Best Froyo Swirl of 2015

Fro-yo girl here. This year I reached a personal high of 200 cups of froyo consumed in one year. The quest for the Unlimited Cup at Yogurtland and some other Yogurtland challenges based on the number of visits during a set time period encouraged my increased froyo consumption. I also went on several trips and that also leads to greater froyo consumption.

Cups that I consumed, a yearly comparison:

• 2015: 200 (plus a cup or two that I’ll have after this post)
• 2014: 139
• 2013: 138

Don’t believe it? You can see all my 2015 froyo cups consumed on my Pinterest board, 2015 Froyo Consumed by FYG.

I looked at all my cups of froyo that I swirled this year to find my best swirl of 2015.

And the best swirl is…a cup of Caramel Macchiato froyo with whipped cream, salted caramel bits, toffee and mochi from Yogurtland, swirled at Yogurtland Pasadena (415 S. Lake Ave.) on January 27, 2015 during the Yogurtland’s 2nd Annual Fan Choice Awards. Caramel Macchiato froyo won the Best Beverage category. It was delicious and I hope it comes back.

What I like about this swirl is that the swirls are clearly defined and uniform, with the swirls gradually getting smaller and ending in a nice upward peak. The toppings do not obscure the frozen yogurt but actually complement the swirl in terms of color. Also the whipped cream helps to fill up the cup.

There were many nice looking swirls from which to choose.

Here are a few others that I really liked:

Matcha green tea froyo w/ strawberries, pound cake and strawberries from Yogurtland (such a classic combination) 

Vanilla malt froyo w/ toffee, whipped cream & wafer roll cookie from Yogurtland (love that Sweet Treats teddy bear spoon, the whipped cream swirls look so pretty)

Candy clouds & plain tart froyo w/ strawberries, frosted animal cookies & mochi from Yogurtland (the red color of the spoons complements the froyo and toppings)

It was interesting to look back at all my cups of froyo to see which flavors and toppings I selected. I found out the following:

• 27.5% of my cups weren't swirled by me (I went to a full serve froyo shop, most often it was Pinkberry)
• 19% of my cups didn’t have any toppings (I prefer froyo to toppings)
• 37.5% of my cups contained fresh fruit (if I had a tart flavor or went to Pinkberry, I almost always selected fruit, but sometimes tart flavors aren’t available or the fruit doesn’t look fresh)
• 70.5% of my cups had a single flavor (I don’t like mixing flavors)
• 4.5% were dairy-free (I like my dairy)

And, yes, I go to Yogurtland all the time.

Want to make your swirl look nicer? Read IFYA's Froyo Swirling Tips and get plenty of practice. Practice does help because you need to swirl with precision but also have a relaxed wrist.

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 Flavor Pandamonium is Coming

Fro-yo girl here. Did you go to Yogurtland today looking for their new promotion? It hasn’t started yet but it’s scheduled to start next Monday, January 4.

Yogurtland’s Flavor Pandamonium represents a partnership with DreamWorks new movie, Kung Fu Panda 3. There will be five flavors: Po’s Cookies and Cream, Mei Mei’s Dragon Warrior Passion Tart, Bao’s Cherry Tart, Tigress’ Big Pop Sorbet and Master Shifu’s Honey Graham. There will be a new cup design and five new collectible froyo spoons (thanks Zelda Zonk for the tip!) I spotted five collectible Kung Fu Panda/Yogurtland keychain designs ($2.99 each).

The promotion will run from January 4 – February 28, 2016.

It appears that Yogurtland’s Fan Choice Awards have been discontinued (sad face).

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.

Favorite New Froyo Flavors of 2015

Fro-yo girl here. I’m not sure how proud I should be but this year I’m going to exceed my froyo consumption from previous years. Last year, I consumed 139 cups of froyo. This year I’ll hit 200 cups of froyo consumed in one year. So yes, I’ve eaten lots of froyo and since I live in SoCal now, most of that froyo has been consumed in and around Los Angeles.

Every year I look forward to trying new froyo flavors. New flavors in 2015 included Southern Pecan Pie (Menchie’s), Pumpkin Spice Latte (Orange Leaf), Pear (Pinkberry), and Candy Clouds (Yogurtland). Which new flavor was my favorite? I decided to pick two, one from an independent froyo shop and another from a chain.

Vanilla Harmony from Yoga-urt in Glendale, CA: It’s vegan froyo made with almond milk. They make their own almond milk and add live and active cultures. I love how you can taste the almond milk and how it tastes fresh, less processed and more natural.

