Trader Joe’s Tarte D’Alsace Review

Trader Joe’s (Maitre Pierre) Tarte D’Alace Review  – Here is Trader Joe’s trying to get all sophisticated on us! Tarte D’Alsace? Who would’ve thunk they’d try and make us all world travelers? This is something that’s been in the freezer section of Trader Joe’s for many years now and I thought it would be easy come, easy go but it’s survived the test of time and I think that’s great for all of us!

The bigger question is this a pizza or not? It sure looks like one, but there are many types of “flatbread” around the world that look similar to pizza. They even call it flatbread on the box, but in reality, this is very similar to something called Tarte Flambee (yes two EEs at the end). 

Tarte Flambée is something that I am very familiar with, having traveled to the Alsace region of France on a couple of occasions. If you are not familiar with Alsace, it sits mainly between the Vosges mountains to the west and the Rhine River to the east on the German border. This part of France has switched between German rule and the French for hundreds of years and is a mix of both cultures, but in my opinion, leans towards Germany more.

Most people in the Alsace speak French and some German. One of the specialty foods you will find in the local pubs and bistro is Tarte Flambée.  Traditional Tarte Flambée is made in a wood-fired oven and the toppings are usually Fromage blanc (similar to cream cheese or cream Fraiche) onions and ham. Gruyere (or a local cheese that is similar) is an upgrade.

Sometimes mushrooms are added and Munster cheese is another upgrade if you like your cheese stinky! This is usually served as an appetizer at a restaurant, but you can easily get as a main course.  It brings back a lot of memories of the Alsace when I get this tarte at Trader Joe’s.

This is an odd product from Trader Joe’s. First, the quality seems too high to be from a US source, but I could be wrong there. Nothing on the box indicates that it’s from France (Unlike a couple of other “flatbreads” that say Product of France on the back).

The other thing is that there is no indication that this is from Trader Joe’s. All it says is that it’s from Maitre Pierre which I found doing a Google Search. http://www.maitrepierre.com/ It appears to be a French company located in the Alsace. A similar product, that has all the same fonts and product styling is the Trader Joe’s Tarte d’Champignon , which is a Product of France and has the Trader Joe’s name on the box. Go figure!

Anyway, how did this taste? I really, really liked it! My wife and I had this with a salad last night. I baked it per the directions and it came out perfect. Nice thin, crunchy crust. More like pie crust than pizza crust. The toppings were all excellent. The ham was perfectly cooked and very flavorful.

The onions were perfectly caramelized and had no hard onion flavor, they were very sweet. The cheese was great too. Not too much cheese. The edge of the crust has a fancy edge to it that makes it quite visually appealing. It did taste fairly authentic too! The only thing missing was a hint of smoke flavor from the wood-fired oven. But eating this is taking me back to France.

I highly recommend this pizza… umm… flatbread! I could eat it all by myself as a meal or split it with a salad or something else.  You could serve it as a nibble at a dinner party. It was truly authentic and I truly enjoy the Maitre Pierre’s (AKA Trader Joe’s) Tarte d’Alsace. I recommend having a big glass of Alsatian Dry Riesling with this as a perfect pairing and

I am going to rate pizza wannabe, Tarte D’Alsace 9 Bells!

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS: CRUST: UNBLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, SUNFLOWER OIL, SALT. TOPPINGS: CREME FRAICHE (CULTURED GRADE A PASTEURIZED CREAM), FULLY COOKED HAM STRIPS WATER ADDED, SMOKE FLAVORING ADDED (PORK HAM, WATER, SALT, SUGAR, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, SMOKE FLAVORING, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE), CARAMELIZED SLICED ONION (YELLOW ONION, CANOLA OIL, CARAMEL COLOR), SHRED SWISS-STYLE GRUYERE CHEESE (SWISS-STYLE GRUYERE CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], POTATO STARCH, CORN STARCH, POWDERED CELLULOSE ADDED TO PREVENT CAKING])

CONTAINS WHEAT & MILK.

Trader Joe’s Tarte d’Alsace Pizza Flatbread with Ham and Gruyere is a mouth-watering combination of crispy flatbread, savory ham, and rich, nutty cheese. This frozen pizza is a delicious and convenient option for a quick dinner or snack.

One of the standout features of this pizza is the crust. The Tarte d’Alsace crust is a thin and crispy flatbread that’s made with a combination of wheat and rye flour. This unique blend gives the crust a distinctive flavor and texture that sets it apart from traditional pizza crusts. The crust is pre-cooked and ready to go, which makes the pizza easy and quick to prepare.

On top of the crust is a layer of crème fraîche, a creamy and tangy French-style sour cream. This adds a nice richness to the pizza and complements the other flavors well. The crème fraîche is then topped with slices of smoky ham, which add a nice savory flavor to the pizza. Finally, the pizza is finished off with a generous amount of grated Gruyere cheese. Gruyere is a Swiss cheese that has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor. It’s a great melting cheese, and it works perfectly on this pizza.

One of the things that I love about Trader Joe’s Tarte d’Alsace Pizza Flatbread is that it’s so easy to prepare. You simply preheat your oven to 425°F, remove the pizza from the packaging, and place it directly on the oven rack. You don’t need to fuss with any additional toppings or ingredients. The pizza cooks in just 10-12 minutes, and it comes out of the oven perfectly crispy and golden brown.

In terms of flavor, this pizza is a real winner. The combination of the crispy flatbread, tangy crème fraîche, savory ham, and nutty Gruyere cheese is just perfect. Each bite is bursting with flavor, and the different elements work together harmoniously. The ham and cheese are particularly good together, and the crème fraîche helps to cut through the richness of the cheese.

Overall, I would highly recommend Trader Joe’s Tarte d’Alsace Pizza Flatbread with Ham and Gruyere to anyone looking for a quick and delicious meal or snack. It’s an easy-to-prepare, flavorful, and satisfying option that’s perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. The combination of crispy flatbread, savory ham, and nutty cheese is sure to satisfy your cravings and leave you feeling satisfied.