Please use this page to describe non-wine GO items you have especially appreciated lately. To reduce overlap with other GO and food sites, your first comment on this site may not be on this page.
The magical world of wines from Grocery Outlet
The best and the worst of Gross Out.
The magical world of wines from Grocery Outlet 
Richmond, CA has Truff black truffle oil, not cheap at $15 but pretty tasty. Also their spicy pasta sauce, I think $7 for 17 oz? Good but spicy. A friend recently gave me a Truff hot sauce; very nice, on the sweet side. The Mezzetta Artisan spicy pasta sauce (red label, $5 for 25 oz?) was also very tasty but very spicy, really too much for straight use as pasta sauce. I diluted it with their excellent Artisan Italian plum tomato marinara, got a couple months ago in smaller jars (white label, $3 for 12 oz?) and a Calabrian pepper version that was not too spicy.
Also at Richmond: Ewenique sheep cheese from Central Coast creamery, 5 oz for $6 vac-pacs, it was $27/lb at the cheese shop where I first tried it. Similar to the Lamb Chopper but a bit sharper, harder, and more complex aroma.
Arroy-D coconut milk $2 and Savoy coconut cream $2.70. Housemate and I tasted through a bunch of the various coconut milk & cream products that we’d got at GO over the last year, decided that Arroy-D has the best flavor.
Arrowhead Mills organic bread flour, $7. Vac-pac sushi nori and rice paper wraps, forget the price. Also they have all 3 colors of the Macienda masa harina – white, yellow, and blue.
Tons of whiskies, some Irish brands my Irish friend hadn’t heard of, and one he had (Busker), the Virginia cider and port-cask still there ($15), and Benjamin Chapman rye and corn, well reviewed, also $15.
Another load of Marin Sun Farm vac-pac NY and rib eye steaks, $7.50/12 oz.
I’ve seen the Busker whiskey in a few stores in my region too. There are some reviews of it on reddit and various websites. Seems to be a new to the US brand, as some alluded to how distributor reps had been pushing it, as well as sample bottles were being sent to irish/whiskey enthusiast sites. I’m assuming it could not crack into what is a niche category in most retailers, and thus the existing stock founds its way to GO. The ones I’ve seen were $16/750 ml.
The Chapman rye is really quite solid. I had a Manhattan with it last night. Fabulous.
Just returned from a month on the East Coast and had to re-provision, so headed for the Lake City Grocery Outlet to see what was new. Did not see any wine of note, but did see a couple potential Other Bargains:
Macienda brand white corn and yellow corn masa harina, each at 6.99 a kilo. That’s less than another brand sells for at the Mexican market on Lake City Way. If you make corn tortillas at home, this could be a bargain.
Yamasa’s upscale ‘artisanal’ soy sauce, naturally brewed with no artificial coloring or preservatives except a small amount of alcohol. $1.99 a bottle, seen at the reasonably priced Asian market on Aurora at $6.99, so a bargain if you like good quality soy sauce.
The Cowgirl Creamery Mt Tam was the only cheese of note. Forgot the price, though.
And, in the unlikely event that anyone here stops by the GO in Lancaster PA, they still have the very good Emilio aged balsamic vinegar and a terrific imported dark chocolate gelato for 1.99 a pint. No wines, though, given the archaic and punitive wine sale laws in PA.
That Mt. Tam Brie-like cheese is back at the Silverdale GO too…and I believe it’s $6.99 for the small wheel. We went through a couple of those a few months ago and enjoyed it.
I have made a couple batches of tortillas with the Macienda blue corn masa harina. They’ve had a slightly heavier, earthier taste than the standard Maseca brand.
Today at the Silverdale GO I purchased the following 5 oz. uncured pork salamis from Brooklyn Cured for $5.99 ea. : Mezcal & Lime, Belgian Ale & Lemon Zest, and Rye Whiskey & Orange Zest. All with best by dates of 1/5/25. They had one other, but it didn’t sound interesting to me, Bourbon & Sour Cherries. I’m anxious to give them a try.
Items like that have been scant in most of the the GO’s I’ve been in recently. There are some weird/wacky frozen stuff now though.
Speaking of frozen goods at GO, For a number of years I’ve been buying their Texas Tamale Company frozen tamales (which we love) in a muslin drawstring bag…pork, chicken and Hatch chile. Today I bought a bag of their new spinach and cheese tamales…all $7.99.
Forgot I was gonna’ include this link: https://www.brooklyncured.com/salami and
https://www.brooklyncured.com/cocktail-inspired-salami
I’ve been very much enjoying the Creminelli salamis, pre-sliced, 1lb for $10. I’ve tried the “Wild Boar” and”Tartufo” (truffle).
Richmond, CA yesterday
Marin Sun Farms NY Strip steak, 12 oz, $7.50 – a recurring favorite
Sugarbrook Edam (WI), $5/lb – OK for snacking, fine in a mushroom omelet
La Montagne chocolate-covered pistachios, 12 oz, $6 – what’s not to like?
Palacios sliced spicy chorizo (Spain), 3.5 oz, $3 – tasty, not too hot
Progresso Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, 8 oz, $1 – old standby
Neutrogena Beach Defense sunscreen stick 50 SPF, $6 – like a deodorant stick
Wow. Was at the Crown Hill GO and came across a nice gift package of Knob Creek 7yr Rye Bourbon with two glasses for 26.99. Wow indeed. Normally goes for much more at Total Wine. Great day at GO full of good deals.
Hi Bristol and welcome. Do you work for Grocery Outlet in some way? Owner / Operator or employee? It’s fine, but please disclose if you do.
No. frequent shopper there tho
Ok. Thanks.
So heads up to anyone who purchased the di Martino pasta in recent times….we opened a box of the pre cooked lasagna tonight and it was crawling with very small bugs/mites or what not. Have not had that with other boxes, and we have not had that issue in our dry pantry area, so there could be some bad boxes floating around there.
Several Fly by Jing products have turned up, at prices about half of the Asian market prices. The Zhong sauce I highly recommend as a combo of chili crisp and a stir-fry sauce. There is also a Mala spice rub, which includes powdered (probably shiitake) mushroom, red pepper, and a few other unnamed spices, but not specifically listing Sichuan pepper, so whether there is truly ‘ma’ in the ‘mala,’ I cannot say. There is a pure chili-infused oil (nothing solid or crunchy in it), though infused chili oil is simple to make, so I wouldn’t bother with this myself.