Pinkberry’s Raspberry White Chocolate: Lemon Lime Pinkberry was a close second. Pinkberry turned 10 this year and I have a new found appreciation for their flavors. Raspberry white chocolate surprised me because it was tarter then I expected it to be and the hint of white chocolate added a sweet mellowness. You can really taste the raspberries and the white chocolate was the perfect complement.

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

* YOGA-URT, 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

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 Holiday Dessert Fair Flavor at Menchie’s: Fresh Baked Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

Fro-yo girl here. The last of the new “Holiday Dessert Fair” flavors, Fresh Baked Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, was scheduled to launch in stores yesterday but I had some difficulty finding it (they planned to put it in that evening).

I confess that I despise raisins, so I was afraid of the new flavor. However, I do like oatmeal and oatmeal cookies so I was also curious. Fresh Baked Oatmeal Raisin Cookie froyo is made with real cinnamon, oats and raisins. One thing I don’t like about raisins is that the flavor is intense and concentrated. Because the raisins are in teeny bits in the froyo, there wasn’t a huge burst of raisin flavor (a good thing). I could taste raisins but also other flavors, raisins were just one component. The flavor was creamy and comforting. It did taste like it was supposed to. If you have a sweet tooth, I bet the Cinnabon icing would complement the flavor, because I remember how oatmeal raisin cookies were often iced.

Recommended toppings: White chocolate chips, Nilla wafers, cheesecake pieces, Cinnabon icing

For some reason the South Pasadena Menchie’s is still out of Alvin spoons. Both the Menchie’s in Monrovia and Alhambra have Alvin spoons.

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 Shop Openings and Closings in California 2015

Fro-yo girl here. California is a mighty large state and it’s difficult to track every froyo shop opening and closing. The openings are easier to track. Shops generally close quietly, sometimes with no announcement. It’s also more difficult for me to track shops outside of the Bay Area and Los Angeles, yet that’s where most of the action is at these days. 

Here’s my (imperfect) attempt to track froyo shop openings and closings in California this year:

Openings

1. Bailey’s Frozen Yogurt, Escondido
2. Blush Organic Frozen Yogurt, Pleasanton
3. Buono Vita Yogurt, Rancho Murieta
4. Coolberry, Glendora
5. Crème Bee, Alhambra
6. CUPS, Northridge
7. Easy Breezy, Castro, San Francisco
8. Forever Yogurt,  Morgan Hill
9. Frozen Flavors, Santa Rosa
10. Frozen Yogurt Spot, Sebastopol
11. Go Greek Yogurt, Canoga Park
12. Green Apple Yogurt, El Monte
13. IceKrave, North Hollywood
14. Kiwifrost, Rancho Cucamonga
15. Major Brain Freeze, Rialto
16. Menchie’s, Corona
17. Menchie’s, Folsom
18. Menchie’s, Fresno
19. Menchie’s, Murrieta
20. Menchie’s, Oceanside
21. Menchie’s, Palmdale
22. Menchie's, Santa Rosa
23. Menchie's, Carlsbad
24. Menchie's, Oceanside
25. Menchie's, Bell Gardens
26. Menchie's, Clovis
27. Menchie’s,  San Jose Mineta International Airport
28. Menchie’s, Riverside Dr., Fresno
29. MiaBella, Vista
30. Mickey’s Frozen Yogurt, Fresno
31. Midtown Cafe, Mountain View
32. Myo, Seaside
33. Pit Stop Froyo & More, Burbank
34. SnapFit, Canoga Park
35. Summit Swirl, Truckee
36. Sweet & Swirly, Port Hueneme
37. Sweetfrog, Camarillo
38. Sweetfrog, Victorville
39. Sweet's Yogurt, Riverside
40. Tasti D-Lite, Santa Monica
41. YoBoLand, Tarzana
42. Yogurt Blast, Duarte
43. Yoga-urt, Glendale
44. Yogurt Mill, Turlock
45. Yogurtland, Alameda Landing, Alameda
46. Yogurtland, Irvine Spectrum
47. Yogurtland, Santa Teresa, San Jose
48. Yogurtland, Canoga Park
49. Yogurtland, Chino
50. Yogurtland, Lynwood
51. Yogurtland, Montebello
52. Yogurtland, Compton
53. Yogurtland, West Covina (on S Azusa Ave.)
54. Yogurtland, Mountain View
55. Yogurtland, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles
56. Yogurtland, San Luis Obispo
57. Yogurtland, La Quinta
58. Yogurtland, Indio
59. Yogurtland, Studio City

