Trader Joe's S'mores Ice Cream

I'm no expert when it comes to this classic camping favorite, but it seems pretty obvious to me that the key to a good s'more is a balance of flavors. You need two squares of graham cracker for the "bread," one large toasted marshmallow, and one square slab of chocolate centered above the lower graham cracker, preferably just a bit gooey and slightly melted from the warmth of the marshmallow. The equation should be very close to equal parts chocolate : marshmallow : graham cracker.

And that's precisely why this s'mores ice cream flavor was never going to be stellar. Two thirds of the pint would need to be chocolate and marshmallow for it to have the authentic taste of s'mores. You and I both know these gimmicky ice cream flavors seldom if ever have enough mix-ins.

Before I actually read the label on the container, I assumed the base would be chocolate. I think it was a step in the right direction to decide on graham cracker instead. It's a unique ice cream flavor, and it works, just in and of itself. There are thin swaths of white marshmallow here and there, but there's just not enough of it. The chocolate "swirls" are even fewer and farther between. "Swirls" might be too generous a word. "Flecks" or "splotches" might be more accurate.

The few bites that had equal parts graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate were fairly tasty, but even then they lacked the complex texture of a real smore. Obviously, they could have remedied that by including real graham cracker bits, chocolate chips, or marshmallow creme rather than just ice cream and flavored "swirls."

If you're simply craving something sweet and creamy and don't overanalyze the product as I'm clearly doing here, you probably won't be let down too badly. We'll have no problems finishing this pint by any means. Would we buy it again? No. There are lots of other delicious ice cream flavors at Trader Joe's that we'd reach for again before this one. The Horchata Ice Cream, in particular, comes to mind.

But hey, each to his own. Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below. $3.79 for the pint. Seven out of ten stars from Sonia and me on Trader Joe's S'mores Ice Cream.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Tarte au Brie et aux Tomates

This classic thin crust "tarte" begs comparison to another longstanding Trader Joe's mainstay: Trader Giotto's Pizza Margherita. Both have thin crusts, though the one on this offering might be even thinner than the margherita's. Both are fairly stripped down and simple in terms of presentation and toppings, and both are sourced internationally, this one from France and the margherita from Italy.

Cheese-wise, we've got Brie and creme fraiche on this product, which combine for a unique, rich, and creamy quality. I'm not even that big a fan of Brie, and I'm quite sensitive to all moldy cheeses thanks to some odd allergies, but this combo didn't bother me at all in terms of a reaction, and it did provide the dish with a very interesting gourmet essence.

Instead of marinara sauce, we're looking at flattened cherry tomatoes. Again, I'm not fond of tomatoes in their purest form, but since they emerge from the oven fully cooked, I was willing to give them a chance. We were both happy with their flavor. 

The main problem that Sonia and I both perceived is that tomato sauce can be spread quite evenly over an entire pizza whereas actual tomatoes are less consistent. That is, one bite will contain an entire cherry tomato and the next bite might not have any tomato at all. Sonia, in particular, wanted a lot more tomatoes.

The braided crust was excellent. It's thinner than I'd usually prefer, but it was flaky, crispy, and very flavorful. The dough seemed to be of exceptional quality. We both almost wished Trader Joe's would sell the crust by itself to be customized and topped at home before baking.

At $4.49, this one's 30 cents cheaper than its Italian counterpart. This style of tarte is apparently very common in Alsace-Lorraine, but to a typical American consumer it might seem a bit fancy or even pretentious. 

In the end, both Sonia and I liked Trader Giotto's Pizza Margherita a little more than this dish but for slightly different reasons. It might not be number one on our shopping list, but a repeat purchase is definitely not out of the question. Sonia and I will both throw out seven and a half stars for Trader Joe's Tarte au Brie et aux Tomates.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.