One possible misleading item is shelf-labeled at two GOs as “chili crisp,” though the actual label on the product calls it “Chili Crisp Vin.” It actually appears to be a vinaigrette with some chili crisp, some sesame oil, and Chinese black vinegar that may or may not be Shaoxing vinegar. I would imagine it to be a tasty vinaigrette for use on steamed green vegetables, but if you are expecting it to be the Fly by Jing chili crisp, you will be disappointed.
Hi Flitcraft! I got a jar of the Mala spice rub a while ago and found it a bit too sweet and not spicy and not much if any Sichuan pepper (“numbing spice,” “prickly ash”), disappointing. I recently got a bottle of the Chili Crisp Vin. It seems to be a mixture like you’d normally mix yourself for dipping sauce — chili crisp, black vinegar, chili oil — but all in one container. I found the narrow mouth bottle frustrating because, when poured, I’d get only the chili oil coming out. I transferred it all to a (normal cylindrical) jar and spoon it out, and this produces a good mix of components. Still, I hope that the Sichuan Chili Crisp returns, as that is my favorite and my stash is running low.
Their chili crisp is the best of the Fly by Jing products, I think. The Zhong sauce, while good, is nothing you couldn’t make yourself as long as you have a reasonable Asian pantry; likewise the Chili Crisp Vin. I did notice that the Mala rub didn’t list Sichuan pepper as an ingredient, so not surprising there was no “ma” in it.
In a non-GO bit of info, though, a friend of mine was going to an Asian market recently and asked me if I had anything I needed; Sichuan pepper was my request, and I suggested we split a packet. He brought me my share, which noted he had cleaned up: discarding all the dried seed covers and keeping only the shiny internal seeds. Unfortunately, all the flavoring is in the seed covers–the seeds themselves should be discarded as they contribute nothing but hard grittiness!
Oh, my. Yes, I’ve experienced that myself, when at the end of a bag of Sichuan peppercorns, there’s only the seeds left and, even ground, they don’t add much except, as you say, hard grittiness.
Coincidentally, I made XO green beans last night as a side to crispy tofu over rice, and put a teaspoon (!) of crushed Sichuan pepper over my plate. The bottle was a gift from a family member after they decided they did not like the hot / numbing / floral / citrus notes of ‘ma’
I love the stuff but usually don’t have it around. For whatever reasons it doesn’t grind smoothly in one of my pepper pots, so i have to crush them with a wooden spoon in a small bowl, and then sprinkle.
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I will keep an eye out for all these Asian condiments. We are very experimental with those since, even if they are a little stale/tired/weird, it’s a whole lot different than our normal seasonings. Thanks for the heads up.
Quite the thread on FBJ, I liked the Zhong sauce, great flavor and heat, but like the crisp better, more solids. I passed on the rub because the ingredients are mostly sugar and salt, and yes, it has Sichuan pepper (they refer to it as “tribute pepper”).
My Asian housemate introduced me to chili crisp, I got addicted. The cheap default is Lao Gan Ma. She got some other fancy ones free at an event (Homiah); I saw them at the store later for $13 “on sale” – ridiculous. So I tried to make my own.
Looked at some internet recipes and averaged. The first iteration I started from raw onions, garlic, and shallots and ginger, but I couldn’t get the onions crispy, they ended up both soggy and burnt. Threw out the whole batch.
Next time I just deep-fried the shallots and pulled them out to drain (seems to be a necessary step to crispness, her mom makes these as a standalone condiment too) then added fried garlic and ginger later, plus various spices including Sichuan pepper. Then I added dehydrated toasted onion bits. Canola and sesame oil.
For chiles, I went cheap and got a big bag of Arbol from the Mexican rack at GO. PITA to stem and seed, hard to chop very finely, next time will use crushed chili flakes. This came out better; my Indian & Sri Lankan friends loved it, but WAY too hot for my use (favorite: on top of $1.99 GO hummus). So I diluted it with more oil, dried onions, and toasted chopped peanuts. Pretty great! But the 8 jars need to be refrigerated, so I got some more FBJ Zhong for the panty, as it’s shelf stable.
We did a taste-off, and the Zhong sauce won for flavor, but lacking in crispy bits.
Lao Gan Ma was decent, has some crispy bean bits, but relied too much on MSG.
Mine came in second, but I’ll tweak it. More soy sauce and mushroom powder to bump up the umami I think, plus some 5-spice powder (Sichuan pepper, star anise, cassia cinnamon, cloves, and fennel).
I’ve played around a bit myself with chili crisp, an eye to eventually making and canning my own chili crisp so I can stop buying it! During the pandemic it kept me off the streets…
You might consider using gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes for a tasty but not explosively hot version of your chili crisp–I found the Momofuko version of chili crisp too spicy to use as liberally as I prefer. I have also experimented with Kashmiri pepper in making small batches of chili crisp, but prefer the gochugaru for a medium-spicy crisp. If you have a Middle Eastern or good Asian market, you may be able to short-circuit the shallot-crisping, which is tricky for me to get just right. Typically it is sold in large jars of dry crispy shallot bits that keep for a few months. Also I add douchi, Sichuan fermented black beans, which I think is what LaoGanMa chili crisp uses. They come dry in a packet, semi-hard, and rehydrate nicely in oil.
I think the Zhong sauce is more of a stir fry sauce, though I augment it with a little sesame oil, sesame seeds, and Shaoxing wine when I use it that way.
Thanks for the tips FC, I’m familiar with those ingredients and have good local markets (SF East Bay > Berkeley Bowl, Koreatown) but was just being lazy and cheap. But that reminds me, I’m out of Aleppo pepper flakes, another variety I like and mail order, so I’ll look for some gochugaru and Kashmiri pepper too.
Curious about the relative heat. I had some Korean red flakes from my housemate that were pretty hot, more comparable to the Arbol, but Googling “kashmiri pepper scoville” gives 1,000-2,000, pretty mellow, while gochugaru says 1,500 to 10,000, a heckuva range. And everything on the internet is 100% accurate, of course.
