Just when you're not looking, Trader Joe's finally expands cramped store in Paramus

BREATHING ROOM: Trader Joe's in Paramus is putting up a new sign as one of the finishing touches on a long-overdue expansion of the cramped specialty foods market that began in November.

20 FEET: A manager said the store is now 20 feet wider front to back (taken from a vacant space next door), allowing for noticeably wider aisles, such as the one below.

WIDE-OPEN SPACE: Look at how Trader Joe's has expanded the aisle with the antibiotic-free hot dogs, cold cuts, cheese and other items. Juices have been moved into this aisle from the other side of the store.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

PARAMUS, N.J. -- Has it been 14 months since my last shopping trip to Trader Joe's on nail-biting Route 17 north?

Yes. 

And when I stopped there today to make a video complaining about the cramped market and grumpy customers who won't allow others like me to stop and read nutrition labels, I was in for a pleasant surprise.

The popular specialty foods market is putting the finishing touches -- including a new sign -- on a long-overdue expansion.

A manager said the Paramus Trader Joe's -- which first opened in 2007 -- is now 20 feet wider front to back, using space from a vacant store next door.

The work began last November. The store, at 404 Route 17 north, is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

This afternoon, I spent more than $40 there on antibiotic-free cold cuts, beef hot dogs and bacon; organic sweet potatoes, juices, and small jars of cut beets and grilled artichokes for salad.

And no one slammed a cart into me as I stopped to read a label.

See: Going in circles at Trader Joe's

CHECK OUT ALL THE SPACE: Trader Joe's check-out counters were moved into the expanded space.

ROTTEN APPLE? A 6-pound bag of organic Fuji Apples for $5.99 (about $1 a pound) is a good deal, but I couldn't find a bag without at least one bruised apple. 

SWEET! One of my favorite items at Trader Joe's is the 3-pound bag of Organic Sweet Potatoes for $4.49 or about $1.50 a pound. The sign suggests "slice and make fries" or "bake with some butter," but I prefer to cut up and boil the sweet potatoes with peeled cloves of garlic, drain them and mash them with extra-virgin olive oil, cinnamon, black pepper and other seasonings.

SMOKED WILD SALMON: Trader Joe's offers two kinds of smoked wild salmon, but they are far more expensive than the 1-pound package of Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon at Costco Wholesale in Teterboro.

NO ADDED SALT: Trader Joe's offers an organic Marinara Sauce with no salt added, but most of the other bottled sauces on the shelves contain 19% to 24% of the maximum daily recommended amount of sodium in a half-cup.

Eating In: Delightful summer foods, plus a $230 cash rebate from Costco Wholesale

At home, I plated grilled fresh wild Sockeye Salmon Fillets, accented with Basil Pesto and refreshing Greek Yogurt, alongside grilled ripe California peaches for a wonderful summer dinner. All of the ingredients came from Costco Wholesale in Teterboro.

-- HACKENSACK, N.J.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Sasson Report is taking a short break, but you'll find links to some of my most popular posts at the end.

By VICTOR E. SASSON

EDITOR

I just made another batch of tzatziki, the refreshing Greek yogurt sauce I've been serving alongside those wonderful wild sockeye salmon fillets I buy at Costco Wholesale in Teterboro.

In fact, the grilled Fresh Wild Sockeye Salmon with Ripe Peaches, Pesto and Tzatziki we enjoyed last Tuesday (photo above) was made almost exclusively with ingredients from Costco, 2 Teterboro Landing Drive, in the Teterboro Landing Shopping Center off Route 46.

Although the first sockeye from the Copper River in Alaska began arriving at the Teterboro warehouse on June 5, I think of wild salmon, Greek yogurt, Basil Pesto and fragrant California peaches as summer foods.

Today, I picked up more fresh wild sockeye for dinner tonight, and noticed that Costco lowered the price to $15.99 a pound from $16.99, compared to $29.99 a pound at Whole Foods Market in Paramus.

For tzatziki, I use about 16 ounces of Costco's non-fat Greek Yogurt, which is free of saturated fat; thin it with water to make a thick but flowable mixture, add diced skin-on hothouse cucumbers; plenty of minced garlic, a little sea salt, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, dried dill, and chopped fresh mint and oregano from my garden. 

