2013 Year End Bay Area Fro-yo Wrap Up

Fro-yo girl here. Goodbye 2013...it’s that time to look back at the year that was in the Bay Area.

Bay Area closings: Yogorino (both locations in SF), YoCup (both SF locations), Yogurt Circle, Yoppi Yogurt Palo Alto, Yogen Fruz Novato, U Love Yogurt, Tuttimelon Burlingame, Tutti Frutti Berkeley, Tutti Frutti Oakland Chinatown, Sweet Sundays, Harmony Frozen Yogurt, Blush SF

Yogorino is no longer available in the Bay Area...or on the West Coast. Very sad. Harmony Frozen Yogurt was one of the first tart froyo shops in the Bay Area. YoCup was also an early Bay Area tart froyo shop but the quality was significantly worse after it was sold to new owners. Fortunately, Blush still has other locations. 

Tutti Frutti Berkeley and Yoppi Yogurt Palo Alto's locations weren't open long. Tutti Frutti was replaced by Honeyberry which has the worst froyo. 

Bay Area openings: Yogurtland Fremont, Yogurtland Pinole, Yumi Yogurt Hillsdale Mall, Tutti Frutti Montclair Village, Swifty Sweets, Red Mango Palo Alto, Pizza Bello, Pinkberry Walnut Creek, Menchie’s Berkeley, Menchie’s Fremont, Mega Walgreens SF, La Luna Cupcakes, Coffee Cultures, Almaden Yogurt Factory  

Scoop Microcreamery in Palo Alto opened this year and offered froyo made with liquid nitrogen for about a month but they stopped offering froyo. Back in October, Tuttimelon Burlingame changed from selling froyo to selling liquid nitrogen ice cream as Cryo Cream (the ownership is the same...Tuttimelon has been selling liquid nitrogen ice cream in Hong Kong for months), Honeyberry keeps opening new locations - some have froyo and some don’t. Swifty Sweets launched in April and is the Bay Area’s only froyo truck.

I had some memorable cups of froyo outside the Bay Area in 2013. If you're in NYC, be sure to check out Culture: An American Yogurt Company which has locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. They make their fresh and frozen yogurt in house. Go Greek Yogurt in Beverly Hills flies in super thick authentic Greek yogurt from Greece. They offer fresh and frozen yogurt. I had my first froyo taco at A Tea Yogurt in downtown Alhambra, CA.

Check out IFYA's post on key events in the froyo industry in 2013. 

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Best Swirl of 2013

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve examined all the pictures of fro-yo that I took this year and picked out my best looking froyo swirls. I had a good year of swirling. Years of practice have done wonders for my swirling skills.

My best swirl of 2013 was actually my first swirl of 2013. It’s a cup of plain tart froyo with neatly arranged toppings (chopped almonds, strawberries, granola, watermelon, blueberries) and two spoons. I swirled it at Yogurtland Alhambra. I remember the frozen yogurt texture was exceptional that night: firm, creamy, thick and smooth.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* YOGURTLAND: 1 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Froyo Flavor of the Year (2013)

Fro-yo girl here. Last year’s froyo flavor of the year was Nutella/Chocolate Hazelnut. It seemed like Nutella was showing up everywhere - in and outside of froyo shops.

This year many new froyo flavors were introduced. Greek froyo flavors continued to be popular, riding the wave of Greek yogurt popularity. Cookie and dessert flavors were popular as well. Froyo flavors are becoming more complex, for example, Menchie’s maple nut fudge and strawberry shortcake delight, Yogurtland’s black sesame vanilla and Honey Hill Farms Moon Pie.

The froyo flavor of 2013 is...any flavor with cream cheese (e.g., Carrot cake, Menchie’s Cinnayumm bun, Cinnamon roll, Honey Hill Farms key lime bar). Who can forget Bugs Bunny's carrot cake froyo flavor at Yogurtland?

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Merry Fro-yo Christmas

Fro-yo girl here. It’s Christmas Eve and I hope you’re going to have a nice big cup of gingerbread, egg nog, cocoa minty holiday cookie or peppermint froyo today. Use your Menchie’s holiday spoon and top it with peppermint bark, red & green M&Ms, candy canes, gingerbread cookies, Christmas sprinkles, pfeffernusse, chocolate nonpareils, white chocolate, cranberries, toasted pecans, etc.

Here’s a festive picture I took at one of my favorite places: Blush Burlingame. I also made an ornament out of a froyo cup while I was there (they had an ornament making station) enjoying the gingerbread froyo and added it to their Christmas tree.

Hope you wake up and find fro-yo gift cards in your stocking. Happy holidays to all fro-yo fans!

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Best New Froyo Flavor of 2013

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve sampled many new froyo flavors this year. Some of the new froyo flavors I really enjoyed include Yogurtland’s Lemon Cream Cookie and Tiramisu, Cherry Pinkberry, Key Lime Pinkberry, and Easy Breezy’s Mint Mojito with fresh mint leaves.