Chipotle might be good too, if you like smoke. This came up in search and piqued my interest: Rocoto pepper flakes (Capsicum pubescens). Back when I had a house with a garden, a planted some of these and really enjoyed them. Scoville is not the whole story here; some say they’re similar to habaneros, but I found the heat to have a different quality, and much more tolerable.
I don’t know if they’re Sichuan per se, but I’ve used the semi-dry fermented black beans to make a paste with garlic, pretty good. Did you do anything to crisp them up more? I didn’t know you could buy the crispy shallots too, like I said, just stole my housemate’s, whose mom makes em, was going to try to make them myself, but usually avoid deep frying – although I guess here the oil is all kept.
I got some Lars “Imported” Crispy Onions at GO recently (4 oz in a half-pint plastic tub, $1.99?), pretty good, enjoying them in salads, but they’re breaded, not sure they’d hold up in oil, will test some.
This blog is kind of moving towards the old Chowhound convos, RIP.
…replying to myself again, I was wrong about whatever Korean pepper I thought was very hot, my housemate just gave me some gochugaru, it’s pretty mellow, fruity, tangy.
Also, Aleppo is in Syria; since that’s been war-torn for years, you’re unlikely to get any produce from there. Very similar Turkish varieties are available (and likely sold as Aleppo too).
https://aneducatedpalate.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/aleppo-kirmizi-maras-and-urfa-red-pepper/
Kinda sweet-tart, slightly smoky (not smoked though, sun-dried fruit) and mid-level heat, bit rasiny, chocolaty flavor.
Kashmiri I could only find whole or powder, got some anyway.
Gave up on the Rocoto, only found one source, didn’t want to pay $9 S&H for a taster. Housemate also suggested using widely available Chinese or Sichuan chili flakes for oil & crisp.
Spicy up yer life!
The Lars Crispy Onions are definitely breaded, and I don’t think they’d work in chili crisp. I seem to remember Serious Eats doing a post on how to make crispy shallots in the microwave, though with the jarred ones so inexpensive I haven’t experimented myself.
Peppers are always variable in terms of hotness, I think. When we grew hot peppers, some were pleasantly nippy and others of the same variety would take the top of your head off. I have an 8 oz jar of gochugaru that I trust for heat level, though if I tried another brand it might be quite different. Aleppo and Urfa pepper flakes are our go-to pepper flakes Chez Flitcraft, with Aleppo being used in four out of five dishes. It’s mild enough to use generously and has a flavor beyond the ‘pain as a flavor’ of some peppers.
On Chinese black beans, the ones from Sichuan have lots of umami flavoring agents added, whereas the Cantonese ones are simply dryish beans, and you have to add any flavor you want.
Now you’ve given me renewed impetus to make my own chili crisp again. Well, once I’ve finished that large jar of Fly by Jing, of course…
I use the Serious Eats “make crispy shallots in the microwave” trick — note that you don’t just get crispy shallots, you get lovely shallot oil! The shallots get crispier as they drain/dry, so don’t be disappointed at the beginning. Keep the shallot oil in the fridge and use for just about anything.
For chili crisp, I use a mashup of Bon Appetit’s recipe and Alison Roman (from one of her books, which I got from the library but also on Google Books). It’s always good, if inconsistent (due to me, not the sources!).
I recently finished my gochugaru — I have urfa, kashmiri, unnamed chinese-market chili flakes, and Aleppo — any recommendations for my next batch of chili crisp???
For general chili flakes, I am with Flitcraft on using a lot of Aleppo (whether Syrian or not).
I put some of the Lars “Imported” Crispy Onions into the oil layer on top of my chili crisp, and they’ve stayed crunchy for a couple of days.
Got more to use in my next batch of chili crisp, will use up the small amount of gochugaru on hand plus a bit of a too-coarsely chopped Harissa, and add Aleppo (Halaby) flakes and kashmiri powder ordered from Amazon (“Spicy World”, good reviews, haven’t tried yet).
Do you know about OAKTOWN SPICE? We used to live in Oakland now on the Olympic Peninsula and stock on trips down there! M. Crab
I picked up some of the Zhong sauce…what are people using it with?
I made a rack of ribs using Zhong sauce instead of BBQ sauce. Pretty good.
Thursday I went into K&L, which was having a tasting of single malt whiskey made by Virginia Distillery. These were very nice products. Well it turns out that the Richmond GO has two of their whiskeys, one aged in port barrels, the other in cider barrels, for $24.99, which is about half of the K&L price.
Typical.
Although tbh, I rarely ever feel hosed by paying up for a product at K&L, whereas I can definitely pay bottom dollar at GO, and be annoyed.
I spend very little at K&L nowadays, but have been a 2-3 decade long customer.
I got to Richmond GO today, and saw the two Virginia Distillery whiskeys you describe, which as I quickly scanned them, were blends of Scotch and American whiskies? I opted for a third from Virginia Distillery, the “Fiftystar,” American single malt whiskey aged in American bourbon barrels, same price. Thanks for your referral.
I was told that when they were beginning production they bought some bulk scotch.
Thanks for tip, Mr. Seeds – I read some reviews and grabbed the last cider cask bottle at Richmond (still ~10 port cask on the shelf). Won’t taste it soon, too much open already.
Whilst picking up the Ogier Lirac at K&L that Aubergine and dluber mentioned, a customer comes up to the cashier and asks, ” Is this really $10″ referring to a bottle of single malt Scotch. I purchased a bottle and tried it in the parking lot and thought it worth the price and bought some. Since people many here on Grossout are K&L patrons, I thought it worth mentioning the bottle was a Speyburn Bradan Orach Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky. There is plenty left. My wife tastes some of my single malts out of a Glencairn and invariably dismisses it, but this single malt she likes since there is very little peat. She loves her Cognac though.
Most of the GO in our region have been rather limited in their selection of anything really interesting in the last few months. Just discounted candy canes and junk like that. I think they have expanded their franchise network faster than they can buy really interesting items from distressed vendors. One can just tell how the Little Debbie section, Frito Lay / Pepsi land, and always available cheeses are taking up more and more shelf space in many locations.
There used to be typically 1 interesting item (either price or unique) in each row at most stores when I would pop in. Now, it might not even be 1 in the entire store. And I have a eclectic and omnivorous tastes.
