$4.49 gets you 20 oz of frozen taters imported from France. Nothing says French cuisine like spicy potatoes, amirite? At any rate, they're pretty good. Salty, savory, and spicy, they're decent as a standalone side, or you can toss 'em into stuff like taco bowls.
That's what we did. Along with bison, avocado, cheese, and Trader Joe's Corn & Chile Tomato-Less Salsa, these potent potatoes served as the main heat source for our Tex-Mex inspired taco bowls. They're crispy on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside, and they're perfectly bite-sized.
You can taste the spicy stuff like cayenne pepper and paprika, but it's all balanced out with parmesan cheese, lime, and onion—along with the natural flavor of potato, as well. Like I mentioned above, they're perfectly satisfying on their own. If you're vegetarian or doing Meatless Monday or something like that, these would make a great filling for potato tacos. Just add some greens, cheese, and salsa to tortillas and you'd be in business.
Breakfast hash? Done. Tateriffic nachos? Absolutely. Toss ‘em alongside some scrambled eggs and you've got a hearty breakfast for the whole family. They crisp up beautifully in the oven or air fryer, and unlike some frozen potato situations, they don’t go from golden to sad in a blink.
If I had one nitpick—and you know I always do—it’s that the spice level plays things a bit safe. There’s flavor, no doubt, but heat-seekers might find themselves reaching for a backup plan in the form of hot sauce or chili flakes. Not a dealbreaker by any stretch, just something to note if you were expecting these to melt your face off like a dare gone wrong. Still, for a freezer aisle find, they punch above their weight class and they're the perfect timesaver if you're meal prepping and need some fried potatoes that are already seasoned and ready to go.
In the end, I'll give Trader Joe's Spicy Spuds seven and a half out of ten stars. The beautiful wifey will throw out eight out of ten. We'd both buy this again. May the Fourth be with you and happy Cinco de Mayo!
Imported from the Scottish Highlands, where some of my ancestors lived many generations ago, this 12 year old single malt Scotch will run you about $35 at Trader Joe's. They also released an 18 year old Scotch by the same name—Ink & Thistle—around the same time this product appeared on shelves, though I'm a bit foggy as to whether they're both supplied by the same distillery. This product was bottled by Hamish Robertson & Co.
Wish I could say I'm familiar with that name. I'm not really a whisky guy when it comes right down to it, but I still like to see what's out there without shelling out too much coin. I feel like eventually I'll find something that's truly transcendent...or at least worthy of a repurchase.
So what does this stuff actually taste like? I’ll do my best impression of someone who owns a Glencairn glass and uses phrases like “peat levels” unironically. It’s pretty approachable overall—some light honey and vanilla vibes, a little caramel, maybe a hint of fruit if you go looking for it. Nothing too aggressive, nothing too weird. It tastes like it’s trying to be a good introduction to Scotch without scaring anyone off.
You also get a bit of that classic Highland thing going on: slightly floral, a touch earthy, and just the faintest suggestion of smoke, like a campfire that already went out and now you’re just smelling someone’s jacket the next day. The finish is smooth enough, a little sweet, maybe a tiny bit of spice, and then it politely exits without making a big scene.
Sonia and I both give Trader Joe's Ink & Thistle 12 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky seven and a half out of ten. It’s not completely blowing my mind, but it also doesn’t make me regret my life choices. For ~$35, it’s a solid way to dip your toe into Scotch without committing to a whole personality change. Also, I have no idea if it's still available anymore. This bottle'd been sitting in our whisky cellar (read: basement) for some time until this past weekend. Thanks for reading.
