Trader Joe's Pink Peppercorn Fontina Cheese

Yes, I know this cheese has been out for a number of months now and everybody and her sister has already reviewed it online. We aren't the fastest to get to the new items here on WG@TJs but I don't know of many reviewers who've looked at 2,600 Trader Joe's products. Slow and steady has worked for us for the past 16 years and there's no end in sight.

Hot take: I like Trader Joe's Pink Peppercorn Fontina Cheese. There are lots of cheeses from TJ that I hear a buzz about and then I try them and I'm like, "What's the big deal?" but this one is pretty tasty. You've got high quality fontina cheese as the base. It's creamy, nutty, and mild with a subtle sweetness. Then there's the pink peppercorn. It's peppery, pungent, and punchy. In fact, I could see some people saying the peppercorn flavor is too prevalent.

Apparently, pink peppercorn is a completely different plant from black peppercorn, which is the only kind of peppercorn I was familiar with prior to this product. I mean, this tastes extremely similar to black peppercorn to me. It's got a nice spicy kick, which is exactly what I was in the mood for today. I think it balances the smooth, creamy butteriness of the cheese in a fun and zesty way.

Sonia and I have only tried it on crackers so far and by itself, but we are eager to try melting it into a gourmet grilled cheese or shaving it over warm crostini, pasta, or roasted vegetables. Because fontina is such an exceptional melting cheese, letting those bright peppercorns bloom across a pan of garlic bread, an omelet, or a rich flatbread seems like an absolute no-brainer for our next round.

$6.99 for a 7 oz wheel of cheese. Available for a limited time only. Would buy again next year. Sonia and I are both on board for the same score: eight out of ten stars for Trader Joe's Pink Peppercorn Fontina Cheese. Happy Friday the 13th.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.