Trader Joe’s hit the mark with this Parmesan, Garlic & Herb Butter. It’s basically a four ounce roll of salted butter laced with the aforementioned titular flavors along with lemon juice, shallot, vinegar, pepper, and parsley so you get layers of flavor immediately: sharp cheese, bright citrus, savory garlic, and just enough cracked black pepper to keep it interesting. The parmesan really sings. It isn’t shy about its presence, giving the whole thing an umami punch you don’t always get from a flavored butter.
Spread on a warm baguette and broil for a couple minutes, it becomes effortless garlic bread—crisp on the edges, rich and gooey inside. I’ve also slathered it on morning toast when I forgot to buy jam, and truthfully, the tang of parm + herb was better than I expected. Other times, I’ve dropped a pat onto roasted potatoes or mixed it with wilted spinach and hot pasta for the kind of dinner that feels indulgent without any extra fuss. Folks online are doing everything from melting it over steak to dotting it on popcorn for a savory snack.
If there’s a downside, it’s that the pepper can be a little assertive if you’re just nibbling straight from the stick on a cracker. But overall, it’s one of those small extras that makes weeknight food feel a touch gourmet. Butter it on grilled cheese, finish grilled or roasted veggies, or stir it into rice or scrambled eggs to jazz up something plain. Quick, tasty, and incredibly versatile, this is one we'll pick up again.$2.99 for the eight serving stick, found in the refrigerated section. Eight out of ten stars from both Sonia and me for Trader Joe's Parmesan, Garlic & Herb Butter.
Bottom line: 8 out of 10.
When I first picked up Trader Joe’s Ready to Use Espresso Coffee, I honestly thought it was just a fancy little single-serve bottle—you know, one of those “one and done” caffeine grenades you slam before running out the door. But nope. Turns out that modest-looking bottle is packing 16 shots of espresso inside. Sixteen! Suddenly that ten dollar price tag makes a whole lot more sense.
One of the things we really like about it is the size. Compared to other coffee concentrates that come in bulky bottles and hog fridge space, this one is compact and easy to tuck away. It feels efficient, like espresso should.
The label says the arabica beans are sourced from regions stretching from Central America down through South America, though it doesn’t name specific countries. Flavor-wise, it lands pretty much where you’d expect. It's strong and somewhat bitter if you dilute it with just water. That method works in a pinch, but it’s definitely not where this product shines.
Add milk or cream and it transforms completely. The bitterness smooths out, the subtle roast flavors come forward, and it becomes very drinkable. We’ve been using it primarily for cold lattes, which come together ridiculously fast. Just pour, mix, ice, done.
Sonia, our resident coffee connoisseur, even took things a step further and created a homemade s’mores latte using this espresso. Her version included marshmallow syrup, cold foam, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and honestly, it tasted like something you’d pay seven bucks for at a coffee shop.
Since she’s the true espresso expert in the household, I let her handle the final verdict. Her official score: eight and a half out of ten stars for Trader Joe's Ready to Use Espresso Coffee. It's a very solid shortcut for cafe style drinks at home.
Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.
