "is the national grocery chain’s attempt to reach a younger, less financially sound generation by selling them food that’s slightly less expensive than what they might find at the original Whole Foods. With 365, Whole Foods hopes to capitalize on the student-loan-saddled bourgeoisie (you know, the people who can swing some organic produce but aren’t champing at the bit for a $6 asparagus water) while still keeping the rabble clear of its highest-quality aisles."



Adds Maloney: "But 365 is not just about appealing to millennials through our wallets — it’s about capturing our hearts, too, by revolutionizing the food-buying experience...somehow? Anyway, this flashy gimmick certainly isn’t here to profit from an already-gentrified, upwardly mobile yuppie community and help drive up rent prices for low-income immigrant families who have been here for decades!"



Can't I just pick it up? Do I really need to order it on this iPad too?



Long lines, during these early days of 365's existence.



OK, nice wine offerings.



And a mini version of Whole Foods' Allegro coffee.



Ha, jumble "Lake" and it becomes "Kale," get it?



Whoa. I've been disappointed with Trader Joe's for discontinuing my beloved Jalapeno cheese puffs. Good to see Barbara's (which I assume also produced TJ's version) still makes them. OK. 365, you're beginning to win me over, much like Maloney. Maria felt a bit like we were cheating on Trader Joe's; I figure it can't hurt to keep an open grocery store relationship.

R.I.P., Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Tortilla Chips (UPDATED)

Trader Joe's, you just broke my heart.

The grocer has discontinued plenty of great products in the past. I still really miss the chicken polenta lasagna. It was amazing.

But I forgave Trader Joe's for getting rid of items--there are always other, new favorites to be introduced. But the decision to discontinue the Reduced Guilt White Corn Tortilla Chips is a step too far.

The chips were my go-to snack. Almost every day: Reduced Guilt tortilla chips and hummus. Yeah, I know, I was probably foolish to believe that I was snacking well by eating "reduced guilt" chips -- they're still chips, after all. But nonetheless, they were my snacking everything.

What stings is Trader Joe's refusal to engage the public, by avoiding social media. What caused the chain to drop the product? We may never know.

What to do now? Is there even anything comparable on the market?

UPDATE: A response from Trader Joe's!:

"Dear Michael,

Thanks for contacting us. We have discontinued the Reduced Guilt White Corn Tortilla Chips in our stores due to slow sales. Because our stores have such limited space, if an item does not meet a minimum sales volume, we will discontinue it in order to bring in something we think will sell better. I will pass your comments on to our buyers for consideration. From time to time, if there is enough outcry to bring back a discontinued item and we are able to do so, we will give it another run.

Regards,
Nikki
Customer Relations
Trader Joe's

Scenes from Christmas 2015 in Los Angeles

Christmas Eve brings quite a few traditions to the Franklin Avenue Four: It's also the Blogger Kid's birthday, so the morning is devoted to celebrating his special day via breakfast (at Square One boathouse) and paddle boats at Echo Park. Then it's off to do last minute prep (which means braving the Trader Joe's madhouse), followed by children's mass at downtown's Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels; then the last hour of the Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration at the Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (that's the Music Center Christmas tree above) and then celebrating with family in the Valley.

Some pics from a 2015 Christmas in L.A.:


Echo Park


Christmas Eve at Trader Joe's is not recommended. The parking lot is a war zone, and nerves are on edge. (The guy screaming to managers about someone sneaking more items into the 10 Items or Less line was a special treat.)


Peace on Earth


At the Cathedral


The free L.A. County Holiday Celebration has been a local Christmas Eve tradition for 56 years.


Citrus Singers (40-member voice ensemble with handbells)


Aloe Blacc performs two holiday standards


Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles


Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles (all-female mariachi band)


As tradition, the show ends with the performers and audience members singing "Silent Night."


Straight from City Hall, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Fresh & Easy's Sad Farewell Letter

Sad sight tonight at the Glassell Park location of Fresh & Easy. With discounts between 10% and 30%, items are already flying off shelves. The employee I talked to said the store will probably be open for a week or two more, but the good stuff is going away now.

Back in 2007, we wrote about the arrival of Fresh & Easy markets. We were particularly excited about the opening of a nearby location in Glassell Park:

Wasn't too impressed with the food sample booth -- pieces of lettuce with blue cheese dressing (really? On day one, that's your only sample in the entire store? Shouldn't F&E be offering samples of just about everything?) Like TJ's, the produce selection is relatively small (actually, if possible, it's smaller than Trader Joe's). But in other ways -- the sheer variety of both F&E brand and national brand ice creams, for example -- F&E offers much more than TJs.

I was impressed, for the most part, by the prices. And let's face it, another grocery option so close by is a good thing -- and a welcome addition to the working-class Glassell Park neighborhood.

The store is big, but not too big, and simply designed. (The wall that separates F&E from whatever will move in next door is empty and stark.) Majority of the check outs are do-it-youself, although on opening day plenty of F&E employees were on hand to help ring people up.

Ultimately, I think the real draw for F&E will indeed be its ready-to-cook entrees. For dinner, I picked up a Green Curry Thai Chicken rice bowl for $3.99. Good price, good flavor (although I'm still tasting the garlic) -- and there's plenty more to try.

Fresh & Easy could never crack the code with consumers, who I think were confused by the fact that it was a hybrid of Trader Joe's and Ralphs. And maybe the self checkout thing really turned people off. It was impersonal and cold -- the direct opposite of TJ's friendly staff.

I liked having F&E as an option, however, and they still carried some decent ready-to-cook items. But alas, it's all over. A message from the company:

Over the last two years, we have been working hard to build a new Fresh & Easy. We thank you for shopping with us and bringing our products into your home.

As you may have heard, all our stores will be closing over the coming weeks. You may still convert any points you have over 500 and redeem your rewards. However, we will no longer be awarding Friends points on purchases made after 12:00:00am Pacific time on Friday October 23, 2015. Please see our updated Terms and Conditions.

We encourage you to come in and get some of your fresh&easy favorites for the last time.

Thank you for being a loyal friend.

The fresh&easy Team

See our full Fresh & Easy coverage from the past decade here.