I hope they cool it on expansion until the corporate parent can get a better handle on growth. They still have not fixed their broken daily emails, nor rolled out a proper working app to all regions. And that begs the question if the app even makes sense to use, given the rumors of the GO casual approach to data privacy. It’s not like they have a loyalty program or conventional product coupons like the usual grocers apps.
Same here. I stopped shopping at the Lynnwood GO last year since the selection and prices are no different from Winco. The Lake City and Kenmore locations will occasionally have something interesting, but not in the way they did a few years ago. GO used to be my first stop for grocery shopping, now I only go if I’m in the neighborhood and have the time, or if Flitcraft mentions there’s a find.
I love WINCO. I could spend a whole day in their bulk section.
I have experienced the same situations at the 3-4 GO’s nearest me; Roseville, Citrus Heights, Orangevale and Rocklin. I rarely drop in anymore and have been more and more disappointed. But they always seem busy. ???
I think there are tons of financially pressured households who are just happy to buy bread a buck cheaper than their normal unionized grocer, and will patronize GO for that. I don’t think that’s a good use of time personally, but it seem to be working for them. Of course plenty of variation between locations.
At the Olympia store I found 5.3 oz wedges of Port Salut cheese for $1.99. “Best by” date of 3/25/24
Seen at Crown Hill in Seattle: Cathedral City English Extra Mature Cheddar–this is terrific cheese, and only 2.99 for 7 ounces. It showed up some time back, and this incarnation is just as good as that one was. Beemster 12 month Gouda is also back, another in the GO cheese Hall of Fame.
In a ‘math is hard, let’s go shopping’ moment, I found Libby 14 ounce cans of organic pumpkin puree for 1.49 with a best by date of November 2024, or further down the same aisle you can choose Libby non-organic pumpkin puree in a 28 ounce can for 4.29, with a shorter best by date to boot. Go figure…
Finally, I couldn’t resist listing the Lucky Charms Pancake Mix, 3 boxes for 97 cents, allegedly sold elsewhere for 3.99 a box. The box includes a fairly generic pancake mix plus a baggie of multi-colored marshmallows that will be instantly familiar to anyone who ate Lucky Charms cereal in their misguided youth. I believe that my five year old granddaughter would have squealed with delight at such a breakfast, but since she is now ten and I have no time machine to stuff us into, I had to pass.
The Cathedral cheese was pretty good, we’re gnawing away on a block of it. There is a wide dispersion between the quality/breadth of the cheese counters in our various GO’s. Some have a constant stream of curious stuff like this worth trying for a couple of bucks (when it might be $10 at Whole Foods, and not worth experimenting) and others never stock that ilk, sticking to their usual 2lb bags of dreary shredded industrial cheese mainly.
I stopped in to the Lake City Seattle GO this afternoon to see if they had any of that Estonian cheese. No joy, though. However, I did spot a few other potential ‘other bargains.’ Oregon Orchard brand hazelnut oil, 3.99 for 8.5 ounces. Gold Medal pizza flour, 1.99 for 2 pounds, best by October 24. No info on the package regarding protein content. Vita Bio Organic crushed tomatoes, 1.49 for a 28 oz. can, best by August 24; product of the USA, but packaged for Canada.
In dueling dairy-mushroom products, you have your choice of President Spreadable Brie w/ Truffle pieces, 6 oz. for 3.49. Or Finlandia Cheese Spread w/ Chanterelles, 7 oz. for 2.49. Or, go crazy and try both.
Bought a few bottle of the hazelnut oil a few months ago, as that’s right up my alley. I love it for salads and steamed veggies. Love mushrooms, but truffles, not so much. So I’ll pass on the cheeses…if they ever show up over here.
“Love mushrooms, but truffles, not so much,” gee, Lim, I wish there were more people like you. Much of the truffle flavoring is from a synthetic truffle compound in oils. Costco has sold truffled butter with bits of truffle, Tuber melanosporum. The company that Costco carries also sells the white Alba truffle butter, Tuber magnatum online. It’s a wonderful addition to finish a truffle pasta. During the holiday, Costco was selling a white truffle cheese which IMO wasn’t worth the high price. The truffle quality dissipated rather quickly.
For what it’s worth, the truffle Brie spread’s ingredients claim pieces of truffle rather than truffle-infused oil. But further for what it’s worth, I fully agree that most truffle-flavored things taste to me like rubber smells and likely contain little or no actual truffle.
I lived in Italy many, many, many years ago. At that time in Italy is was common and not expensive to put sliced truffles on a salad, or whatever. How lucky was I??
Every time I hear the word truffle oil on a menu I recoil. Most are fake and taste horrible. So I do not order anything in that says truffle oil.
Lucky you. I assume it was the Alba white. Italy also has T. melanosporum. I agree with you concerning truffle oil items on a menu. There are bottles of oil from Italy that contain a piece of white truffle. Once got a gift bottle of one and it was good, but must be used fairly quickly.
The truffles I had were the black ones. I miss many things from Italy and the truffles are one of them.
Our GO had the Gold Medal pizza flour for 1.99 for two pounds as well. But seeing as I can get 50 pounds of high gluten flour from Costco for $20 – I passed.
I was tempted by the King Arthur AP flour, five pounds for $5 but as I still have 10 pounds of Gold Medal AP to get through, from my holiday baking prep, I passed as well.
But I will be looking for all the cheeses mentioned!
On Wednesday, I noticed the Silverdale GO had two hard cheeses from the producer, Valio in Estonia. Wedges that appear to be similar to Parmigiana or Grana for $3.99. I believe they had the Forte and the Gran Regale, but I might be wrong about the Gran Regale. I’m curious about them. Has anyone tried them?
https://www.valio.ee/en/products/cheeses/#hard-cheeses
I haven’t seen it, but I do know that Valio is a farmer-owned cooperative based in Finland, with some of their cheeses made in Estonia and Latvia, and Russia prior to the Ukraine invasion. They are known for innovations in cheese-making, prioritizing sustainability and have even made some plant-based cheeses. If I see these, I will definitely pick them up and give them a try. By the way, they sell some of their cheese in the US under the name Finlandia.