Closings

1. Bali’s, San Luis Obispo
2. BrazzleBerry, Half Moon Bay
3. Cherry on Top, Monrovia
4. Cherry on Top, Fullerton
5. Cherry on Top, Mission Viejo
6. Chilaberries, Manteca
7. Coco Swirl, Walnut Creek
8. CUPS, Westminster
9. Flavory Yogurt, Seal Beach
10. FroyoFace, Burbank
11. Frozen Yogurt Spot, Sebastopol
12. FruittiYogi, Alameda
13. Golden Spoon, Irvine
14. Golden Spoon, Escondido
15. Golden Spoon, Del Mar
16. Golden Spoon, Walnut
17. Golden Spoon, Seal Beach
18. Golden Spoon, Lake Forest
19. Honeyberry, Berkeley
20. Honeyberry, Milpitas
21. Menchie’s, Orange
22. Menchie's, Torrance
23. Pinkberry, Brea
24. Pinkberry, Davis
25. Pinkberry, Irvine Spectrum
26. Pinkberry, Old Town Pasadena
27. Pinkberry, Santa Ana
28. Pinkberry, Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park
29. Pinkberry, Westlake Village
30. Pure Yum, Fremont
31. Red Berry, Commerce
32. Red Mango, Mineta San Jose International Airport
33. Skinny Sippin, San Carlos
34. Sweet XO, Arcadia
35. Sweet XO, El Segundo
36. Sweet XO, Huntington Beach
37. Sweet XO, Thousand Oaks
38. Tutti Frutti, Azusa
39. Yippee Yogurt, Tracy
40. Yogofina, Pleasanton
41. Yogoholic, Pleasanton
42. Yogurt Factory, Los Angeles
43. Yogurt Island, Torrance
44. Yogurtland, Sawtelle, Los Angeles
45. Yogurtouille, San Mateo
46. Yolo, Mill Valley
47. Yoogl, Mountain View
48. Yoppi Yogurt, Oakland
49. Yoppi Yogurt, Polk St., San Francisco
50. Yoppi Yogurt, Stonestown Galleria, San Francisco

Opening soon

1. Chillbox, San Diego
2. Chillbox, Sacramento
3. Chillbox, Orange County
4. Forever Yogurt, Walnut Creek
5. Go Greek Yogurt, Newport Beach
6. Go Greek Yogurt, Corona Del Mar 

Change of ownership/closed & reopened the same year

• Menchie’s, Ventura

Interestingly, frozen yogurt shop openings outpace closings (yay for California froyo). The growth is mostly coming from Yogurtland and Menchie’s while chains also account for the majority of the  closings. Menchie’s is growing in Central California. Yogurtland is solidifying its hold on SoCal. Other chains have been closing, including Golden Spoon, Sweet XO, Cherry on Top and Pinkberry. What's going on at Sweet XO; they only have one location left.

I didn't count the non-traditional locations for froyo machines; they appeared at Ralph's, Circle K, a Union 76 gas station, Rite Aid, etc. 

Expect to see more authentic Greek yogurt next year, with new locations for Chillbox and Go Greek. The Chillbox location in San Diego will be its first in California.

Support your favorite frozen yogurt shops.

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.

Vaping Froyo? The Rise of Froyo Flavored E-Juice

Fro-yo girl here. I don’t smoke so I didn’t pay much attention to the rising popularity of e-cigarettes. I have noticed that vape shops are popping up everywhere. I wasn’t sure how e-cigarettes worked. E-cigarettes are battery powered vaporizers and the user inhales an aerosol or vapor. The e-cigarette heats the liquid (aka e-liquid). E-liquids/e-juice can contain water, nicotine, flavorings, etc. Users are known as vapers.

I recently stumbled across a new product announcement on Instagram, with a picture of froyo (and glazed donuts). The product was an e-liquid for e-cigarettes.

People review e-liquids. ElevatedVaping.com said the following:

“So What is Fro-Yo all about? You know it has frozen yogurt, but what else is Fro-Yo by Nick's Blissful Brews all about? Well, Fro-Yo is a frozen yogurt blend with berry undertones and tartly sweet and juicy peaches. The primary notes in this e liquid is blueberry and blackberry with subtle hints of peach enough to create wondrous tones of a perfectly balanced flavor. This e liquid is a warming and bright flavor all at the same time. If you love frozen yogurt, this e juice will more than likely be your all day vape.”

