Saint Pizza wrote:Does Costco sell puff pastry dough? It seems to me that Jewel's is the only store that carries this (can't find it at Dominick's, at least not in my tiny local store).

That is not a high enough volume product for Costco to carry. In one of Julia Child and Company cookbooks, she had a food processor variant for making puff pastry that works rather well.

I would ask the manager by phone or at the service desk rather than run around. They can check inventories and tell you exactly where you may or may not find something.

Regards,

Saint Pizza wrote:Does Costco sell puff pastry dough? It seems to me that Jewel's is the only store that carries this (can't find it at Dominick's, at least not in my tiny local store).

Trader Joe's sells a very nice, all butter puff pastry. I believe it is made by Bay Bread.

I thought I had seen puff pastry at Costco, but I will check next time to be sure.

I know I have seen it at Sunset.

Warning: I strongly recommend against purchasing the Samolux smoked salmon sampler pack.
It's four kinds of smoked salmon, and costs around $7 a pack.

I've now tried three of the flavors. Despite the accompaniment of wonderful bread, a sliced tomato, and mixed olives, I could barely stomach the salmon. The salmon was both dry and too aggressively seasoned. And, as an added bonus, I had the pleasure of picking out 1-inch long bones. Fun.

The rest of the package is going in the trash.

I have higher hopes for these pork lemongrass meatballs that we purchased yesterday. While we're not the most likely folks to purchase Martha Stewart products, the meatballs were nicely priced at about $4/pound and have very few ingredients (pork, shallots, lemongrass, ginger, cilantro, salt, habanero chilies, and black pepper). I haven't had great luck with prepared foods at Costco (see above), but am always looking for easy weeknight dinners. Anyone tried the meatballs?

Ronna

REB wrote:Warning: I strongly recommend against purchasing the Samolux smoked salmon sampler pack.
It's four kinds of smoked salmon, and costs around $7 a pack.

We recently tried the Kirkland brand Wild Smoked Salmon (blue package, white lettering). It was about a 1-pound cryovacked package. The stuff was really lousy -- very dry and incredibly salty. You really couldn't even taste the fish; just salt. I hate to say it, because it was around $15 (iirc), but we threw it away. I knew that none of us would or should eat it. Too bad, because the Norwegian Smoked Salmon we've bought there in the past has at least been a decent stand-in for the really good stuff.

=R=

I like the $30 packet of jamon iberico-- hey, it may be expensive as hell, but it packs a lot of flavor into a small space-- but since there's no paper or anything in between the paper-thin slices, it sure is hard to get apart in any non-destructive way. Is there some secret about this I'm missing? The stuff not only costs as much as gold leaf, it behaves like it....

Mike --let it warm up to room temp before attempting defoliation. It is odd that, unlike the prosciutto di Parma, they don't use the wax paper between slices.

WE tried the Martha Stewart Turkey Soup -- HORRIBLE

Stay away. It tasted like water. 0 turkey flavor. We actually took it back since it was like $12!

Feel free to return things, as I think that's the only way they know if an item is really awful or not.

Thanks for the advice on the puff pastry! It's too bad, but understandable, that Costco doesn't sell any.

I went to the Costco in Niles today and couldn't find the bananas. Usually they are located by the apples and such at the Costco on Clybourn. I also couldn't find the yeast (presumably by the flour?). Does Costco still sell bulk yeast?

Yes, I found bulk yeast at our Costco in Orland Park last Sunday. It's in the aisle with the baking products. Big packages of Red Star yeast. I can't recall the price, but it was ridiculously cheap.

Suzy

I'm not a fan of the Kirkland milk jugs - it seems to me that they leak often, and they also pour too fast. Plus I can get milk for the same price or cheaper at either Aldi or Harvestime. But that's about the ONLY complaint I have. 99% I get great value from Costco that I don't get anywhere else.

Saint Pizza wrote:Thanks for the advice on the puff pastry! It's too bad, but understandable, that Costco doesn't sell any.

I went to the Costco in Niles today and couldn't find the bananas. Usually they are located by the apples and such at the Costco on Clybourn. I also couldn't find the yeast (presumably by the flour?). Does Costco still sell bulk yeast?

Saw it at the Schaumburg location as well. Less than $4. I still have mine from last year in the back of my fridge.

My daughter was pouring a glass of Kirkland milk last night and asked if that milk was more expensive than some of the other milk I buy. She is very picky about what type of milk she will drink, and Oberweis is her preferred brand. When I told her it was much more economical than the Oberweis, she decided it was o.k. for me to purchase it more often (my kids don't usually dictate what I can and can't buy, but hey, if they aren't going to drink it, it's not worth paying for it and letting it sit in the house until it's gone bad). I like those square milk jugs and have never had a problem with them leaking in our refrigerator. Since we seem to be in Costco nearly every weekend, I've been picking that milk up on a regular basis.

