Secret Gourmet Store?

I love a bargain. I think deep down inside, we all do. The thrill of finding a $5.00 bottle of Chilean Cabernet that tastes as good as that $30 bottle of Rombauer...doesn't that feel good? Well we're not talking about wine here but I found a place that you most likely wouldn't think of when you go shopping for specialty items. Here goes...TJ Maxx. Do you even know they carry food? I didn't. But in the kitchen section there is at least one row of shelves with some great bargains. I've been the the one in Fremont, San Jose, and Dublin and they're all great for gourmet bargain hunters. You can find exotic spices like pink Himalayan salt and saffron. There are even fancy bottled waters there. But the highlight of my trips to TJ Maxx are the oils and vinegars. They have wonderful olive oils that are much less expensive than if you went to a "normal" store. They also have a great selection of balsamic vinegar. I found a bottle of aged balsamic vinegar from Modena (that's where the Ferrari factory is) that can be used as a dip or even in some wild desserts. That small bottle retails for $16 but can be had at TJ Maxx for around $7. There have been a couple of nights lately where I've been tempted to just eat bread with olive oil and vinegar...and did. What else? I found a large bottle of grapeseed oil which is good for you and has a higher smoke point than olive oil (meaning you can cook at higher temperatures with it).

One tip I will give you is that olive oil does not last forever. So, to make sure you're getting the best, buy a bottle with darker glass or even better, covered with paper. That way the chances of sun damage are much less. Mine was wrapped in brown paper and tasted great.

Finally, if anyone ever sees a recipe from Jamie Oliver for berry crumble made with basil and balsamic vinegar, please send it to me. I saw it on TV once but have not been able to find it since.

Enjoy the kitchen section of TJ Maxx...I do.  ...and don't worry, the clientele of TJ Maxx is nothing like the people of Walmart.  LOL