Rugelach! bought at chung-ho. now if i could only get italian sausage
Veggie burgers and Organic string cheese for the kiddos.
First the good news:
Costco now sells plain pizza slices. No longer do you have to buy one with some odd toping that you have to scrape off if you just want pizza. They’re good too. Nt$60 a slice and a whole pie for 300 something. Bought one last week and scarfed down the whole thing between me and a friend.
The bad news:
They have bastardized their sausage selection. I grew addicted to the Farmer’s Sausage from Canada that they carried, a very good garlicy sausage and another spicy import, the name of which I cannot remember. Last night I went to pick some up and their sausage case is now loaded with local product only (Tadung or something?).
Why, oh why, is it in Taiwan that just when you find some food product you really love it immediately gets discontinued and unavailable anywhere else? Such are the joys of shopping at Costco.
I love it also. The Nei-Hu store seems to be out right now but I found some at the Xi-Zhr outlet. Try there. Xi-Zhr has more items in general than the Chong-He or Nei-Hu stores anyway. I’ve asked.
Costco Yonghe is also out of most imported ham, like Canadian or low-fat US. A while ago they were also out of sour cream for a couple of weeks.
Yep, localization. Or trouble with importers.
[quote=“Dark Horse”]First the good news:
Costco now sells plain pizza slices. No longer do you have to buy one with some odd toping that you have to scrape off if you just want pizza. They’re good too. Nt$60 a slice and a whole pie for 300 something. Bought one last week and scarfed down the whole thing between me and a friend. [/quote]
They dropped the pesto flavor pizza and replaced it with plain :fume:
They still have Hawaiian and Seafood. Bring back the pesto!
Damn, their pizza keeps going downhill. Bring back the pepperoni too!
Mer wrote:
Thanks for the advice but I live in Taipei City and don’t own a car. Wish I could get out to Xizhi and check it out. I don’t think any buses run out near that Costco and the MRT is years away from getting there.
Icon wrote:
Yes, that’s where I was, Yonghe. I also like to get the Canadian bacon they sell but that was nowhere to be found either.
Toe Tag wrote:
[quote]They dropped the pesto flavor pizza and replaced it with plain.
They still have Hawaiian and Seafood. Bring back the pesto![/quote]
The pesto was good but it was smothered in black olives, which I hate. I bought it a couple of times but it was very labor intensive picking off all the olives.
Dragonbones wrote:
Plain pizza is a great alternative to their weird combinations, I think. I am not a pineapple man when it comes to pizza (nevermind corn and squid at pizza hut). I never tried the pepperoni as I seem to remember it was combined with some other odd topping. The plain is great for me, tastes very close to pizza from back home.
I went to Costco at Yonghe today and yes, it’s official. They have replaced all sausages with the local-made kind, like carbon copies of the imported ones, almost the same packaging, dunno -and don’t want to know- about the taste.
Same with my beloved sliced low-fat ham and sliced Canadian honey roasted -they have a clone of local origin. between you and me, it was the slight weird pinkish color that turned me away from it.
Really disgusting. What is going on?!
If they start doing the same with the imported cheese, that’s it, I will resign my membership.
Two questions:
-
Can anyone confirm whether they still have some decently priced imported ham in Xizhi?
-
If not, can anyone suggest palatable alternatives? Most obliged.
Did I see you there Icon? Me: white guy repeatedly telling his monkeylike son to get down off the side of the damn cart so I could navigate the narrow channel through parked carts. And I was growling at people to get them to move.
Surprising it worked, but maybe because they saw a box of black garbage bags in my cart and got freaked out when I hissed “Eeeenglish teachhhherrrrrrrr.”
What a zoo it was. But I managed to get a copy of The Blue PLanet. whoohoo
Probably you did. My apologies for not saying hi! but I was quite flustered and annoyed with the kids running up and down and the Sunday-cart drivers and the people getting on the way because they are lining up for free samples… You get the picture. I just wanted to get out of there ASAP!
Actually, I noticed how your kid was the best behaved -though he did looked a bit bored going through the soap section… I think he deserves an extra special prize for being such a team player and helping Daddy along with the shopping. (if you were the guys were wearing grey shirts)
EDIT:
Oh, oh, I am slow today, I get it…black bags and English teacher…Mmm, you’re into something…I’ll try that next time.
Things I mostly buy in Costco:
- Nesquick chocolate powder, not exactly as good (IMO) as the European version, but still worlds away from Milo…
- Beef, mostly because in Yi-lan the choice is pretty much bad (buy a lot, froze half)…
- Muffins…
- Nestle chocolate for cooking
- Cream (danish one), cannot live without it (both for ice cream making and pasta)
- Tide (much better choice over there, although I would prefer to buy Skip)
- Softlan (think it is the name for the hand wash detergent)
- Bleach (the Clorox I can buy in Taiwan smells a lot stronger and makes my skin itchy)
- Lasagna (because it is the only affordable place to buy it)
- Cod Fish sticks in Panto bread (love to eat those things)
- Raspberries Jam (Bonne Mamam, love the taste and the look of the jars, always nice for decoration)
- Austrian Reduced Fat sliced Cheese
Things I still have to buy from Europe/HK:
- Cif (still couldn’t find better cleaning detergent)
- Fairy (1 bottle is good for about half year, so I only need to buy 2 every time)
Hey guys
Sounds like Costco is no longer doing sausages. We may be able to help . I run the Wurst Sausages out of Hualien here on the east coast. We ship frozen sausages all over the island for a pretty good price. We currently stock the following products:
Cajun Smokies
Chorizo
Bratwurst
Breakfast
Cumberland
Thai
Italian - red wine and cheese
Our sausages are made with local pork but most of our spices are imported. I guarantee no odd fatty lumps like in the local sausages! All our sausages are $NT200 per bag plus shipping. For up to four bags shipped to your door will only be $NT150. Up to 9 bags $NT210 and 10 or more we will pay for your shipping. Usually we can ship within one or two days.
