Our next stop on the “Trader Joe is a Crazy Son of a Bitch” tour takes us to Trader Joe’s Mango Coconut Flavored Caramel Corn.
REVIEW: Trader Joe’s Mango Coconut Caramel Corn
Weird-flavored popcorns are nothing new to me. Quite the opposite. Allow me to plug a local business that I frequented far too often when I was attending Syracuse University: The Kandied Kernal. Welp, I just learned that location is permanently closed when I linked to it. Gotta assume it’s because there was a huge decline in sales when I left Syracuse. Man, what a bummer…
Any who, the Kandied Kernal was awesome. I would leave with multiple bags of brightly-colored popcorns with bomb flavors like Strawberry Shortcake, Cocoa Puffs, and Peanut Butter & Jelly. Each week they would roll out new flavors, pushing the envelope of what should and should not be popcorn. This would continue until they closed forever.
Mango Coconut flavored popcorn falls into an odd place. At the Kandied Kernal, something like this wouldn’t be weird enough for me to pull the trigger. At Trader Joe’s, however, it stood out as one of the most unique release in this, the summer of mango. I picked it up unsure whether or not I would bother to review it. One handful later, it was obvious I must. Because Trader Joe’s Mango Coconut Caramel Corn is beyond incredible and you need to know about it.
My only concern is that I won’t do Trader Joe’s Mango Coconut Caramel Corn justice. This is one of the reviews that won’t be as entertaining as it will be informative.
The simultaneously decadent and tropical flavors they achieved with this popcorn are nothing short of paradise. Each piece is perfectly coated in a thick, sugary glaze that contain so many harmonious flavors it’s unreal. The caramel corn begins with a burst of fruity sweetness that sometimes favors the hyper-sweet mango and other times favors a more subdued sweetness you’d find in shredded coconut. I honestly went back and forth deciding which flavor I tasted more. That’s a great sign that it’s balanced, and the two flavors complement each other fantastically.
But wait! There’s more. Trader Joe’s Mango Coconut Caramel Corn also finishes with all the burnt sugar sweetness of a fine caramel corn. Each piece is lusciously buttery and sufficiently salted for the caramel to shine, all without overpowering the fruity flavors that give this popcorn its signature touch. The coconut and caramel feel natural together; the mango adds some flare.
Cons: Impossible to stop eating before the bag is finished. If I’m being greedy, one thing that could have put Trader Joe’s Mango Coconut Caramel Corn over the top would be some kind of nut like almonds glazed right onto some kernels like with Cracker Jack. With such a heavy glaze, there were times this reminded me of peanut brittle. Almonds pair wonderfully with coconut, so their addition would have been a wet dream.
In summary, I found a replacement for the Kandied Kernel.
The Feeling When Your Favorite Place Goes Out of Business Rating: 0 out of 10
Mango Coconut Caramel Corniness of This Blog Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Overall Rating: 9 out of 10
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chance that I am not going to plow the whole bag once I open? 0 out of 10
how many “servings per container” my sharpie will overwrite on the bag? 1
Among TJs mango love, highly recommend against their mango o’s cereal but just as highly do recommend the mango macarons. They nailed it.
I wrote the review for the Mango O’s! I did not hate but I did not like.