I just had two slices of the tear and share chocolate chip brioche. This is one dangerous thing for those of us watching calories.

PKramer wrote:

Cogito wrote:I can't seem to find any of those imported hazelnut wafer candy bars at the checkout area anymore. I love those things. Are they still around in your local Aldi store? I'd check a different store if I thought they might still have them available. You can't call a stoe and ask them a question, their number is only known to the CIA and NSA.

Sadly, they have been discontinued. I loved them and always kept a few hidden for a treat.

Ms. Inge, the stollen is not bad. My folks are from Germany and they approved it. I buy the butter stollen as I do not like marzipan. And the spekulats are very nice.

I found Choceur Milk Hazelnut Crisp in the candy area today. It has more of a chocolate candy bar presentation as there are no wafers, but it is quite tasty; I would suggest you give it try before it is discontinued, etc. There were 11 individually wrapped pieces (200 g) in the package, for under $2.00.

Today I purchased the Spanish Cheese Sampler, 5.29 oz total and 4 triangles each of Iberico, Carba al Vino and Manchego. Have not tasted it yet but paired with the jarred Grandessa Artichoke Salad and some Ak-Mak crackers should be a good snack.

I have bought that many times. Its small but good.

They've also still got in stock two KerryGold cheeses; an Aged Cheddar with Irish Whiskey, and a Dubliner with Stout. Bought 'em both, haven't had a chance to try them yet. I'll let you know how they are when I get around to opening them up.

Buddy

Two items have disappeared for the time being and these were my favorites. Spanish cheese sampler and tear and share brioche. Gone. These items should be permanent. They do have some other premium cheese but it looks like for now they are concentrating on various types of premium cheddar. I did not detect any thing else really new there worth mentioning. I do like the trail mix in the plastic jars with big chunks of dark chocolate and nuts and fruits. That is worth it.

Lately I've been going to Aldi's primarily when they have large packs of chicken parts (wings, drumsticks, thighs) on sale. Wings are one of my home-schooling projects this year; I make a half dozen or so at lunch time and change the sauce every time. The wings (joined wing/drumette parts that you have to cut apart at home) that Aldi's sells seem to me to be of consistently good quality, big and meaty.

Cooked up their boneless lamb roast this morning. It comes both plain and with wine and rosemary. I got the plain and it's terrific.

Just a note to any fans of Spanish cheese sampler. Even though Aldi does not have it now, I found a similar product at Tony's on Fullerton today. They also had Iberico cheese which is kind of hard to find.

Back to Aldis. I found some nice mozzarella marinated type in a tube. Also seem to have an Italian fest going on now.. different sauces like Arrabiata, Vodka, etc.

I haven't shopped at Aldi regularly for a while - since the Costco on 14th opened up, actually - but I have been missing the hummus sampler with the jalapeno cilantro kind. Is there anywhere to find out when to expect the specials back?

I asked the employees at Aldi on two separate occasions and I got "I don't know". Or "that item was seasonal". So I am thinking things like the cheese sampler, the tear and share brioche, the stollen bites, the red cabbage in the jar and stuff may come back at Oktoberfest or Xmas time. I saw some Italian stuff at Aldi the last time I shopped there. Different kinds of ravioli, jarred sauces of a wider variety, mozzarella in oil, etc.

Aldi is much worse than Costco in the "now you see it, now you don't" dept.

Geo

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:Is there anywhere to find out when to expect the specials back?

Maybe this link on their website may help? Weekly offers

Regards,

Geo wrote:Aldi is much worse than Costco in the "now you see it, now you don't" dept.

Geo

I believe we've had this discussion before. Aldi is known as the "stock up" store. When you see something you like--buy a lot of it, simply because you might not see it again ever. I've got about 6 boxes of the all fruit juice fit and active fruit snacks and the fit and active 100 calorie snack pack cheese crackers for my little guy's snacks simply because they are not a regular weekly item. The Spanish cheeses were most definitely a specialty item as I had never seen this item previously in the many years I have been an Aldi shopper.

Geo wrote:Aldi is much worse than Costco in the "now you see it, now you don't" dept.
Geo

Absolutely,and to make matters worse,different stores carry different products. This is especially true with a location in a high end demographic versus one in a low end.