My cellphone number is 0919 250 220. Call if you are interested or have some questions or suggestions.
Leighton
[quote=“Leighton”]Hey guys
Sounds like Costco is no longer doing sausages. We may be able to help . I run the Wurst Sausages out of Hualian here on the east coast. We ship frozen sausages all over the island for a pretty good price. We currently stock the following products:
Cajun Smokies
Chorizo
Bratwurst
Breakfast
Cumberland
Thai
Italian - red wine and cheese
Our sausages are made with local pork but most of our spices are imported. I guarantee no odd fatty lumps like in the local sausages! All our sausages are $NT200 per bag plus shipping. For up to four bags shipped to your door will only be $NT150. Up to 9 bags $NT210 and 10 or more we will pay for your shipping. Usually we can ship within one or two days.
My cellphone number is 0919 250 220. Call if you are interested or have some questions or suggestions.
Leighton[/quote]
any info on what a “bag” consists of - either a weight or a number (size?) per bag?
i ask because i’m interested …
[quote=“Icon”]I went to Costco at Yonghe today and yes, it’s official. They have replaced all sausages with the local-made kind, like carbon copies of the imported ones, almost the same packaging, dunno -and don’t want to know- about the taste.
Same with my beloved sliced low-fat ham and sliced Canadian honey roasted -they have a clone of local origin. between you and me, it was the slight weird pinkish color that turned me away from it.
Really disgusting. What is going on?!
If they start doing the same with the imported cheese, that’s it, I will resign my membership.[/quote]
You can e-mail John Liu at w874wmgr@costco.com.tw). This is the name and e-mail given to me at the Xizhi Costco when I complained about the same thing.
Hi there
Sorry…saying a bag isn’t very helpful is it. Our bags have six sausages each and they are about 430 grams…give or take. The breakfast sausages are short guys so there are twelve per bag.
Leighton
Locally made isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Futong’s pepperoni, for example, is inexpensive, can be delivered to your door, and does a fine job of spicing up that frozen pizza.
I’ve STILL not seen pepperoni at Costco (Neihu). If anyone ever sees it, please give a heads up with the exact location of the stuff (which case; what’s it next to?). I’ve looked time and time again.
Maoman wrote:
[quote]Icon wrote:
I went to Costco at Yonghe today and yes, it’s official. They have replaced all sausages with the local-made kind, like carbon copies of the imported ones, almost the same packaging, dunno -and don’t want to know- about the taste.
Same with my beloved sliced low-fat ham and sliced Canadian honey roasted -they have a clone of local origin. between you and me, it was the slight weird pinkish color that turned me away from it.
Really disgusting. What is going on?!
If they start doing the same with the imported cheese, that’s it, I will resign my membership.
You can e-mail John Liu at w874wmgr@costco.com.tw). This is the name and e-mail given to me at the Xizhi Costco when I complained about the same thing.[/quote]
I was about to ask for this address. Most grateful for your assistance. :thanks:
Dragonbones wrote:
Indeed. However, it is not the “local made” I really mind, but rather the “copy the same design, ask for the same price as an imported good” I do.
Icon, now they are moving up on the price scale over here… no more the “copy the same design, make it cheaper than an imported good”… just look at the coffee, damn, I prefer to import myself (I don’t want to pay more than 90NT per 250Grs of good quality coffee, I’m sorry).
[quote=“Maoman”][quote=“Icon”]I went to Costco at Yonghe today and yes, it’s official. They have replaced all sausages with the local-made kind, like carbon copies of the imported ones, almost the same packaging, dunno -and don’t want to know- about the taste.
Same with my beloved sliced low-fat ham and sliced Canadian honey roasted -they have a clone of local origin. between you and me, it was the slight weird pinkish color that turned me away from it.
Really disgusting. What is going on?!
If they start doing the same with the imported cheese, that’s it, I will resign my membership.[/quote]
You can e-mail John Liu at w874wmgr@costco.com.tw). This is the name and e-mail given to me at the Xizhi Costco when I complained about the same thing.[/quote]
I got this reply from John Liu:
[quote]Hi Mr. van Dyck,
The reason we stop to import the Freybe sausages it’s because of the 瘦肉精LEAN ESSENCE issue, buyer is looking for the replacement now. Thanks for your suggestion, have a nice day.
Best regards
劉維翰 John Liu
W874 Shih-Chih
Warehouse Manager[/quote]
Can anyone enlighten me as to what the 瘦肉精LEAN ESSENCE issue is? :s