Now that the year is coming to the end, it’s time to declare my favorite new froyo flavor of the year…it’s Cucumber froyo from Easy Breezy in San Francisco, CA. Cucumber froyo is made with fresh cucumbers and it works well because of the natural properties of cucumber: sweet, crisp, refreshing and light. The cucumber flavor is distinct and doesn’t overwhelm the natural yogurt flavor. Even better, the froyo is organic. Cucumber froyo might not be for everyone but I love the flavor of cucumber. Easy Breezy also makes some amazing froyo flavors with fresh mint - e.g., Mint Mojito.

Check Easy Breezy’s Facebook page for the current flavor line up.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* EASY BREEZY FROZEN YOGURT: 4028 24th St., San Francisco, CA

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Get Crafty, Make Froyo Ornaments

Fro-yo girl here. One of my hobbies is to make a new batch of Christmas ornaments every December. I’ve made simple ornaments out of felt, clear glass globes, pipe cleaners, yarn, dough, clay and more. There’s something gratifying about decorating your Christmas tree with unique handmade ornaments that are inexpensive, easy and fun to make.

This year I picked up some clear glass ornaments at Michael’s (they come in packs of 6 for $5 per pack), paint pens ($2 and up) and satin paint (you can find some for under $2 a bottle, read the label and make sure that it works on glass). There's glittery paint available too. I used craft smart paint pens and Americana multi-surface Satin paint in Turquoise Waters from DecoArt.

 

It's much cheaper than etched glass ornaments because a bottle of Martha Stewart glass etching cream is $24.99.

Take the stem out of the ornament and paint it with a brush. Let the paint dry before adding another coat. After it’s dry, you can easily draw designs or use stencils. If you like clear globes, draw directly on the glass. 

Stencils are easy to make. Find an image of frozen yogurt that you like on the web and print it out (adjust the size via your printer settings if desired). Tape it to a thin, clear, plastic sheet. Use an exacto knife to cut out the shape and presto, you have a froyo stencil that you can use for Christmas cards, ornaments, stationery, etc.

If you’re not the crafty type and you love frozen yogurt, you can always buy frozen yogurt ornaments from CafePress or Amazon but that’s just not as fun.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Winter Flavors from Yogurtland: Round Six

Fro-yo girl here. This week’s batch of new seasonal flavors, White chocolate peppermint & Raspberry pomegranate tart, have arrived. Walking in a Winter Yogurtland which gave us 2 new seasonal froyo flavors a week for six weeks, is drawing to a close - this week's flavors are the last of the promotion. I always feel sad when a Yogurtland promotion ends...they have such exciting promotions and so many new froyo flavors. The new flavors are in stores for a week or while supplies last.

* White chocolate peppermint: “Real gourmet white chocolate and refreshing peppermint. This flavor is a winter wonderland right in your mouth.” The flavor was milder (not as minty) as I expected but I liked it because you could taste the white chocolate better. The mild minty flavor hits you first and then the warm, sweet white chocolate. It was extra creamy, thick and rich.

* Raspberry pomegranate tart: “Celebrate the season with all the healthy goodness of real raspberries. Our fresh fruit and real pomegranate juice is delightfully tart, yet balanced with natural sweetness.” I thought I liked their raspberry tart a lot but raspberry pomegranate is even better: more flavorful and tangier. So good!

I wanted a cup of both flavors but the white chocolate peppermint froyo was calling for the new topping, peppermint bark. It came in big pieces! Yum.

Remember you can earn double points Monday - Wednesday with the Real Rewards program.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Latta Authentic Russian Organic Kefir Review

Fro-yo girl here. I haven’t found Siggi’s pumpkin & spice yogurt at any Whole Foods but I did spot something new in the yogurt section, Latta. The coffee flavor caught my eye since it’s not a common yogurt flavor.

Latta products are made in small batches with Amish Country milk using the traditional Russian method for creating kefir. Latta’s kefir is organic and made with grass-fed milk. Products are all natural with no thickeners and they contain probiotic cultures.

* Coffee Organic Kefir: I wasn’t sure what the consistency would be like. I expected it to be thin like a drinking yogurt. The product is quite thick, too thick to drink. It also has small clumps of milkfat. It’s thicker than regular yogurt and European style yogurt but not as thick as Greek yogurt. Despite the small clumps, the texture was smooth and creamy. It’s white in color (was expecting a tan color) so the coffee didn’t change the color. The coffee flavor is quite noticeable and not bitter...it’s not unpleasant but I prefer vanilla flavoring for yogurt. The kefir is a bit sour yet has a sweet aftertaste. It’s fairly sweet but less so than a typical American yogurt. One cup is 70 calories. It’s rich and filling. Ingredients: pasteurized skim milk, evaporated cane juice, natural coffee flavor, probiotic kefir cultures

I found the single serve 5.25 oz cups at Whole Foods for $1.99 each.

