Trader Joe's Virgin is Virgin No More!

The most glorious news has just been received.  Peter, my glorious friend from London, who has been reading about the wonders of all things Joe, has finally arrived in the U.S. to be de-flowered.  Only he can describe this very important day in his life, as a man, as a foodie, as a chocoholic:

It's happened. After all these years of reading and swooning over your blog,



I've done the deed and lost my virginity...






Trader Joe's was n't quite what I imagined; I was expecting a boutique style


supermarket at boutique style prices. Half right: boutique style supermarket but


at very attractive prices. I was amazed and to be honest more than a little


overwhelmed by the selection, the obvious quality and the fact that everything's


so very reasonably priced.






And they don't sell food that's been grown on steroids either. The strawberries


I bought tasted like strawberries, so did the blueberries.






Chocolate? Well, I had a little wander down the aisle of cocoa cornucopia. If I


ever do that again then I'm going to have to either be wearing boxing gloves so


I can't pick anything up, or better still under some form of supervision. Eyes


out on stalks, endorphins firing like flares over a battlefield, I could not


help but buy, buy, buy.






Their dark chocolate Mint creams are the handiwork of the devil. Truly, Satan's


children. I now no longer have any will power since downing a tub of them.


Correct, an entire tub, and that on top of half a packet of ginger, cinnamon and


molasses soft cookies I effortlessly scoffed on the uptown number 6 train. To


everyone on the same carriage as me, I apologise...but once I start, there's no


stop button.






I've actually been to two of their outlets today: union square first, then the


mother ship in Chelsea. I know I'm going to be rolling back to at least one of


them tomorrow. No self control any more.






They've clearly got the edge over whole foods: much better range of foodstuffs


and groceries; spot on pricing ; quirky, compelling in store ads; along with


staff who really seem to enjoy their job.






Viva Trader Joe's !






Best wishes and regards






Peter