Thanks FC. I too read up about the company before posting my original comment. That’s enough for me. I’ll pick up one of each if it’s still there.
Costco typically has a deal every few months on Finlandia cheese, at least in my region. One can get a big block of Swiss style cheese for maybe $7, and it’s a big monster block. However, in our household, no one really cares for that nutty flavor outside of the occasional fondue, when it might be a small component.
I have gotten kind of down on my closest GO, which only opened a few years ago. It has really given up on getting new/interesting deals and their wine section has always been a disaster, mostly filled with Poundcake type of ‘product’. It really is remarkable how much of a difference an engaged, on site operator couple can make between a great location and a mediocre one. I’m now driving an extra few miles just to go to a better one (somewhat past a family member) which actually seems to offer outlet prices and bargains, as opposed to shelves of Pepsi/Frito Lay/Little Debbie/Mission stocked junk.
Bought one of each of those Estonian hard cheeses today…and they ARE labeled Finlandia, flitcraft.
I have not tried them. I saw them at the GO in Lynnwood on Thursday and thought about buying one. I will see if they are still the next time I go.
Although the Lake City Seattle store did not have them, Crown Hill did. (Generally their cheese selection is the best in Seattle, so I was not surprised.)
I was planning on testing them on a meal of pasta with tomato, sausage, and kale sauce. But, reading the label, I saw that the Gran Regale is a milder cheese, recommended for eating as a snack or shaving over a salad. So as not to conduct an unfair test, I confined the test to finely grating the Forte and the currently available Parmigiano Reggiano over the pasta. First, I tasted each grated cheese on its own. Not surprisingly, the Parmigiano Reggiano blew it away–most complexity, deeper umami notes with the nuttiness, just plain better. However, it is also more expensive–a dollar more for a piece 30 grams smaller.
But, when sprinkled liberally over the pasta, I can’t honestly say I detected a significant difference. Mind you, the pasta sauce contained hot Italian sausage, garlic, and shallot as well as tomatoes, so the highly flavored sauce may have swamped the differences that were obvious when tasted on their own. So, my bottom line–taste-wise, if you are making a delicately flavored risotto, go with the Parmigiano Reggiano, but if you’re having a robustly flavored dish, it probably won’t matter.
One final note, though, that may well matter very much to some folks: the Estonian cheeses both list egg white as one of the ingredients. Wha??? What is egg white doing in the cheese?? People with egg allergies might not think to check cheese for egg as an ingredient. But there it is… Also, note that by regulation Parmigiano Reggiano is never vegetarian, as it must be made with rennet. It is unclear whether the Estonian cheeses are vegetarian or not, since the ingredient list just notes the inclusion of ‘cultures’ without specifying whether the cheese is clabbered with animal rennet or microbial cultures.
Flitcraft, you got me curious about why would egg be present in cheesemaking?
Lysozyme extracted from egg albumen has been used as early as the 1960s as an organic antibacterial agent in cheese making to prevent butyric cheese blowing defect caused by 3 species of Clostridium bacteria (not Clostridium botulinum, thank God).
Clostridium bacteria is present in silage that is added to cattle feed to augment cattle diet w protein and micronutrients. Silage is the fermented byproduct of processed sorghum, cereals, other crops.
It would be impossible to eradicate every single bacteria in a dairy using silage as feed.
Clostridium bacteria are anaerobic and feed on lactic acid, producing large gas pockets that blow the cheese apart. Butyric acid produced by Clostridium digesting the lactic acid also makes the cheese taste bad .
The only country mentioned that bans use of silage in cattle feed is Switzerland. Not sure what other agents or additives are used to control bacterial contamination instead of lysozyme from egg albumen.
So, cheeses might contain egg product.
I saw them yest but passed on them. They didn’t really seem like a deal compared to Costco equivalents. The cheese drawer is overflowing anyways….
Lim, I bought 2 wedges of the Finlandia Gran Regale cheese aged 10 months, Valio USA, product of Estonia, best by date 3/11/24, price $4 (6.35 oz). Delicious, mildly savory and nutty. Great as a snacking cheese.
Also had it with sliced ham, mayo and mustard on a multi grain roll. The cheese’s savoriness was drowned out by the ham and mustard, so will eat it solo or on crackers.
Much appreciated input, WORN. I’ll eat the Gran Regale with crackers etc. as you did…and use the Forte as I would Parmesan or Grana Padano.
Tried the Finlandia Gran Regale yesterday. Enjoyed the nutty and mildly sharp flavor, but for me, it was far too dry and crumbly to be enjoyed as a snacking cheese with crackers. It made a real mess on the cheese board. So I’ll likely use both it and the Forte as grating cheeses.
Oddball item: for those who occasionally shop at Asian markets, they sometimes have a few shelves of obscure regional fruit packed in cans of heavy syrup. Examples might include lychee, durian, jackfruit, mangosteen, etc. They tend to run $2-$4 per, and are from Thailand, Vietnam etc. One location near me was closing out a pallet of these for 50c/per with a best buy date from a week ago or so. I picked up a can of the jackfruit to try.
So if you like that kind of stuff, keep your eyes open. I normally chill all that ilk and serve to the kids as a curiosity.
Is the jackfruit in syrup? I know that a lot of vegetarians use jackfruit in savory applications as a meat substitute, so jackfruit in syrup would be less versatile.
And, in a bit of random gossip, I was at the Asian Family Market in North Seattle recently just before closing and saw an employee pulling items from a shelf. I asked if there had been a recall, and he replied something to the effect that the items in question were close to ‘best by’ date and were being sent to “another place that deals in discount foods.” GO perhaps??
That kind of fruit is in not just normal syrup…but heavy syrup. My family insists on saving it, in little jam jars, so they can make ‘mocktails’ with the lychee juice or whatnot and sparkling water. (I give them a few days to do that, and when they forget, I’ll dump it).
Our hardcore Asian markets are pretty bad about the ‘sell by’ dates, and the onus is really on the customer to check everything, and in the fresh food areas, or seafood counter, don’t be shy about taking a deep sniff.
Saw the same at Crown Hill–jackfruit and lychee–both packed in heavy syrup. Jackfruit has a fairly subtle taste, so I doubt it is distinctive when swamped in heavy syrup. Lychees have a lovely almost-perfumed flavor, though.
