Trader Joe's Fiesta Guacamole

I certainly didn't grow up eating a lot of guacamole, but I love it. I'm not sure if I'd consider myself a connoisseur of fine guacamole, but here are a few of my credentials: I've eaten it at more than a few decent Mexican restaurants. Sonia and I (emphasis on Sonia) have made our own guac before. We mashed avocados and added our own onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, and a few spices. We've eaten and/or reviewed:

Trader Joe's Spicy Mango Habanero Guacamole

Trader Joe's Chunky Spicy Guacamole Autèntico

Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Chunky Guacamole

Trader Joe's Avocado Mash

So you know, I'm at least a casual guac fanatic as I'm sure many of you are, as well. Sonia's been eating it since she was a kid, so her guacamole roots go back even farther than mine. And not only are we fond of guac, but we're quite fond of roasted corn and black beans, including any and all corn & bean salsas that we've tried. So Trader Joe's Fiesta Guacamole with Black Beans & Fire Roasted Corn seemed like it'd be right up our alley.

It's good, but it could be better. The corn and beans add a little bit of texture to the guac, but not a whole lot of flavor. And since the guac is so full of corn and beans—which would normally be a good thing—there's not a lot of room for all the pico de gallo type ingredients which give other guacamoles a lot of their flavor.

Don't get me wrong, the product still has some onion, garlic, and pepper flavor, but it needs more of it. It lacks that punch that a lot of excellent guacamole dips provide. It lacks sass. I want to love it, but I just can't help but compare it to the above-mentioned mango habanero guacamole. That stuff was spicy and potent and it brought a wonderful, bright tropical flavor that was totally unique. Corn and beans just don't have the pungency required to punch through the dense earthiness of avocado.

We put it in tacos, we used it as a dip with tortilla chips, and we did a few other fun things with it in the kitchen. And that's probably where this Fiesta Guacamole works best. It's versatile enough to add some creaminess, corn, beans, and a little bit of flavor to whatever you're making. I could see it working nicely on nachos, burritos, quesadillas, or even alongside some grilled chicken or steak. So it's not like this stuff is useless by any means. It's just that when we ate it straight up as guacamole, we kept wishing it had a little more personality.

We'll finish the tub, no problem, but we probably wouldn't go out of our way to purchase again. $3.49 for the 10 oz container. Found in the refrigerated section. Kosher. Product of Mexico. Seven out of ten stars from both the beautiful wifey and me for Trader Joe's Fiesta Guacamole with Black Beans & Fire Roasted Corn.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Donut Holes

Considering that Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Donut Holes are gluten free and dairy free, I guess it's hard to shaft them completely. But there have been so many gluten free offerings from Trader Joe's throughout the years that have been just as good, if not better, than their traditional glutenful counterparts that it's hard for me to garner much enthusiasm for these little do-dads.

Yes, we've tried the gluten free pumpkin muffins and liked those quite a bit. I think those are head and shoulders better than these donut holes—and the muffins aren't even pretending to be a dessert treat. Right? I mean donuts are supposed to be more indulgent than muffins. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I'll take those muffins over these donut holes any day of the week. Although I'm guessing they're out of season right now, the gluten free strawberry muffins were even better still.

These donut holes are dense, cakey, and somewhat soft, though they don't quite achieve the mouthfeel of a traditional donut hole in my opinion. There's just a hint of something stiff—a whisper of something not-fresh-baked. The glaze is fine, providing a slightly firmer outer layer and a sugary sheen to the appearance of the spherical treats, though Sonia says it rubs off too easily on the inside of the package. They're bite-sized and convenient.

The flavor is good. There's rice and tapioca flour in the mix, and honestly they taste more like classic wheat flour donuts more than they feel like classic wheat flour donuts. The spice blend is inoffensive with an appropriate amount of sweetness. There's actual pumpkin puree adding a bit of warm, rich earthiness.

Despite the positive buzz about these donuts, I'd steer any gluten free folks toward Trader Joe's Gluten Free Pumpkin Streusel Muffins before these particular gf confections, but that's just my take on the matter. In the end, most folks are just fine with this product if not rabidly fanatical about it. Each to his own.

$3.49 for the 6 oz package. Gluten free. Dairy free. Kosher. Sonia liked these a tad more than I did. She'll give Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Donut Holes seven and a half stars. I'll go with six and a half.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.