Flavors: Vanilla, strawberry, coffee, peach, plain, blueberry and black cherry

http://www.lattausa.com/

4 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* WHOLE FOODS MARKET: 3950 24th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Winter Flavors from Yogurtland: Round Five & Froyo Cookie Sandwiches

Fro-yo girl here. Thanks Yogurtland for keeping the holiday season exciting with new froyo flavors (Vanilla Custard and Cinnamon Roll, in stores for a week, starting today) and a new topping (cream cheese chips, the perfect complement to Cinnamon Roll froyo).

* Vanilla custard: “A fresh holiday take on an old holiday classic. The rich, creamy, vanilla egg custard flavor you love without the guilt.” It’s creamy, smooth and tastes like vanilla soft serve ice cream only with a hint of yogurt flavor. It’s not as creamy as real frozen custard but still very good - and with live and active cultures.

* Cinnamon roll: “The taste of holiday morning. We combined one of the world’s best cinnamons with real cream cheese for the best baked treat ever to be served frozen.” I think many people will really love this flavor. The cream cheese makes it extra rich and creamy and you can see and taste the cinnamon.

The cheesecake chips were new. They look like white chocolate chips and taste like cream cheese icing.

I made my frookies/frozen yogurt cookie sandwiches with the giant Oreo cookie disks. If you want to do the same, here are a few pointers:

1. Swirl the froyo directly onto the cookie, till the froyo is about ½ an inch to 1 inch high
2. Put other cookie disk on top of froyo
3. To add toppings to the side, put toppings in your cup and roll your froyo cookie sandwich into the toppings mixture. You may need to press toppings into the side of the froyo.
4. Freeze till the froyo is firmer, otherwise you won’t be able to bite into it without having froyo come out on the sides

Remember you can earn double points Monday - Wednesday with the Real Rewards program.

Next week more new seasonal froyo flavors arrive: White chocolate peppermint and Raspberry pomegranate tart. You’ll also see a new topping, one that I love, peppermint bark.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Ogontoh Vitain Yogurt Flavor Candy Review

Fro-yo girl here. I found another Japanese yogurt flavored candy at Nijiya Market in San Mateo. Ogontoh Vitain yogurt candy is a hard candy with two different textures and flavors. It seems to be positioned based on health. The packaging emphasizes that the candy contains vitamin C, calcium and lactobacilli. I found a 3.17 oz. bag of Vitain for $3.49.

The top of the candy is a hard yellow disc, similar to a cough drop in terms of the texture and look. The bottom of the candy is a powdery firm white disc, similar in texture of aspirin. The bottom white disc is pretty tangy due to the fermented milk but also somewhat medicinal tasting. It tastes like tangier Yakult. The yellow part is sweeter without any particularly strong flavor. It takes a long time for one candy to dissolve. The candies are individually wrapped.

Ingredients: Cane sugar, maltitol, glucose, corn syrup, fermented milk, oligo-saccharide, casein phospho peputide, lactic acid bacterium, organic acid, coral calcium flavors, vitamin C, emulsifier

3.5 out of 5 stars

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* NIJIYA MARKET:1956 S. El Camino, San Mateo, CA 94403

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Winter Flavors from Yogurtland: Round Four

Fro-yo girl here. They’re here! This week’s Walking in a Winter Yogurtland new seasonal flavors have arrived at Yogurtland: Chocolate mousse pie and Egg nog. The new flavors are in stores for a limited time only, just one week or while supplies last.

* Chocolate mousse pie: “Our gift to all the chocolate lovers out there. Gourmet cocoa, chocolate cookie and a dash of coffee extract combine for a velvety, smooth, seasonal chocolate sensation.” Those of you who follow my blog know that I don’t like chocolate froyo. So many of them taste like cocoa/fudge to me with few differences that I can discern. Sadly, this chocolate mousse pie tasted like a fudgsicle to me. I didn’t notice the chocolate cookie or coffee extract. The texture was creamy and smooth.

* Egg nog: I remember Egg nog froyo from last year’s holiday promotion at Yogurtland, Yuletide Yumminess. “Simple, delicious and full of holiday cheer. Real nutmeg and a hint of vanilla combine for a flavor we can all toast to.” I don’t like egg nog but I found this flavor pleasant. The egg nog flavor wasn’t too strong and I did taste the vanilla. It seemed sweeter than usual. It’s creamy and rich.

I spotted some new seasonal toppings: Chocolate nonpareils and Oreo cookie disks. The Oreo cookie disks are twice the size of a typical Oreo cookie. They are adorable! It’s too bad that I saw them after I already put froyo in my cup. Next time I’m going to make froyo cookie sandwiches...with next week’s new flavor, vanilla custard.

Remember you can earn double points Monday - Wednesday with the Real Rewards program.

Next week more new seasonal froyo flavors: Vanilla Custard and Cinnamon Roll.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Froyo for Breakfast

Fro-yo girl here. Do you ever crave frozen yogurt in the morning? Ever think that most frozen yogurt shops open too late? 

