Eat at Joe's

“What do you do with quinoa?” It’s a good question—one of several overheard by Wona Miniati in the aisles of her neighborhood Trader Joe’s store that inspired the recipes in Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s, co-written with Deana Gunn. The grocery chain, founded in 1967 by Joe Coulombe, ’52, MBA ’54, has introduced once-exotic products like mangosteen and mole poblano sauce into kitchens across the country. In recent years, the store has expanded its offerings to include a wider selection of produce and meat in addition to what Miniati, MBA ’98, calls the “gourmet, unique items you can’t find anywhere else.” The recipes in the 272-page book make use of the grocer’s signature pre-prepped items to create impressive meals in just about 10 minutes, and even include wine-pairing suggestions. The accompanying website, cookingwithtraderjoes.com, offers substitution ideas for items that are out of stock, unavailable in certain regions or discontinued (hint: Israeli couscous is a good quinoa stand-in.)