I stopped there today and they had even more specialty Italian type items. Now jarred prima vera sauce along with the vodka although did not see the arrabiata sauce which was spicy!
Also basil, and red pepper infused olive oil. Mushroom risotto mix.

They had some nice looking tagliatelle nests I bought, some garlic hummus and pita crackers and chips. Green peppers although they also had red and yellow and other kinds of specialty peppers in the mix. From time to time there are some household things that are useful there. Today it was colorful plastic storage boxes and stacking bins. They also had a cheap but not bad looking pannini press that might be worth it if that is your cup of tea.

I have recently started buying the Boulder sandwich bags and other plastic bag type of things and do not mind them at all.

One thing I have not seen at my Aldi is nuts such as pecans and walnuts. I am going to go to the Glen Ellyn store to see what its like. A bit farther but its newer and bigger I think. I will compare. My Aldi does have the upscale stuff but want to see the other one in my neck of the woods.

Thanks Cathy for the web link. Its useful to look to see what they might have.

The Aldis I've been in all carry pecans and walnuts in the baking section. At great prices, too.

I will have to look again for the nuts. On another note, I stumbled upon a blog post where the blogger outlines Why she shops at Aldi, How to shop at Aldi, and What to buy aat Aldi. These are three installments over the past few days and the last one I think is to be published today. They are really helpful. Even though I am a frequent Aldi shopper I still learned some stuff so I am looking forward to the last post. Frankly I detested Aldi when I first went to it as I really did not understand it. I left and did not return back for years until a friend of mine who is on a much more limited budget and frequently shops Aldi encouraged me to go. Now I am a frequent Aldi shopper but a "failed" Costco shopper.

Here is a link to the blog

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/aldi-101-w ... p-at-aldi/

Damn, that link doesn't work.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:Damn, that link doesn't work.

I checked it yesterday and the site is moving to a new host site. Keep checking back.

It worked when I posted it.

Here is a cached copy of the article. You have to scroll down, the pictures do not work but the text is there.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... p-at-aldi/

toria wrote:It worked when I posted it.

Here is a cached copy of the article. You have to scroll down, the pictures do not work but the text is there.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... p-at-aldi/

I read the first part (of three) last night. It was a great article.

I agree. Even though I have been shopping at Aldi for over a year now I still learned some things.

The website is up after resolution of technical difficulties. Here is the last installment of the three articles.

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/aldi-101-w ... y-at-aldi/

all three are up on the website now.

toria wrote:I agree. Even though I have been shopping at Aldi for over a year now I still learned some things.

A little known fact:
Bloggers often get invited to Aldi Headquarters and get an intricate tour of of their business model and facilities. They then post their experiences on their blogs. Another really smart business tactic of theirs. A great way to get free publicity and promote tremendous good will in the process.
You can read some of their reports Here

Artie wrote:

toria wrote:I agree. Even though I have been shopping at Aldi for over a year now I still learned some things.

A little known fact:
Bloggers often get invited to Aldi Headquarters and get an intricate tour of of their business model and facilities. They then post their experiences on their blogs. Another really smart business tactic of theirs. A great way to get free publicity and promote tremendous good will in the process.
You can read some of their reports Here

I live basically down the street from the headquarters, maybe I need to do this.

The mango habanero cheese has got to be one of the weirdest things I've eaten.
It is a white cheese with a nice habanero heat but this fake 'fruit' scent added in as well.
It is like eating hab cheese while walking through the candy aisle on Hubba Bubba delivery day.
The fruitiness is something I always associate with cloying sweetness but it never arrives with this cheese.

I passed it around at work and no one rated it 'bad'. There were several 'likes' with the rest 'weirds'.
One person said it tastes like fake apricot and he's not wrong.

It is worth a try and while I'll not buy it to have around the house, it might make a fun addition to a cheese plate for a party.

I didn't care for that Habanero Cheese either. The cranberry white cheddar they sell around Christmas time, on the other hand, is awesome.

I really liked the White Cheddar with Horseradish that was at Aldi's last week. Nice twinge of horseradish without being overwhelming.

======================

We should arrange a field trip to Aldi ... THAT could be interesting.

Hmm I missed most of those cheeses. I did get the marinated mozzarella and the raw milk cheddar. Have not tried the ladder yet. I do know I do not like tipsy goat in the spanish cheese sampler so will not get that. I am better off buying Iberico and Manchego in a chunk.