Had to laugh on your mocktail-aspiring family saving the syrup, though. I’ve done that with mandarin oranges in light syrup to add to shrubs, but I’ve also discovered little containers of saved syrup of an indeterminate age that needed to be tossed and combined with enough alcohol to kill whatever might be growing in them!
Sorry I should have clarified – the jackfruit was being closed at GOBM for 50c per.
Les Trois Cochons Uncured French-style Ham with Rosemary, 2.99 for 6 oz. I have enjoyed other LTC products that found their way to GO, such as their pates and little sweet jarred peppers. But this one was a miss for me. The slices are extremely thin, but also rather day, so that it is quite impossible to detach them as slices. I could have dealt with using them as ham-hash, but the rosemary flavor did not do it for me. I ended up using the ham fragments in a bean soup. Not a rebuy for me.
I had the same issue with another one of their sliced meat products. I get the feeling that is why these products are there.
I’ve been noshing on one of their LTC pate’s that was supposed to be used at New Years, but it never got opened. No one else likes that stuff in our place, so I have to pretty much eat the whole thing for snacks before it all goes oxidised.
There is some other company that makes a good one that I normally get, whose name eludes me now. Usually in the deli section at Raleys/BelAir.
I actually have a pate cookbook and have made them at home before, but it tends to be a strangely smelly/stinky process, and all things considered, not really worth the effort unless one is making something truly unique/differentiated. I only do it for parties or to take to a dinner.
I found some Cowgirl Creamery Mt Tam Triple Cream Brie in a small round for $7, Note that this is not the small local company it used to be; it’s now part of the Emmi empire which explains why it might be found at GOBM along with other parts of the Emmi dairy detritus as expiration dates creep up. At least this piece was good til mid February. These are usually double the price at the typical better grocers here.
Those cheeses won’t be ripe enough to enjoy properly until well after the sell-by (it is not an expiration) date. The Mt Tam is still made at the same facility it always was, just a new owner, one who knows how to liquidate stock.
Fair points.
Soup packets (in paper/foil pouches like Lipton onion soup) from a Croatian company called Vegeta have been in/out at various GOBMs for several months. They can be sold as low as 25c or 50c at times. There is a range of flavors: tomato/dill, quinoa/vegetable, mushroom and more.
They are very good and despite having a bunch of processed stuff in them (yeast extract, lecithin, soy boosters and so on) they add a differentiated flavor to the palette of spices. Of course, one can use them for anything, just like home cooks have been putting Lipton into meatloafs or sour cream dips forever.
I’ve found they work well for tossing with vegetables and oil, and then throwing under the broiler.
Sounds like exactly what I could use. I will look for those!
I finally tried the di Martino lasagna noodles, which were Oven Ready, which I had not noticed until boiling up a big pot of salted water, while working on all the other ingredients – sauce, fillings, ricotta, cheeses etc. So I just dipped them in the water and assembled the tray.
They were pretty good, but I think that oven ready noodles are not the best way to really showcase the quality of the IGP pasta. For my taste there is still a textural difference, the tooth of the noodle, feels different than traditional. But I totally grant the ease in assembly with this innovation. I’m just not used to it, but at least have another box to try at some point.
There were 18 slabs in the 16 oz box, which is a couple more than a normal 9×13 pan needs, even if its a deep dish one. I use 4 layers of noodles, with 3 layers of filling.
In any case, if one sees di Martino pasta – of any kind – at a GOBM, they are worth trying. Even stocking up on, if one’s household uses that staple frequently.
There are now Italian-made bronze die extruded bucatini and spaghetti in some of the stores, $2 a lb. Really good pasta.
The brand is Garofalo and Richmond now has penne and fusilli in addition to the bucatini and spaghetti.
That’s the brand that’s stocked at Costco in six packs–two each of penne, casarecce, and gemelli. Don’t recall the price, though. And, having tried the casarecce I concur it is good pasta.
I agree that even the best oven-ready lasagna noodles aren’t as good as fresh pasta sheets or dried ‘traditional’ ones. But on the plus side, they are about twice as thin as traditional noodles, so the lasagna is less of a ‘gut-bomb’ than that made with traditional dried pasta.
Checked my receipt–they were on sale for 9.99 for a six pack. Today’s price at Costco, via the internet, shows 12.99, so assuming they are the same price at the long pasta at GO, they are cheaper at GO but not by a lot.
Two noteworthy meats have arrived in time for holiday meals–Thompson Farms lamb loin roasts, beautifully trimmed and tied, 7.99 a pound. They look like something you’d find at a high end butcher shop. Their lamb chops and ground lamb have been very good.
Also, the cryovac beef tenderloin is finally back, also 7.99 a pound, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds on average. The tenderloin will need a little trimming of silverskin and tying, but not much really. Past purchases were very good. Both seen at Lake City in Seattle.
I have seen the Lamb Loin in the 916 area too. Looked at it closely but didn’t pull the trigger. If I see it again I’ll pick up a couple based on your suggestion.
Yamasa brand ramen broth concentrate, shoyu flavor, made with gluten free soy sauce. 50 cents a bottle; makes 8 servings with added water. Retails for about ten dollars online. The best buy date is this month, but looking at the ingredients I wouldn’t worry about it. Yamasa also makes a similar concentrate in miso and in tonkatsu flavor, which I wish would appear but have not, sadly.
Two firsts for me in the last few days:
Found some unpriced pieces of cheese at one location, where the Best Buy date was a few days ago. Asked a manager how much they were, and if they would consider an on the fly / on the spot markdown. They agreed and I bought 3 chunks for 78c per, which I have no idea what to do with, but at least that was a first for me (playing Persian rug bazaar wheeling and dealing in Americana suburbia).
Made a return of some cookies, and found out that getting store credit is easier than a real cash refund, which is no big deal. Requires a manager and some patience (they don’t make it effortless) but the boilerplate on the bottom of the receipt (returns accepted within 30 days) was honored.
I rarely return items, preferring to be careful upon initial purchase. My better half always has a whole pile of returns for various stores. (They were the ones who insisted the cookies go back)
Aubergine, way to go! Congrats on your first success at getting a markdown! I’ve been bargaining at various stores for years. Here are some tips.