My answer is yes to both of course. I miss Jubili Frozen Yogurt on Fillmore, which used to open at 8 AM and made wonderful frozen yogurt parfaits.

The good news is that you can get Fraiche’s frozen yogurt early in the morning. The SF and Palo Alto locations open at 7 AM on weekdays (8 AM on weekends) and the frozen yogurt is ready early (as soon as they open or shortly thereafter). The Stanford campus location opens a bit later but it does have steel cut oatmeal and housemade mochi.

My favorite thing to get is their SF Chronicle special ($6.25): Slow cooked, warm steel cut oatmeal, your choice of five toppings in between and your choice of yogurt or frozen yogurt on top. The toppings insulate the frozen yogurt so it doesn’t melt that quickly but even when it melts into the frozen yogurt, it tastes amazing. My favorite toppings are extra housemade mochi, fresh fruit and something crunchy, like Batter Bakery's granola which has nuts and coconut.

They sometimes run out of steel cut oatmeal so it pays to go early. Should you not feel like having frozen yogurt for breakfast, they have steel cut oatmeal, yogurt muffins, green juice, housemade Greek (non-frozen yogurt), kombucha and more.

Caffe Ambrosia in the FiDi area of downtown SF is open early but they don’t turn on their frozen yogurt machines till later (around 10:30 AM). Caffe Ambrosia was nice enough to say that you could call first and ask them to turn it on earlier.

Pinkberry Union Square opens at 10 AM which is earlier than most places. I’m not sure about the hours for the Walgreen’s frozen yogurt machines but the location opens at 7 AM.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* FRAICHE YOGURT: 1910 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA 

* CAFFE AMBROSIA: 14 Trinity Place, San Francisco, CA
* PINKBERRY: 170 O’Farrell St., San Francisco, CA

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Winter Flavors from Yogurtland: Round Three

Fro-yo girl here. Tis the season for new froyo flavors. Two new seasonal flavors hit Yogurtland stores today: Butterscotch and Cranberry orange tart.

* Cranberry orange tart: “Real New England cranberries and fresh Florida orange juice combine for a festive flavor that will leave you smiling, refreshed and ready for shopping.” This is my favorite Walking in a Winter Yogurtland flavor so far. The cranberry flavor hits you first and then the juicy orange flavor. There’s a lot of orange flavor but the real “yogurt” flavor is still noticeable too. It’s refreshing and bright.

* Butterscotch: “It’s back! Real caramel and real scotched butter combine for a flavor so real you’ll think it should be in a candy dish.” This flavor did taste like butterscotch candies, the ones that come wrapped in yellow. It’s very creamy. It wasn’t super sweet (which is a plus).

Next week more new seasonal froyo flavors will arrive: Chocolate mousse pie and egg nog.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Brozen Brogurt? Frozen Yogurt for Men

Fro-yo girl here. It’s estimated that anywhere from 70-80% of frozen yogurt consumers are female. With so many female customers, it’s not surprising that many frozen yogurt shops are designed to appeal to women. Witness the number of shops decorated in white and pink, cutesy logos, and pictures of fruit.

However, a few shops are bucking the trend with masculine daddy/bro/dude names like Daddy Yo’s, Yo Daddy, Yogurt Brothers, YoBro, and Dude Where’s My Yogurt. Then there are shops named after men, like YoJohnny, Eddie’s Frozen Yogurt, Uncle Gussy’s and Uncle Buck’s. Surf inspired shop names like Surf’N Yogurt and Big Kahuna Yogurt also have masculine appeal. Huddles in Indianapolis, which is owned by the daughter of the Colts owner, shows Colts games and sells Colts apparel. CUPS Frozen Yogurt takes a different sexier approach and is being called the Hooters of frozen yogurt.

These shops have differentiated themselves with their names and décor, but are they different from other frozen yogurt shops? Or is the difference in name only? It looks like their yogurt and toppings are the same as other frozen yogurt places. Yo Daddy is somewhat different because it also offers beer and wine which is unusual for a frozen yogurt establishment.

For a laugh, check out Conan’s Brozen Brogurt video, which is a spoof on what a manly frozen yogurt and manly toppings: http://teamcoco.com/video/brozen-brogurt-the-frozen-yogurt-just-for-bros

Supermarkets are starting to carry yogurt products that can be classified as Man Foods.

ProYo high protein frozen yogurt, launched on the West Coast in March 2013, is set for a national rollout in grocery stores next year. 

In case you haven’t heard, there is a Greek yogurt for men, called Powerful Yogurt. Powerful Yogurt, “the first yogurt in the U.S. designed for a man’s health and nutrition needs” features images of toned torsos reminiscent of a razor or protein powder commercial.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Winter Flavors from Yogurtland: Round Two

Fro-yo girl here. Two new seasonal flavors hit Yogurtland stores today: Chocolate mocha and Sticky toffee pudding.

