"TraderJoes" news and stories

Photo: Ana Carmen, Flickr.

Though at first glance one might assume these vibrant cups to be brimming with chopped melons and strawberries, upon further inspection they are actually pieces of pitahaya, or, as it's more commonly known stateside, dragon fruit.

Described as tart-sweet crosses between everything from kiwis to melons to pears, varieties of dragon fruit can range in color from pale to hot pink. Most frequently eaten chilled and chopped -- or scooped directly out of the skin, the fruit is also often used as flavoring for drinks and pastries. Native to Central and South America, the cacti-grown fruit provides fiber and copious amounts of vitamin C, and lowers blood glucose levels. Red-fleshed fruits even contain lycopene, a natural antioxidant known to fight cancer and other diseases.

According to popular legend in Asia, the fruit was purported to have been created by fire-breathing dragons, who would produce the fruit instantly at the end of their fire-breathing bouts. The fruit -- fit for a king -- was gifted to the emperor as a treasured item and sign of victory.

Though by no means a household name yet, the fruit is becoming increasingly available in the United States, from fresh bulbs at farmers' markets in Los Angeles and elsewhere, to dried varieties at Trader Joe's and other specialty-food stores.

Have you tried dragon fruit? Tell us in the comments where -- and in what forms -- you've encountered it.

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I was born in Los Angeles, in the waning months of the seventies. This means that I grew up with easy access to avocados, a Meyer lemon tree in my grandmother's backyard and a Trader Joe's just down the street. Some of my earliest memories of life are intertwined with the Trader Joe's on Colorado Blvd. (in Eagle Rock).

Back in the early days, Trader Joe's was more of a full-service grocery store and had a deli counter where you could order sliced meats and cheeses, as well as made-to-order sandwiches. My father was a huge fan of those sandwiches, and somehow managed to always include reference to Trader Joe's sandwiches in the bedtime stories he told to my sister and me. After my family moved to Portland (before TJ's expanded northward), we'd drive to California at least once a year to visit relative and stock up on precious snacks, juices and dog food from Trader Joe's.

The last two paragraphs were all to say, I love Trader Joe's. My life is inextricably intertwined with the Hawaiian-themed grocery store and so it's no wonder that I was totally charmed by the above video.

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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will terminate the low price of Trader Joe's Two Buck Chuck if a proposed wine tax gets the go-ahead.

The Governator wants to raise the tax on wine in the Golden State to 29.6 cents per 750 milliliter bottle, up from its current 4 cent tax, in a move that's angered the state's wine industry and Fred Franzia, the founder of Bronco Wine Company, the winery that produces Two Buck Chuck under the Charles Shaw label.

"It's a poke in the eye with a sharp stick to Charles Shaw and the whole wine industry," Franzia said.

Californians, I'm sorry to say this, but it looks like soon you're going to have to pay more for your Two-Buck Chuck. It already costs between $3 and $4 dollars in many of the other states where it's available (sadly, you can't get it for love or money here in Pennsylvania, where the Liquor Control Board regulates our booze purchases with puritanical zeal) and in light of the proposed tax increases in CA, soon there won't be a bottle of red to be hand for just a couple of singles.

For those of you not in the know, Two-Buck Chuck is a wine that is officially known as Charles Shaw and is sold exclusively at Trader Joe's stores. It's surprisingly drinkable for something so inexpensive and has become the tipple of choice for all your better college potlucks and backyard pitchers of sangria.

The price will only rise if a newly proposed tax hike, charging $.05 per drink in the state of California, goes into effect. The state calculates that there are approximately six servings of wine (at five ounces per serving) in a 750 mL bottle of wine. This would increase the state tax per bottle from $.04 to nearly $.30. Two-Buck Chuck works with a very narrow profit margin and this increase would effectly eliminate it.

The good news is that the wine would still remain fairly cheap and the state of California might be able to stave off impending budgetary catatrosphy.

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When it comes to assembling the bar for your holiday party, there's a certain list of basics you must have on hand--vodka, gin, whiskey, cola, tonic, etc. Such a bar will certainly serve to make a decent drink and satisfy most customers, but won't add anything special to the festivities. The easiest--and cheapest--way to add a little magic is with unusual mixers. Here's five that will add a twist to your cocktail menu.

1. Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale
It mixes equally well with bourbon, vodka and light rum and works nicely in a punch. The antioxidants listed on the bottle may come in handy when battling the holidays' excesses, but the large amount of sugar won't help with that Christmas waistline.

2. Sence Rose Petal Nectar
If you wish to offer chick drinks that are more Deneuve/Dietrich than Carrie Bradshaw, rose petal nectar can come in handy. Try the elegant American Beauty--not the brandy version, but one made with vanilla vodka, lemon juice and rose petal nectar.