Apparently a "radler" is a mixture of beer and fruit juice, while a shandy is beer plus lemonade. Can't say they're really my thing, but a shandy can really hit the spot in terms of refreshment on a hot August day. I think Trader Joe's Grapefruit Radler is the first radler I've ever had, and it too is quite suitable for quenching one's thirst during these dog days of summer.
It's pretty grapefruit forward—sweet and citrusy like grapefruit juice. It's a little tart with a hint of grapefruit rind bitterness. Underneath the fruit flavor, there's a nice wheaty hefeweizen base. Hefeweizens tend to lend themselves to wedges of citrus fruits and this one blends pretty seamlessly with the grapefruit. I suppose you could add a wedge of ruby red or whatever you've got on hand to make the beverage even more fruitastic.
It paired quite nicely with Trader Joe's new Chicken Burgers (review upcoming) and Trader Joe's Deli Sandwich Potato Chips. The citrusy sweetness would go well with anything salty, spicy, smoky, or savory I think. It's perfectly suitable for backyard barbecues and picnic fare.
The Josephsbrau beers are brewed for Trader Joe's by Gordon Biersch. We've also looked at:
$7.99 for a box of four pint cans. Would buy again. Eight and a half stars from the beautiful wifey. Seven and a half stars from me for Josephsbrau Grapefruit Radler.
This is one of those products that doesn't seem like it could possibly be impressive with just chicken and a bit of sauce and yet, somehow, Trader Joe's Chicken Breast Bites are actually shockingly good. At four bucks for just shy of four ounces, it's not exactly a steal, but as usual, you get what you pay for.
The quality of the chicken in this case is superb. Imported from Canada for some strange reason, this pollo is 100% pristine white breast meat. If you've been reading for a while, you'll know I'm a white meat guy when it comes to poultry, and this offering didn't disappoint. The seasoning blend is also top-shelf, featuring a rotisserie-esque combo of rosemary, vinegar powder, garlic, and black pepper.
When I first saw this item in the store, I thought I was looking at chicken with some kind of queso dip in the little reservoir. It's actually honey mustard, and it's also very good. Containing actual honey, mustard powder, and mustard seed, it's sweet, tangy, and turns the plain chicken into a satisfying snack all by itself. Sonia and I shared the small pack, and it was plenty of protein (22g) and sugar for an afternoon pick-me-up for both of us.
The pack comes with a little wooden skewer that Sonia was fond of using. I just made sure my hands were nice and clean and went in using my stubby fingers. There's just about the right amount of the sauce, and some of the chicken bites were surprisingly large and chunky.
We'd both buy this one again. $3.99, found in the refrigerated section near the wraps and salads. Product of Canada. Sonia gives Trader Joe's Chicken Breast Bites with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce a very impressive nine out of ten stars. I'll throw out eight out of ten.
