gleam wrote:Juice from concentrate: fresh juice, boiled down to a thick syrup, and then mixed back with water to normal consistency
Juice not from concentrate: fresh juice.

the juice isn't actually boiled. Steam is used to evaporate the water.

gp60004 wrote:

gleam wrote:Juice from concentrate: fresh juice, boiled down to a thick syrup, and then mixed back with water to normal consistency
Juice not from concentrate: fresh juice.

the juice isn't actually boiled. Steam is used to evaporate the water.

hey, cool, thanks! I was completely guessing on the boiling part, and probably should have said evaporated

Aaron Deacon wrote:"Not from concentrate" is pretty standard OJ labeling lingo. Check out the half gallon cartons of Tropicana or Florida Natural.

I have always found a little disconcerting the implication that orange juice from concentrate is the default position.

I'm a pretty big OJ snob. I'd BET that the "Not from concentrate" tagline came from competitors using lines like "Fresh squeezed taste" when they were made to use the label "From Concentrate" on their packaging.

Possible case in point: I'm pretty sure that Minute Maid cartons are ALL from concentrate, yet they cost the same as the "Not From Concentrate" brands. I will concede, however, that the MM cartons do have a decent taste (as far as from concentrate,) but do not come close to comparing to the taste of "Not from Concentrate" brands.

Actually just went to minute maid's website which claims that minute maid is: "100% pure squeezed orange juice from concentrate."
I'm pretty sure that only MM's "simply pure" or whatever brand that comes in the smaller bottle (not 1/2 gallon carton) are their only "Not From Concentrate" products. I was shocked when I noticed this, since they are getting the prices that they are. Chalk it up to good marketing, I guess.

I'd wager that most would choose Dean's brand oj over Minute Maid.
Neither come remotely close to the flavor of "Not From Concentrate" though IMO.

I think O.J. from frozen concentrate tastes better than what comes in a carton, because frozen O.J. is unpasteurized, which affects the taste. (Same for apple cider, I prefer unpasteurized. Also same for milk, but impossible to buy.)

To get back to the Aldi's topic ...

I was never much of an Aldi's fan. However, I find myself dropping in a lot more often. They have really upgraded a LOT of their private labels and have added fresh meats in a number of their stores. There is a lot of stuff that I will not generally buy there - like most fresh vegetables - but I give them a lot of credit because they are trying a lot of new items as opposed to doing the same old things the way they always have.

Saint Pizza wrote:I think O.J. from frozen concentrate tastes better than what comes in a carton, because frozen O.J. is unpasteurized, which affects the taste. (Same for apple cider, I prefer unpasteurized. Also same for milk, but impossible to buy.)

I would guess that if the OJ is 'cooked' long enough to lose most of it's water, then it would be more than pasteurized.

Methods to make concentrate vary. The cheapest is made by simply getting rid of the juice's water, by the fastest way possible: steam, boiling, whatever.

High-end concentrates, such as those used in wine-making, are made at low temperatures under low pressures. Since boiling temp varies directly as pressure, a very low boiling temp can be achieved at low pressures (exactly the same procedure as a pressure-cooker, except in reverse).

But obviously the apparatus to carry out such concentrate-making is pricey. It doesn't pay to use this method on bulk stuff such as orange or apple concentrates.

I think that you'll find that an awful lot of juices in the grocery store contain apple juice reconstituted from concentrate as an ingredient. When I was in the market for these sorts of items, many (if not most) came from Brazil in 55-gal drums. Today, I suspect, most come from China. Caveat emptor.

Geo

Geo wrote:But obviously the apparatus to carry out such concentrate-making is pricey. It doesn't pay to use this method on bulk stuff such as orange or apple concentrates.
Geo

'm not sure about that. In Japan, they use a reverse osmosis process to concentrate the juice. WHen it's reconstituted, it is close to fresh squeezed as you can get. You think consumers won't pay a premium for that product?

gp60004 wrote:

Geo wrote:But obviously the apparatus to carry out such concentrate-making is pricey. It doesn't pay to use this method on bulk stuff such as orange or apple concentrates.
Geo

'm not sure about that. In Japan, they use a reverse osmosis process to concentrate the juice. WHen it's reconstituted, it is close to fresh squeezed as you can get. You think consumers won't pay a premium for that product?

The reverse osmosis process first requires the juice to be super filtered. All of the solids are then pasteurized and added back to the concentrated liquids. So I am still trying to understand the unpasteurized claim.

Flip

OK, I based my unpasteurized claim upon two things: 1) I googled it and found a web site that said that it is unpasteurized (I know, I know) and 2) it tastes fresher than a carton and it goes bad after one day, unlike a carton.

So, do they sell orange juice at Aldi or something?

GinaO wrote:I have always heard that Aldi has good, cheap flower bunches. Can anyone attest to that?

I have bought rose bouquets there (6 per bunch) for $2.99 ea & they've always been nice & last at least a week.

The new ALDI store at 4500 N. Broadway just opened (the first phase of the new Wilson Yard shopping center at Montrose & Broadway), and for those of you who are also closet ALDI shoppers this is the definitive clean, neat and bright store with a pristine parking lot that other locations don't always measure up to. (We'll see how long it stays that way, but nice to have for now.)

And dammit, I still want a Trader Joe's in Evanston!

>>Brent

We keep being told that Aldi is going to build in Geneva with a new, more upscale type of a store. Haven't seen anything more on this in over 6 months and no ground broken where the store is to be built. Aldi's US headquarters is in Batavia.

We keep being told that Aldi is going to build in Geneva with a new, more upscale type of a store. Haven't seen anything more on this in over 6 months and no ground broken where the store is to be built. Aldi's US headquarters is in Batavia.