Chocolate mocha: “We deliciously combined real Sumatra coffee with a special blend of cocoas for a full-bodied flavor guaranteed to fuel all those holiday shopping trips.” Chocolate mocha is a no added sugar flavor. I hoped for a darker, richer chocolate flavor but it was a lighter fudgier flavor with little coffee flavor. I generally don’t like chocolate froyo though...but coffee and chocolate can be a delicious combination...if the coffee flavor is strong enough but in this case it wasn’t.

I previously gave Sticky toffee pudding froyo the following review:

Sticky toffee pudding: “Moist, sweet sponge cake, made with chopped dates and covered with rich butter toffee.” I was dreading the taste of dates. The flavor is better than I expected because it doesn’t have intense date or butter toffee flavor. It’s creamy and mostly tastes like a nice muted butter toffee.

I spotted two new toppings: Heath bar pieces and chocolate covered espresso beans.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Yolato Frozen Yogurt Gelato Bar Review

Fro-yo girl here. I was recently lucky enough to be the recipient of Yolato frozen yogurt gelato bars. The bars are all natural, rbst free, cholesterol free, kosher and only 80 calories each. Each box contains four 61g bars. The frozen yogurt gelato bars are available in three flavors: Pomegranate, Naturalato, Blueberrato. I ate three and that’s still fewer calories than a typical cup of frozen yogurt.

* Naturalato: The bar has a soft, light texture (but maintains its shape). It’s creamy yet has that refreshing edge of a good frozen yogurt. It’s sweet but mildly tangy with a pleasant, sweet, clean aftertaste. It’s very light thanks to the gelato and melts in your mouth quickly. 

* Blueberrato: It’s a pretty bar with white and purple swirls. Blueberrato combines frozen yogurt gelato and blueberry acai sorbet. The texture is soft and light like the Naturalato. It’s sweeter than the Naturalato but still has that mild tanginess. The blueberry flavor is discernable but not so strong that you can’t appreciate the yogurt flavor and the naturalato flavor. 

* Pomegranate: The award-winning Pomegranato is my favorite of the three because it was the tangiest and also seemed the creamiest. It had that same light, soft, melt in your mouth texture with white and reddish pink swirls (pomegranate sorbet). The sweetness and yogurt tang linger on your palate.

Having tried a variety of frozen yogurt bars, I’ve found that some are really icy and hard, some don’t taste like yogurt, and others might be healthy are lacking in flavor. Yolato provides a wonderful tasting bar that has the tanginess and flavor of frozen yogurt with a soft, light, silky texture. It's genius to combine frozen yogurt, gelato and sorbet in one bar.

Ingredients (Naturalato): Skim milk and milk, sugar, corn syrup, cultured skim milk, maltodextrin, stabilizer/emulsifier, citric acid, natural flavors, vitamin A palmitate, yogurt cultures

5 out of 5 stars

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

About Yolato

Yolato sells wholesale its proprietary frozen yogurt desserts to consumers via frozen yogurt shops, food service management companies, universities, cafes and grocery stores. Its product line consists of unparalleled novelty frozen yogurt gelato bars and a proprietary soft serve frozen yogurt and smoothie line.

For additional information, including where to find Yolato bars, visit the Yolato website.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Walking in a Winter Yogurtland Promotion Begins

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland kicked off its holiday promotion today, Walking in a Winter Yogurtland, with two new flavors every week and double points Monday - Wednesday with Real Rewards. My local Yogurtland looked quite festive today.

The holiday flavor schedule:

• November 11: Spiced apple cider sorbet & Salted caramel pecan
• November 18: Chocolate mocha & Sticky toffee pudding
• November 25: Cranberry orange tart & Butterscotch
• December 2: Chocolate mousse pie & Egg nog
• December 9: Vanilla custard & Cinnamon roll
• December 16: White chocolate peppermint & Raspberry pomegranate tat

As a tart froyo lover, I’m most looking forward to the cranberry orange tart. Vanilla custard also sounds delicious. The spiced apple cider definitely tasted of holiday spices. I’m not a cider fan...found myself wanting more tart apple flavor. It was sweet, not tart.

There won’t be holiday cups or spoons but I’m told some new toppings are on the way, including chocolate covered espresso beans and chocolate nonpareils.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s Limited Edition Holiday Spoon & Cup

Fro-yo girl here. Nothing gets me in the holiday spirit more than holiday froyo cups and spoons. Menchie’s just came out with a new striped green holiday cup design. On one side Menchie says Merry Mixing and on the other, Chip says Joy to the Yumm. The limited edition red holiday spoon features Menchie in a Santa hat holding a candy cane and it says Merry Mixing! on it. Very festive.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Veterans Day Free Froyo at Menchie's

Fro-yo girl here. Happy Pre-Veterans Day and thank you vets, for your service to this country. Menchie’s has a special national offer just for you. Go to Menchie’s on Veterans Day (November 11th) for your cup of free frozen yogurt (up to 6 ounces). This offer is good for all veterans and active military personal. Must show military ID or proof of service.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Yogorino Closes SF Locations

Fro-yo girl here. It’s a sad time for Bay Area froyo. I just learned that Yogorino closed its two SF locations (Marina, Embarcadero) late last month (10/27?). I walked by the Embarcadero location hoping to get some frozen yogurt. The hours weren’t posted and it didn’t say it was closed for good, but the blue cups were no longer visible. The phone number is no longer in service.

