Thumbs down, thumbs up on items from Costco in Canada

Kirkland Signature Balsamic Vinaigrette from Costco Wholesale in Montreal. In late June, two bottles were only $4.99 Canadian after a $3 instant coupon.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

At home, my everyday salad dressing has only two ingredients -- extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar of Modena from Italy.

I'm very happy using the simple dressing on a big mound of organic spring mix or salads with greens, cheese, almonds, blueberries and other ingredients.

During a visit to Montreal in late June and early July, we visited a Costco Wholesale, where I found Kirkland Signature Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Two 709-milliliter bottles were only $4.99 Canadian.

I opened one bottle, but don't like how the dressing tastes. 

There is just too much balsamic in proportion to the canola and extra-virgin olive oils, and when I tasted a half-spoonful, the sweetness of the molasses came through, not the fresh garlic in the dressing. 

The bottled dressing also contains sea salt and Dijon mustard. 

When I make a salad, I use balsamic vinegar sparingly, allowing the extra-virgin oil to be the predominate taste.

Can I return an item I bought at the Montreal Costco for a refund at the Costco Wholesale in Hackensack? Stay tuned.

Update

When I mentioned to my wife I was returning the balsamic vinaigrette for a refund, she said she likes how the dressing tastes.

We kept it.

A salad dressed simply with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

In brief

However, I love the men's briefs I bought at the Montreal Costco, and find them much more comfortable than the Kirkland Signature Men's Briefs I bought for years in Hackensack.

They are made by Stanfield's Limited in Nova Scotia, and come in white, gray and black.

A package of five 100% combed cotton briefs were $19.99 Canadian (one U.S. dollar was worth about $1.05 Canadian).

They were especially welcome because I couldn't find the Kirkland Signature Men's Brief on several visits to the Hackensack Costco. 

Update

The Stanfield's briefs are more comfortable because they are roomier and longer than the Kirkland Signature briefs, which were made in Vietnam.

I find the waistbands of my Kirkland Signature briefs stretch or sometimes holes appear in the fabric away from a seam, and I throw them away (9/26/2014).