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As someone who writes about cheese for a living, I’m lucky to eat some of the best cheeses in the world. But despite the perks of the job, my local cheesemonger is sometimes a guy named Joe…Trader Joe. I buy for the convenience, the quality to price ratio, and even the evil-genius novelty (Pub Cheese with Jalapeño, I can’t quit you). TJ’s cheese section is a tightly curated collection. And with nothing over $13 a pound (and much below $10), it’s a trove of deals.
TJ’s obviously knows what works for them, with a cheese case that plays like a greatest hits mix-tape from your cheesiest crush. Mozzarella, Chevre, Feta, Havarti, Cheddar, and Parmesan dominate. A nation of string cheese is represented, as is a panoply of pre-shredded packets.
Most of the selection is TJ branded, though there are some larger, consistent European brands in the mix. Selections vary slightly from store to store, but overall, the cheeses skew toward sweetness, while stinky, washed rinds are almost entirely absent, and flavored cheeses are as omnipresent as Joe’s Hawaiian shirts. Do we really need Apple Pie Cheddar Cheese? Without hesitation: No. But if you’re shopping for cheese at Trader Joe’s, try these. They’re better than the parking, I promise.
Silver Goat Chevre is a well-made fresh goat cheese that’s citrusy, rich and great for cooking (try it in these scrambled eggs). If you’re feeling naughty, Jalapeño and Honey Chevre is a smooth little cylinder with a vegetal hit from fresh jalapeños, and the earthy sweetness of honey. If it’s so wrong to love a flavored chevre, I don’t want to be right.
Pastures of Eden Feta is an Israeli sheep’s milk feta that hits all the expected notes of its ilk: salty, funky, and just a tad sweet, like scorched milk. This could top any number of dishes, from salads, soups, and stuffed vegetables to nachos and tacos.
A Camembert should have a toasted biscuit vibe, and TJ’s brand comes through, with a creamy round of buttermilk biscuit flavor.
Surprisingly, their Goat Brie (I’m usually not a fan of the genre) is mild and quite pretty, with complex herbal notes, making it a nice match for TJ’s Raisin Rosemary Crisp crackers.
I kissed a lot of cheddar frogs to get to English Coastal Cheddar, which shows lovely spring onion and rosemary tones. Like all TJ cheddars, it has a sweet foundation, but the allium and herbal flavors add a satisfying complexity.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Red Wax Gouda, mostly because it makes fabulous grilled cheese, and TJ’s version comes through: it’s mild, milky, and oh so melt-able.
For a more complex snack, try 1000 Day Gouda, ripe with mustard and dark beer flavors and that crystalline crunch we all crave in an aged Gouda.
Everybody loves Manchego, and TJ’S offers a few of varying ages and quality. Manchego Anejo is aged for 12 months and has a smooth, tangy paste with some funky lanolin and mutton flavors, which may sound gross, but is more a gentle “mew” than a screeching “baaaa.”
The blues show surprisingly well at TJ’s. Cave Aged Blue, made from raw milk, is one of my favorite cheeses available at the store, with fruity concord grape and fresh fig notes, and a dense, creamy paste. The Gorgonzola exhibits signature hazelnut notes and a well-balanced saltiness.
No matter which way your cracker crumbles, there’s something for everyone, which at Trader Joe’s, is kind of the point.
Tia Keenan is the author of The Art of the Cheese Plate: Pairings, Recipes, Style, Attitude (Rizzoli)
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