I remember when they opened in 2011 with the tagline “the best tasting yogurt in the world.” Yogorino had unique, high quality Italian style frozen yogurt with an extra creamy, light texture and Italian dessert sauces. It was the favorite of Mr. Froyo. We are saddened by the loss of such quality frozen yogurt and will miss Yogorino. They still have locations in NYC and Philadelphia.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* YOGORINO: 50 Drumm St., San Francisco, CA* YOGORINO: 2144 Chestnut St., San Francisco, CA

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Halloween Spirit Report 2013

Fro-yo girl here. Happy Halloween! It’s close enough to Halloween that I’ve been busy looking for signs of Halloween spirit at froyo shops. I haven’t seen much in the decorations department. My local Halloween spirit award goes to Menchie’s which had Halloween signs and Spooky Trivia on some of the tables. 

Thanks to Twitter, Instagram and other websites, I can find evidence of Halloween spirit remotely. Some shops are giving discounts to people in costume, having costume parties, etc.

To put you in the mood for Halloween, I created a new Pinterest board called Halloween Froyo & Froyo Shop Decorations where you can find pictures of Halloween inspired cups of froyo, toppings, Halloween decorations inside froyo shops, froyo costumes, pumpkins with froyo carvings, froyo cakes, froyo pies, and more.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Pumpkin Froyo Pics

Fro-yo girl here. My frozen yogurt consumption always goes up in October because pumpkin frozen yogurt is offered at so many places. Also, this year Yogurtland decided to bring back Oatmeal Cookies froyo for a limited time (thanks Yogurtland!) and Menchie’s introduced magic color changing spoons. Here’s a collage I created with my pumpkin froyo pictures from Blush (you must try their pumpkin pie froyo), Fraiche (the homemade chocolate shell and mochi are out of this world), Yogurtland and Menchie’s. 

I’ve played around with a few photo collage apps and like Instacollage the best. Some of the other ones have way too many ads. I like using PicMonkey to edit photos online, including adding text, filters and effects. They have some special Halloween themed effects that are worth checking out.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Live Froyo Twitter Chat This Friday

Love talking about froyo? Then join me @froyogirl for a live Twitter chat this Friday, 10/25 from 8 - 9 PM Pacific Time. I’ll be watching and commenting on Undercover Boss the Menchie’s episode. I might even be eating some froyo at the same time.

To participate, log onto Twitter and tag your comments with #froyochat.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Kanro Pure Gummy Yoghurt & Mango Japanese Candy Review

Fro-yo girl here. I found another yogurt flavored candy at Nijiya Market and this one’s pretty new. Kanro Pure is a line of chewy gummy candies.

* Yoghurt & Mango Gummy: These heart-shaped candies are adorable. They’re flat and firm. I liked the texture - it was firm and chewy without being too chewy. The hearts are coated in sugar. The flavor seemed good at first. They tasted quite tangy and like Yakult. The fruit/mango flavor is very faint. However, the aftertaste is artificial and reminds me of a children’s chewable vitamin. Children’s chewable vitamins taste okay but I don’t want my candy to taste like a vitamin.

One pouch is 1.62 ounces and $1.79.

Ingredients: sugar, corn syrup, gelatine, milk powder, concentrated mango juice, acidulant, pectine, artificial flavor, ascorbic acid, cartotenoid color

3 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* NIJIYA MARKET:1956 S. El Camino, San Mateo, CA 94403

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Drinkwell Softers Review

Fro-yo girl here. Drinkwell Softers uses St. Benoit’s organic yogurt whey and fruits and/or aromatics from the farm to create its delicious, tangy fermented healthier carbonated beverages. These soft drinks are locally made, all natural, fresh, organic and probiotic. I spotted their drinks at Canyon Market. The flavors change with the seasons but during my visit they had three very interesting flavors: Rosemary, Rose Geranium, Lavender

* Rose geranium softers: The drink is very crisp, light and refreshing with a fruity quality to it. It’s naturally carbonated, lightly sweetened, smells like roses, and pretty tangy but it doesn’t taste like yogurt

An 8.5 ounce bottle of Drinkwell Softers is $1.99 +$1.50 bottle deposit. One serving is 41 calories.

Drinkwell Softers can be found at San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market on Saturdays at the Eatwell Farm stand.

4.5 out of 5 stars

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Fro-Yo Girl Speaks is 5 Years Old

Fro-yo girl here. Yes, it's the fifth blogiversary for Fro-Yo Girl Speaks. 