Good news. Take a drive down Rt. 38 just east of East Side drive aka 7th Ave. Ground is broken and work is under way in the large empy lot next to Orlando's Pizza and an Aldi sign is up.

brotine wrote: and for those of you who are also closet ALDI shoppers this is the definitive clean, neat and bright store with a pristine parking lot that other locations don't always measure up to.

Aldi's was never my favorite store. However, the new ones are really quite nice. We have one in Woodstock, IL that is about 2x the normal size and has a good selection of groceries.

I find Aldi excellent on things like marinated artichoke hearts, erm bottled jalapeños if thats the right description. Canned mushrooms, fruits and veggies. Hey if your eating out of a can anyways there is absolutely no reason to get raped on price as well.

Fresh fruits and vegetables maybe not the best but again $.89 a pound for tomatoes almost as good as the $3 a pound ones at the Jewel? I'm spending my kids inheritance on toys not food.

Sundaysous wrote: I'm spending my kids inheritance on toys not food.

I've been known to buy toys and fishing gear at Aldi as well.

Really, the one-two punch of Marketplace on Oakton and Aldi is really wonderful all the way around...

I seriously believe if you can spend a 1/2 shopping at 4 to 5 different stores every week shopping you would be cutting your food budget in half.

What to do with the other 1/2? Why go out to eat of course.

Stopped by Aldi today, and noticed something that I hadn't noticed before - the "gourmet" jams use sugar, and not HFCS. I believe the flavors are Morelo cherry, forest fruits, black currants, and some kind of pineapple or tropical fruit.

Now if only they would stock natural peanut butter!

I had a very dissapointing visit at an Aldi's in Ohio this weekend. I wanted to prepare a fruit salad, guacamole and purchase some dipping chips.

- the watermelons (seedless) were cheap but so ripe they were soft
- the cantelope were very ripe and lacked flavor
- honey dew were ripe and very tasty, the only good melon
- avocado's were unusable and not purchased, hard as rocks and needed at least three to four days before use
- tomato's the usual mass produced, even the "on the vine" little flavor or color
-black and white tortilla chips were stale and soft, despite being within consumption date

I've been doing more shopping at Aldi's. I do my elderly father's shopping and his food tab at Jewel was just getting to be too expensive, so I started shopping at Aldi's and love the savings. I go there first before I hit Andy's (a paradise of savings and a fun place to shop) and Jewel is last.

Aldi's took a bit of getting use to. I have to remember to bring a sack with me. I didn't know the carts cost .25. But, I get out with change back from a $10.

They always have bananas for .39lb!

Aldi's has a dishwasher powder for 1.49 that cleans better than Cascade! Whoo!

I have shopped at Aldi in Arlington Heights & Mt. Prospect for a few years now and am a fan. Once you get their system down (carts, bringing bags, grabbing boxes etc.) you will save time & $$$. Because the offerings are primarily private label, you don't get caught up in needing to make many decisions. Dairy is really nicely priced, as mentioned in previous posts canned goods are a great deal. I do shop at Trader Joe's too and love their frozen bagged harts vericots (priced 1.99) now Aldi has them for I think 1.49 and the taste is the same. I have recently tried the jarred premium salsas (1.49 or so ) and found them to be just as tasty as the $5 Harry & David ones in my pantry. My questions to you "out there": Has anyone tried their beer or wine? and What are your favorite items to buy at Aldi

Re the 25c carts -- you get the money back if you remember to return the cart in line

We go to Aldi once in a while for staples - sugar, canola and olive oil, cannellini, regular beans, frozen veggies, chicken, etc.

Sometimes we buy their orange juice (not from concentrate), cornish hens, vanilla bean ice cream, meat, cranberry juice, etc.

The prices are good on many items.

I have noticed that they added more and more gourmet items in the past few years. Dressing, salsas, jams, etc.

The Aldi in the Brickyard Mall in Chicago is up & running. It's in the old space where Party City was, next to the Dollar store where Frank's used to be. It seems more spacious than other Aldi's and the cashier was very friendly.

I think I am an Aldi snob. My buddy worked for a Butera that no longer exists and he told BAD stories that really colored my view of "discount" grocery stores. I am not rich but I can't bring myself to shop there.

Not sure what Butera is, but I understand and sympathize with your dim view of discount groceries. However, let me point out that Trader Joe's could also be considered a discount grocer, as well as any number of small Mexican/European grocers such as Marketplace or Harvestime.

I myself refuse to shop at Shop'N'Save, so I understand where you're coming from.

Aldi is a different breed. Try it the last week of the month when welfare runs out (oh yeah I SAID it!!!!) so it's a little emptier, and peruse the aisles. You could compare an Aldi nutella to a name brand nutella purchased elsewhere, for example. Sharp cheddar cheese is sharp cheddar cheese, and you can't sneeze at $2.49/lb.

Let's see, what else? Oh yes - Trader Joe's chardonnay was voted best in the nation by a blind test. I would not be surprised if some of the wines at Aldi were also good quality. (Someone above asked about the beer & wines.) I don't have a very discerning alcohol palate, but it seems fine to me. Jimthebeerguy says that the Aldi German beer is okay. If it were specifically Belgian, it would be more to his liking.

Jeanne, check out the ALDI at Golf & Washington. My wife swore we would never step foot in the place, and now it's become a regular stop for us on shopping days (for selected items). We usually run into many of our neighbors also buying their selected items (not sure if any of them go there only on "welfare days"). The downside to that location is that we're within walking distance, so when they have cashews on sale it is very, very bad for my waistline.....

Everything at Aldi's - including the produce - is prepackaged. I would be surprised if ANY of the food at Aldi's resides in the store more than 5-7 days.