It was only a week or so ago, Sonia and I found ourselves watching something on YouTube about Americans losing weight when they move to Japan—the name of the channel escapes me at the moment. There were several reasons they mentioned, but the main one was that Japanese desserts have so much less sugar in them than American desserts. When an American tastes the average Japanese "sweet" it just doesn't appeal to them at first, but over time, their palates adjust and Japanese sweets eventually taste normal and American desserts are just over-the-top sugary.
This is probably a good example of the phenomenon. It's imported from Japan at a price point of just $3.49 for two of the fluffy cakes. It's much more airy and less dense than the typical cheesecake you'd find here in the US. It's also a good bit less sweet.
At 150 calories per cake, these soufflé cheesecakes are significantly less indulgent than most American desserts. It was a bit off-putting to me at first. When I see the word "cheesecake," I want something rich and heavy. To be fair, the word "soufflé" suggests something a little lighter.
By the end of my cake, the relatively understated flavor had grown on me. The cream cheese, milk, lemon, and tapioca provided a more subtle dessert flavor than I'm used to, but it's not inferior by any means. The product went great with strawberries, just as the serving suggestion on the packaging indicated.
Sonia loved hers from first bite. She would buy this again in a heartbeat. I'd happily eat it again, and I might dress it up with some different berries or even a dollop of whipped cream.
Available for a limited time only. Just a hunch, but this will probably be unavailable by the time TJ's fall stuff rolls in next month. Found in the frozen section—simply thaw for three hours in the fridge to prepare. Eight and a half out of ten stars from Sonia. I'll go with seven and a half for Trader Joe's Japanese Soufflé Cheesecakes.
Neither Sonia nor I had ever tried an Old Fashioned prior to picking up this product. Sonia, in particular, had always wanted to try one. The drink originated in the late 19th century, with bar patrons requesting that drinks be prepared "the old fashioned way."
I'm not sure how they prepared drinks "the new way" by 1880s standards, but folks were apparently craving nothing but whiskey, bitters, sugar, and water. That's basically what we have here. It's a mixed drink, but it's still nice and simple.
We've got a quality American bourbon, lightly buttery and sweet, balanced out by orange bitters in the background. On ice, with an orange slice and maybe a cherry or two, the drink is still whiskey forward, but it's not as harsh as drinking straight liquor. It has all the niceties of a fancy cocktail while still packing a punch in the spirits department.
The 750 mL bottle is 35% alcohol by volume, and it's got some classy, timeless artwork on the label. Sonia's a graphic designer, and she absolutely loves the packaging on this product. It's quite convenient having everything pre-mixed and ready to pour.
At $19.99 for the fifth, it's a pretty decent bargain, too. We'd both buy again. Eight out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Old Fashioned. Sonia will go with eight and a half out of ten.