It’s been a very exciting year for me because I decided to start the International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) which launched at the end of July 2013. The IFYA promotes the success of the frozen yogurt industry by recognizing quality frozen yogurt stores, increasing access to quality frozen yogurt information, and educating and engaging frozen yogurt consumers. The association is for everyone who loves frozen yogurt. Membership is free. 

I'm excited about IFYA's Swirl of Honor, the first quality seal program specifically for frozen yogurt shops, recognizes shops for their commitment to quality. I hope to see plenty of Swirl of Honor stickers on shop windows.

Initially I thought that after I launched the IFYA, I'd have less content for Fro-Yo Girl Speaks, but the opposite has occurred. Now I spend even more of my time thinking about and writing about frozen yogurt. 

I'm very close to reaching my goal of visiting every frozen yogurt shop in the Bay Area. There aren't as many openings these days and some places have closed before I had a chance to visit them. 

Thank you so much to my fans and readers and keep eating frozen yogurt!

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Dreaming Cow Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. I found Dreaming Cow at Fresh Market for $1.69 a cup. It’s a New Zealand style artisan yogurt that’s billed as all natural and cream top. The milk comes from happy, grassfed cows from their family farm in South Georgia. Dreaming Cow’s founders are a husband (Georgia farm boy) and wife (Native of New Zealand). The New Zealand style refers to the popularity of cream top yogurt in New Zealand and also the New Zealand style rotational grazing farm.

* Vanilla agave yogurt: The ingredients are simple: whole non-homogenized milk, organic agave nectar, pure vanilla extract, live and active cultures. No additives or stabilizers are used. The tulepo honey they use is local. One 6 ounce cup is 133 calories with 5 grams of fat.You can skim off the milk fat on top.It’s not very pretty looking because of the chunks of milk fat that have formed on top and the texture is soft and slightly clumpy. It’s not as thick as Greek yogurt or as runny as the European style Traders Point Creamery yogurt. I like how the yogurt is tart and only lightly sweetened. The milk fat tastes like cream and it’s full fat, so the yogurt is heavier, richer than usual. The vanilla flavor is noticeable but not strong. It’s different than what I’m used to but the richness makes it a treat.

Dreaming Cow yogurt comes in five flavors: Plain, Honey pear, Vanilla agave, Strawberry pomegranate, Maple ginger

4.5 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* FRESH MARKET: 2170 W. Bayshore Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94303

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Set of Menchie’s Color Changing Spoons

Fro-yo girl here. Thank you Menchie’s HQ for completing my collection of magic color changing spoons!!!! Here are all 8 Sweet Friends spoons: Menchie, Chip, Mookie, Sprinkle, Mellow, Barry, Kiwi and P.B. 

Each design comes in five colors: Red, Orange, Green, Purple and Blue. Yes, that means 8x5 = 40 different spoons! Crazy!

The color changing spoon supply is quickly dwindling so go to your nearest Menchie’s now and often to get those spoons! Plus this month they have a delicious “It’s Pumpkin Time” fro-yo, spooky trivia, and magic color changing crystals.

Menchie’s HQ - thank you so much!!!!

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Maple Hill Creamery Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. My local Whole Foods recently started carrying Maple Hill Creamery yogurt, a European style, cream on top full fat yogurt made from the organic milk of 100% grass-fed cows. The cows reside on a certified organic dairy farm in New York. The yogurt is made by hand in small batches and comes in six flavors: Lemon, plain, orange creme, maple, wild blueberry, vanilla

It’s quality yogurt made with just a few all natural ingredients, including organic milk and live cultures. The flavors are too subtle.

* Maple yogurt: thick and very lightly sweetened with maple syrup, it’s sour and clean tasting, with just a hint of maple syrup, the milkfat clumps add an extra rich deliciousness

* Lemon yogurt: It’s similar to the maple yogurt only with sugar and lemon extract instead of maple syrup and vanilla extract. The lemon flavor is on the subtle side. The yogurt is quite sour. One 6 ounce serving is 150 calories.

I found Maple Hill Creamery Yogurt at Whole Foods on sale 3 for $3, regularly priced at $1.49 each.

4 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* WHOLE FOODS MARKET: 1150 Ocean Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Dozer is the Yogurtland Gift Card Winner

Fro-yo girl here. Congratulations Dozer! Dozer was the first to correctly guess my vote for the Best Chocolate category: Almond Midnight Mocha. I’ll be sending you the $10 Yogurtland gift card soon. 