1. Best stores to bargain with are clearance places like Marshall’s, TJMaxx and Ross.
The item should already have a clearance tag, they won’t budge on price w fresh stock. They’ll mark down clearance more in a week, so there is often room to negotiate.
2. Point out any flaw the clearance item has (ie minor stain), state you are interested in buying the item but for the sad flaw. “Is there any way you think you could give me a better price?” At this point the cashier has to call a manager for markdown. The cashier will explain your dilemma to manager. Look hopeful!
3. Let the manager state the discount first, this indicates a willingness to dicker. Let’s say the manager states 10% off (they always start at 10% off btw).
If that’s good enough for you, say “Thanks ever so much!” very cheerfully and smile, looking directly into their eyes. (so they feel good about doing a nice thing).
3. If price is still too high,
gently counter offer, “Thanks so much, but that’s a bit more than I thought, do you think you could do 20% off?”
At this point, the manager may counter offer or stick to original offer.
4. Always be willing to walk away without the item if the price is not marked down enough or the manager refuses outright.
Look sad and sigh, say “Thanks, anyhow!”
*************
Note on bargaining in foreign countries:
They have 3 price levels behind the counter based on people’s origin.
1. Highest price – Americans
2. Middle price – natives who are living abroad and now returned to visit
3. Lowest price – natives who have never left the country.
Never hesitate at bargaining in foreign countries, if no price tags are on items.
NEVER state what price you are willing to pay.
Always let them make the first offer.
Don’t EVER pay it. You are being overcharged a ridiculous amount, being from America.
Whatever price they state, go 50% lower. They will pretend to be mad or insulted. Don’t get flustered, this is a normal playacting part of bargaining in foreign countries. They will counter offer. At this point, accept or shake your head, and slowly back away. They will offer an even lower price. Take it or counter offer.
They will always look sad when you finally pay, to make you feel like you are getting a good deal.
They will NEVER look happy, while secretly rejoicing at the price you paid.
Remember, whatever price you pay for the item is ALWAYS higher than a native.
Later, they’ll brag to their family at dinner about how much an American tourist overpaid.
At Hazel Dell WA store:
An unusual sighting, 100% cotton J Crew women’s pajamas for $9.99. I don’t usually paw through the clothing, but was attracted to the black and white buffalo check. The pajamas had a line drawn through the label, so I am speculating they are seconds. J Crew pajamas sell on line for up to $118.00. Only about a 12-15 pair. Would be curious to know if these have appeared in other stores.
Also, Smart Balance creamy peanut butter and flax spread for .98 cents, regularly $8.99. I bought a dozen jars for the local food bank since that is one of their big asks. Expiration date in early January but I suspect it will be distributed and consumed by then.
I saw new Gap jean jackets for $9.99 at one location. Sizes were extra small, small and I think there was one medium. Strange thing to see out in the aisles. I passed on them.
I actually picked up a pair of the womens bottom pj’s for $7, with ice skating dauchshunds, for one of the teens. they wear that kind of stuff all day long on weekends and holidays. it was a weird thing to find there.
I suspect my wife would love those. I hope that my local stores have them when I return to GO land.
I don’t know how to judge quality, but these didn’t feel any particularly ‘nicer’ than standard Old Navy, Target, JC Penney, etc. type of low end clothing retail quality. Maybe after laundering and 20 washes they will be more durable? but I kind of doubt it.
I still have lots of Lands End, LL Bean, and Carhartt stuff that is 20-25 years old, and still doing great, especially seasonal type. Unfortunately I’m not sure current release quality matches history.
Got some cheeses at Richmond, CA, yesterday:
Valbreso ($3/7oz) and Artikaas Holy Sheep Gouda ($10.50/lb, looks similar to Lamb Chopper). Haven’t tried either yet, too many cheeses open now.
Also Homestead goat cheddar ($5/lb), and Artikaas Hay There! Truffle Gouda ($13/lb), have enjoyed both before.
Cereals: Arrowhead Mills puffed wheat ($1/6 oz) and few different Kashi varieties ($3).
Steaks: Marin Sun Farms and Adama grass-fed NY strips (12 oz, $8 and $5, respectively). Have had the MSF NY, rib eye, sirloin, and pork chops many times before, very good, Adama is new to me.
A few interesting items at GO today in the ‘other bargains’ department: Kuse Fuku and Sons Japanese mayonnaises in 7 1/2 oz jars for 50 cents a jar. Three varieties: yuzu, spicy yuzu and onion mustard. The base mayonnaise looks similar in ingredients to Kewpie or Shirakiku mayos–and the Shirakiku itself has returned, but for 4.99 a tube this time. So not really a bargain for that one. I bought all three of the jarred types.
Healo self described ‘small batch sipping broths’ in 14 oz. glass jars for 99 cents. Here, too, three flavors: vegetable broth, mushroom and seaweed, and sturgeon fish. Personally, I hate their marketing, which touts that these contain “No added hormones, No added steroids, No antibiotics, No additives, and No preservatives.” I suppose the last two are fair enough, but the others seem pretty ridiculous, intended to raise conspiratorial speculation: “Maybe my other vegetable broth is loaded with added hormones and steroids, and antibiotics…better not take chances, I’ll get this one!” Despite my eyerolling, I thought I would include these anyway as potential ‘other bargains,’ especially the sturgeon broth, which I have never and likely will never make myself.
Lots of Harry & David holiday packaged products for those looking for gifts that will seem more expensive than these are. I passed in favor of a large Lindt box of assorted truffles that I know my former administrative assistant will enjoy.
Lastly, Butterkäse was marked down to 2.99 a few days before its best-by-date. It’s a very soft German cheese that melts into an unctuously rich gooey, buttery topping for a tuna melt, or anywhere else where you want a high fat, melty cheese.
Richmond had the beef, lamb and chicken flavors of the bone broth, the beef is quite good.
Good deal, HB. Hope it makes a comeback! I have had items show up locally, weeks or months after they were mentioned here.
Kerrygold Skellig Irish Cheddar, 7 oz/ $2.97 ($6.79/lb) on clearance as BB date is tomorrow (11/17/23). Milk from grass fed cows, vegetarian suitable according to website. Safeway sells same item for $6. Excellent firm cheddar, light gold, slt fissures when sliced but not crumbly, med sharp, creamy, slt sweet, med tangy, delicious!