Suzy

I haven't had one of the square jugs leak, but what they do is spill -- the lack of any narrowing toward the top means that a slight tilt results in a lot of milk headed for the spout, which is set back from the edge too. This makes it significantly more difficult to get all the milk in the glass. Dripping down the side may give the illusion of leaks.

My dog appreciates the new jugs, I do not.

I like the square jugs simply b/c they are more efficient and greener. I don't recall having any problems w/spills or leaks.

You're right - "leak" is not quite the right word. Dribble is a better description. Despite that, I bought another gallon of it today.

The yeast is located directly across the aisle from the flour, up on the second shelf.

The bananas in the Niles location are located behind the salsa & hummus, to the right of the refrigerated room (I had to ask or else I would have missed them again).

Looked for, but did not find, the Ghirardhelli bittersweet chips. Anyone know if they're still around or if that was only seasonal?

It's now been 4 or 5 trips - they seem to no longer carry the pig ears my dogs loved. Sad sad day.

ab wrote:It's now been 4 or 5 trips - they seem to no longer carry the pig ears my dogs loved. Sad sad day.

Can you just buy 'em raw at Valli Produce or Chinatown and dehydrate 'em?

ab wrote:It's now been 4 or 5 trips - they seem to no longer carry the pig ears my dogs loved. Sad sad day.

That is my biggest complaint. I really do like Costco for many reasons. BUT...when I find something and like it, there is a good chance I'll never find it again. I wish that weren't so...but it is.

About five or six years ago, we had the most amazing cheese from France. We bought two kinds. Later, we were able to find the morbier again someplace else, but the other cheese? Well, I did not write down the name, they never had it again, and I don't have a clue as to what it was.

Initially, we went to other places and asked because we remembered the milk it was made from, etc. We were in Montreal at this HUGE cheese emporium - even they didn't have a clue as to what it could be. We gave our best try and sampled twenty varieties that seemed likely. But, no luck.

Now? I can't even remember what it was - maybe a mix of sheep and cow? Maybe not. I do, though, remember the silky texture in my mouth and the fat molecules on my tongue. It was like butter. Oh, my, it was good. Maybe one day I'll find it by chance. They seem to have changed the types of cheese they get and no longer get these less well-known cheeses and instead have things that are probably bigger sellers, like regular goat, provolone, asiago, cheddar, etc.

Jay K wrote:

ab wrote:It's now been 4 or 5 trips - they seem to no longer carry the pig ears my dogs loved. Sad sad day.

Can you just buy 'em raw at Valli Produce or Chinatown and dehydrate 'em?

I guess I could. Might be a project in the near future, definitely will save a ton of money. They're not cheap for the dogs.

I found a place online that sold similar pig ears - but they also now are "out of stock" - is Publican putting the doggie consumption pig ear companies out of business??

Was in the Lake Zurich Costco today. Ocean perch @ $4.99 per pound. Ridiculous. Who buys these? What's next, carp?

Not good stuff, Maynard.

Two Brother's mixed cases of beer are available again at Lincoln Park CostCo. Think it was $23.99/case.

Jamieson22 wrote:Two Brother's mixed cases of beer are available again at Lincoln Park CostCo. Think it was $23.99/case.

Same mix of beers as last time? I believe previously it was 6 each of Domaine Dupage, Cane & Ebel, Bitter End and Prairie Path.

Matt wrote:Same mix of beers as last time? I believe previously it was 6 each of Domaine Dupage, Cane & Ebel, Bitter End and Prairie Path.

I picked up a case yesterday, same mix of beers as last time (not that that's a bad thing!).

Square milk jug advice and info here:

“Just tilt it slowly and pour slowly,” Ms. Tilton said to passing customers as she talked about the jugs’ environmental benefits and cost savings. Instead of picking up the jug, as most people tend to do, she kept it on a table and gently tipped it toward a cup.

Actually quite a good thing since a 4-pack of Cane & Ebel is $13 or so and this includes a 6 Pack of it

LabRat wrote:

Matt wrote:Same mix of beers as last time? I believe previously it was 6 each of Domaine Dupage, Cane & Ebel, Bitter End and Prairie Path.

I picked up a case yesterday, same mix of beers as last time (not that that's a bad thing!).

Does anyone know if Costco sells Meyer Lemons or Blood Oranges? Thanks

I've never seen either, but I've seen both at the Treasure Island that's a half mile south of the LP Costco on Clybourn.

Trader Joe's has blood oranges, for a brief time I'm sure.

Mike G wrote:Trader Joe's has blood oranges, for a brief time I'm sure.

So does Stanley's as of last Sunday for about $1.29/lb.

Stanley's
1558 N. Elston
Chicago, IL 60642
(773) 276-8050‎