Remember you can win a $20 gift card from Yogurtland by voting in the 2013 Fan Choice Awards. Yogurtland has a daily drawing for registered voters. The polls are open through 10/20/2013 and the winning flavors will be back in January. Place your votes at http://www.yogurt-land.com/fanchoiceawards/

My votes:

• Best Sorbet: Strawberry lemonade
• Most Exotic: Tiramisu
• Best Bring It Back Flavor: Birthday cupcake batter
• Best Newcomer: Carrot cake (should be lemon cream cookie)
• Most Refreshing: Mango mixer
• Best Tart: Raspberry tart
• Best Bakery: Oatmeal cookie
• Best Chocolate: Almond Midnight Mocha (should be chocolate mint cookies)
• Best All Around: Oatmeal cookie

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Yogurtland’s Fan Choice Awards 2013 & Gift Card Giveaway

Fro-yo girl here. The polls are open and Yogurtland wants to know your favorite flavors. It’s your chance to vote for your favorite Yogurtland flavors in the first-ever Fan Choice Awards. Each registered voter is placed in a daily drawing for a $20 Yogurtland gift card. The voting link: http://www.yogurt-land.com/fanchoiceawards/

The nine flavorful categories are Best Sorbet, Best Newcomer, Best of Bakery, Most Exotic, Most Refreshing, Best Chocolate, Best “Bring It Back” Flavor, Best Tart, and Best All Around.

Visit www.yogurt-land.com to begin voting today. The polls are open through Oct. 20, 2013. Stay tuned to see if your favorite flavor will be back for an encore in January.

Yogurtland Gift Card Giveaway

Win a $10 Yogurtland gift card from Fro-Yo Girl Speaks. The first person to correctly guess my vote for the Best Chocolate category wins the gift card. To enter, post your guess in the comments section of this post and check back to see if you’ve won. 

Be sure to include your name in the comments section. One guess per person please. Once I see the correct answer, I'll make an announcement.

About Yogurtland

The pioneer of the self-serve frozen yogurt concept, Yogurtland has redefined the frozen yogurt genre with memorable flavors based on classic favorites and innovative, refreshing combinations. At Yogurtland, you can choose from 16 flavors and dozens of premium toppings to create your own ultimate culinary experience.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s Color Changing Spoons, I Need More Spoons

Fro-yo girl here. I spent this weekend collecting some of the new color changing spoons at Menchie’s. There are eight different designs, one for each of the Sweet Friends.

I have the following spoons:

• #1 Menchie
• #2 Chip
• #3 Mookie
• #7 Kiwi
• #8 P.B.

I still need spoons #4, #5 and #6. Is there a Menchie’s out there that can help me out??? I will thank you publicly and you'll become my favorite Menchie's location.

While I was at Menchie’s I tried the Magic Crystals. I found two types of Magic Crystals: green and pink. They taste like sugar (without other flavoring).The green crystals turn yellow? The pink ones turn blue? It’s interesting that back in 2009, Baskin Robbins had flavored color changing magic sprinkles. The flavors were watermelon, berry, and grape. 

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Froyo Flavor: Hot Chocolate Pinkberry

Fro-yo girl here. Pinkberry just shared their new video announcing their Winter Collection: 1 season, 3 flavors, 10 craveable taste experiences. The first of the three flavors was introduced today: Hot Chocolate. 

Hot Chocolate Pinkberry is described as “light cocoa with a hint of toasted marshmallow - it’s a cool twist on a hot classic.” Pinkberry also had a few new wintery toppings: gingerbread wafer rolls, peppermint bark and sunflower seeds.

I generally do not like chocolate flavored frozen yogurt, unless the chocolate is combined with another flavor like mint. I tried Hot Chocolate Pinkberry. It’s lighter and tasted like fudge to me. I found it toooo sweet and didn’t taste the marshmallow. It wasn’t as creamy as I expected. It’s probably lighter and sweeter than (dark) Chocolate Pinkberry, but I never get that flavor so I’m not sure. I think I prefer Chocolate Pinkberry to Hot Chocolate Pinkberry.

You can earn double points on your purchase of Hot Chocolate Pinkberry from 10/4-10/6/2013.

The first day of fall was just two weeks ago. I’m still enjoying the fall season and not ready for winter yet.

By the way, Pumpkin Pinkberry returns on November 1st.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

October is Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt Month

Fro-yo girl here. Ahhhh October, my favorite month of the year...everyday is a buildup to the best day of the year, Halloween. The leaves taken on rich autumnal hues and the pumpkin frozen yogurt returns. I hope to enjoy Blush, Easy Breezy, and Fraiche’s pumpkin frozen yogurt multiple times. 

For those of you who aren’t in the Bay Area, do have some Pumpkin Pie frozen yogurt at Yogurtland. It’s lovely and pumpkiny without being too sweet. Menchie's has just introduced a new pumpkin flavor called, It's Pumpkin Time, made with real pumpkin puree and available in October. I haven't tried it yet.

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream offers Dutch Apple Crunch Yogurt and Pumpkin Yogurt throughout October. I’ve never been to one of their locations (it's not in my area) but their seasonal flavors, especially the October ones, sound tempting.

Every October I go to Half Moon Bay to pick out my pumpkins from a real pumpkin farm (Bob’s). The HMB fro-yo shops better have that pumpkin frozen yogurt ready for me.

I might be making some pumpkin frozen yogurt at home. I made a few batches last October but I’m still tweaking and perfecting my recipe. I also love pumpkin muffins...maybe I’ll save one and use it as a frozen yogurt topping.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.