My first Irish Cheddar, highly recommend. I bought 2 chunks, may go back for more later bf it’s pulled off shelf.
They have that cheese pretty often.
They actually did have this in Silverdale, but only one left when I was there yesterday. I bought none because, like wine, I’m loaded up with cheeses right now too. But…I did pick up one bottle of Oregon Orchard 100% Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Hazelnut Oil, best by date of 11/3/24; $3.99 for 8.5 oz. If you’ve ever bought nut oils, you know how expensive they can be. I love ’em on salads and veggies. Also saw Cullen Creek CA olive oil is back for $9.99 for 750 ml. Like what I saw last at GO (many months ago), it’s not their extra virgin, but still tasty. I liked it better when their EVOO sold at GO for $7.99. I passed.
They slashed the price of the Kerrygold to $1.47 ($3.40/lb) as that batch was expiring 11/23. At that price, I had to scoop up the last 6 on the shelf! No return of the Eiffel Tower Brie, unfortunately.
Richmond, CA:
Monterey Goat Blue, $7/lb in 1 lb half-moon plastic, from Wisconsin, creamy but sharp and pungent, like Castello Danish Blue – which they had half-moons (2 x 4 oz) of for a while at a similar price – but, well, goatier. Similar to the Carr Valley BaBa Blue that came through a while ago.
Marin Sun Farms NY and ribeye steaks, $8 for 12 oz vac-pac.
Back in Seattle, and it appears that I didn’t miss much in the wine sale. I did go to GO yesterday and discovered they are now restocked with the Valbreso ‘don’t call it feta’ cheese from France at 2.99 a package. It’s somewhat cheaper than the Bulgarian White ‘don’t call it feta’ and the Greek feta that have been seen in recent months. But the Valbreso I think is a real bargain, not just for beating the price on those alternatives, but because it is just better cheese regardless. Very creamy 100% sheep milk cheese, made from the same variety of sheep that supply the milk for Roquefort. It excels in those baked feta applications where is emulsifies beautifully with roasted tomatoes and olive oil, and if it were salad season, it’s great there, too, or in whipped feta dips and spreads. I’ve been buying mine at our local food coop for 6.99 since it disappeared from GOs. And now it’s back!
Thanks for the heads up on that I have yet to try any of their Feta-esque cheeses but perhaps I should give them a try since I’d like to try a baked tart of some kind.
Shoot! Why did I not see this before I hit my GO today?
I love both French and Italian fetas, so when I am at my Burbank Go (a SoCa GO that has better wines and cheeses than a few others in my area) I will look.
Likewise to the Eiffel Tower Brie, haven’t found this here either.
Found the Valbreso “don’t call it feta” cheese in the Silverdale store today at that same $2.99 for 7 oz. price.
Nature Valley Savory nut crunch bars at the Burbank GO, So Ca.
5 per box, 99 cents GO price – $3 retail.
We got the smokey BBQ and the everything bagel flavors.
The everything bagel was the winner but? The BBQ was not bad! Both low in sugar and a nice thng to have as a “car snack” while driving and running errands. First ingredient peanuts and low in sugar so, yay.
Happy to see Running Pump Roasting renewed their contract after not seeing their coffee in GO for over a year. My local owner confirmed they have access to 5-6 varieties. I haven’t opened it yet but was pleased to see a 10/01/23 roast date Uganda Bugisu organic medium roast in my store and RP is typically a good step above the Copper Moon/Bean Blossom stuff that seems like it would be good but generally isn’t….
Squeeze the bag of coffee, if you can, and smell to notice the freshness.
Parrano, 6 oz cheese wedges from Holland, wax coating on edge, $2.97 on clearance (down from $6) as BB date is Nov 4. I’ve been eyeing these since they arrived, waiting for the price to come down.
Tastes very much like Artikaas, (Gouda w Parm cultures last fall). Sweet, nutty, creamy, firm not crumbly, savory and very slightly tangy/sharp.
Best cheese I’ve had from GO since the Artikaas and Gruyere AOP. Highly recommend if you find this at your GO!
(Made w animal rennet, so not vegetarian-appropriate.)
Yikes! Why did not look for those today! I will look Saturday, when I will be back. Thanks for the post!
Another worthwhile ‘other bargain’ at Kenmore, but not at Lake City or Crown Hill in Seattle: Rana Portobello mushroom sauce with cream and parmesan, in the refrigerated section. Delicious on the wide Italian pasta we’ve been seeing in recent weeks at GO, and it will freeze well, too. I picked up a couple for the freezer while checking out the wines at Kenmore today.
I’m going to Kenmore tomorrow. I will check it out.
Have a price on the sauce, FC? We love the Rana tagliatelle with chicken and that sauce in a “kit” that Costco frequently sells on discount.
It’s 1.99 for 11 oz. Best by date is in early November, but it’s a ‘use by or freeze by’ date…
Thanks. Great price. Only hope I can find it over here in Kitsap.
Eiffel Tower brand Brie cheese, 7 oz. for 2.99. I saw this last week at the Lancaster PA GO, and got it because my son-in-law is vegetarian and can’t eat cheese made with animal rennet. Every Brie I’d ever seen from France is animal rennet based, but I checked and this one is microbial-made rather than rennet-made. Now, I have to express my dismay at the marketing–the front of the label reads Eiffel Tower brand imported Brie cheese, which would lead you to believe that it is French. It is not, it is from Canada.
But it is far and away the best Brie I have ever gotten at GO–perfectly ripe and creamy. (Mr. Flitcraft describes the usual GO Bries as “cooking Brie,” which is not really unfair…)
I wouldn’t have bothered to post here, assuming that it wouldn’t be found here on the West Coast, but I found it in Seattle, so check it out if you see it.
I bought some on Wed. and am enjoying it now. It is delicious and I will get more if it is still at the store.
None when I checked this morning at Lake City, but a fair amount still at Kenmore…
Wow! I have to look for that! Thank you!
Good luck. I’ve looked every week since FC originally posted about it and I have yet to see it around my local stores in Kitsap County, WA.
Lim13 – that cheese did show up at my Burbank Go years ago – so I have some hope!