Low prices, cash back

Another Costco benefit I associate with summer is the 2% Reward Certificate that arrives weeks before my Executive Membership renews on Aug. 1.

My $230.24 rebate check is about double the $120 annual membership fee, up from $110. Gold Star members pay $60, compared to $55 before.

The annual fee went up on June 1 for the first time since 2011.

In February, I received other cash rebates from my Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, totaling about $260.

That was for using the card to purchase gasoline (4% back), restaurant meals and travel (3% back), and items from other stores (1% back).

Here, tzatziki accents Crab Cake Minis from Phillips Seafood Restaurants, and a wild Alaskan Salmon Burger from Trident, two frozen items available at Costco.  My dinner included Costco's Organic Quinoa, prepared with Organic Diced Tomatoes and chopped fresh garlic in an electric cooker, and Costco's Mexican-style Organic Salsa.

Alongside the bounty of fresh wild sockeye, Costco also sells smoked wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon ideal for egg-white omelets, above and below. The fresh wild salmon is expected to be available through early October, but the smoked wild salmon is sold year-round.

Fresh wild salmon and ripe California peaches on my stove-top grill last Tuesday. I use spray oil, and cook the fish 6 to 8 minutes over a medium-high flame, depending on thickness, turning the serving pieces once.

Today, the Teterboro Costco had far more wild salmon than in previous weeks, and moved the trays to a separate refrigerated case.

 The Sasson Report will return soon

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Eating Out & Eating In: Lotus Cafe's seafood, H Mart's whole fish and more

An appetizer of Calamari with Salt & Pepper at Lotus Cafe, a popular Chinese BYO in Hackensack. Not spicy enough for you? Dip your squid into chili oil, below.

-- HACKENSACK, N.J.

By VICTOR E. SASSON

EDITOR

We enjoyed a seafood appetizer and entree, and a side dish of greens sauteed in fresh garlic for dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant, Lotus Cafe in Hackensack.

And we took home plenty of leftovers last Saturday. 

My wife doesn't eat squid, so I had an appetizer of Calamari with Salt & Pepper ($9.45) all to myself. 

Tender squid sauteed with hot peppers and garlic is an unbeatable combination, and there was enough for two.

My wife ordered Wonton Soup ($2.25), but was disappointed with the small pork-filled wontons floating in broth and the absence of greens or sliced pork. 

Our entree was melt-in-the-mouth Filet of Sole with Scallions & Ginger ($17.95), and we also ordered Chinese Water Spinach sauteed with fresh garlic ($12.95).

Filet of Sole with Ginger & Scallions.

Chinese Water Spinach with Fresh Garlic.

No extra charge for brown rice.

Details

Lotus Cafe, 450 Hackensack Ave., Hackensack (in the Home Depot Shopping Center); 201-488-7070. Reservations recommended on weekends.

BYO, free delivery within 3 miles (minimum order $12), ask for special fixed-price dinner and banquet menu for 4 to 12 people (6 to 12 courses).

Website: Delicious Chinese food

Dishing more seafood

SUNDAY DINNER AT HOME: Pan-fried Whole Whiting with Mustard Greens and Sweet Plantains. Whole whiting has a single central bone, making it one of the easiest fish to eat.

PAN FRIED IN OLIVE OIL: Whole King Whiting were $3.49 a pound last Sunday at H Mart, 25 Lafayette Ave. in Englewood, where we had the fish cleaned and the heads removed. My wife seasoned them and pan fried them in olive oil, above and below.

ALASKAN POLLOCK BURGERS: A 3-pound package of wild Alaskan Pollock Burgers from Trident are on sale at the Costco Wholesale Business Center, 80 S. River St. in Hackensack, for $7.49 after an instant coupon (normally 12 burgers are $11.49). Here, I served a cooked burger with Mexican-style salsa and Greek Yogurt, both from Costco.

SMOKED WILD SALMON: Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon from Costco Wholesale in the Teterboro Landing Shopping Center ($16.99 a pound) accents two Costco organic eggs fried sunny side up, served over Costco organic quinoa with chickpeas and diced tomatoes prepared in an electric cooker.  

YELLOWFIN TUNA: My wife made a tangy salad from 2 cans of Genova-brand Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil, adding fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, onion, garlic, celery and dried basil (6 7-ounce cans were $11.99 at Costco Wholesale in Teterboro).