You can buy Nick’s Blissful Brews Froyo E-liquid for $13 a bottle from MangoVape.

http://mangovape.com/product/nicks-blissful-brews-e-liquid-froyo/

Dr. Fog makes strawberry froyo: http://mangovape.com/product/nicks-blissful-brews-e-liquid-froyo/

Annex from Versus Vape is a Peach Mango froyo flavor e-liquid: http://www.giantvapes.com/annex/

Vaping Juice offers Blueberry Frozen Yogurt e-juice: http://vapingjuices.com/product/blueberry-frozen-yogurt-flavored-e-juice/

The Yogen Fog line of froyo e-juice looks like a Yogen Fruz ripoff: http://premiumlabs.ca/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=68

I would only be willing to try froyo e-juice with zero nicotine…which does exist. E-juice comes in donut and boba milk tea flavors too. I don't want to buy the e-cigarette though.

Have any of you tried froyo e-juice?

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.

Grand Opening Celebration at Yogurtland Alameda Landing

Fro-yo girl here. Save the date, Saturday, December 5, for the grand opening of Yogurtland Alameda Landing (2640 Fifth St., Suite B, Alameda, CA 94501). Yes, there’s free froyo.

Here are the deets:

Date and Time: Saturday, December 5, 11 AM – 11 PM

• 11 AM – 2 PM: Free froyo!
• 2 PM – 5 PM: Face painting
• 5 PM – 8 PM: Prizes and giveaways
• 8 PM – 11 PM: Free gift with purchase

Yogurtland Alameda had its soft opening in late September. I went recently and received coupons for 3 free ounces, 5 free ounces and buy one, get one free. This location has 16 self-serve froyo flavors a day and toppings for 45 cents an ounce.

Alameda Landing is a new shopping complex anchored by Target. Other eateries include CREAM, Chipotle, Firehouse Subs, The Habit, Ono Hawaiian BBQ, Sharetea and Panda Express.

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

* YOGURTLAND ALAMEDA LANDING: 2640 Fifth St., Suite B, Alameda, CA 94501

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 Holiday Flavor at Menchie’s: Holiday Eggnog & Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownie

Fro-yo girl here. The Holiday Dessert Fair continues at Menchie’s with two new flavors, Holiday Eggnog and Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownie.

I know Menchie’s has had Eggnog froyo before but I usually only sample it because I don’t like eggnog at all. The New Holiday Eggnog is Simon’s Choice (from Alvin & the Chipmunks); it’s lowfat and made with eggs, nutmeg and ginger. The eggnog flavor isn’t too strong, which is good. I could taste the eggnog and nutmeg.

Recommended toppings: Nilla wafers, Cool Whip, cheesecake bites, donut cake

Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownie froyo is Alvin’s choice. This lowfat froyo is made with real cherries and cocoa. I could taste the cherry but it wasn’t overpowering. Chocolate and cherries are a nice combination. It didn’t seem super sweet either.

Recommended toppings: mini Hershey’s kisses, crushed candy canes, brownies, Andes Mints, hot fudge sauce

My Menchie’s location ran out of the Alvin spoons yet again (sad face) and the Alvin & the Chipmunk yogurt cups.

The next new holiday flavor is Fresh Baked Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, starting December 15.

Remember that for every $25 Menchie’s gift card purchased, receive a $5 bonus Alvin and the Chipmunks Menchie’s gift card. 

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.

Blush Organic Frozen Yogurt, the Self-Serve Experience

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been years since a new Blush location opened and I didn’t think they’d ever go self-serve but the new location in Pleasanton is the first self-serve Blush. The grand opening was on August 2, 2015. The shop replaced another froyo shop called Yogoholic (which I visited years ago).

Pleasanton Blush has 8 rotating self-serve froyo flavors a day with the usual Blush toppings (fruit, warm syrups, nuts, cereal, sprinkles, cookie dough, candy, granola, graham crackers, popping boba, mochi, cheesecake, chocolate chips) for 45 cents an ounce. They also carry Mitchell’s Ice Cream (but who wants ice cream when you can have froyo?)

Their flavors are made in-house and their frozen yogurt is organic. They support local schools in the area and gave out  free froyo to veterans on Veterans Day.

Froyo flavors of the day:
* Peanut butter
* Cookies  n crème
* Chocolate
* Original tart: one of their best flavors, creamy, smooth, clean tasting, moderately tangy with a sweet finish
* Blush (pomegranate dragonfruit): try it, this is one of their best flavors
* Pumpkin pie: I used to be a fan but it seemed sweeter with less pumpkin flavor
* Apple pie: tasted like apple cider, with apple juice and spice flavor
* Vanilla: interesting because it has a tart yogurt flavor and isn’t like the usual vanilla

I’ve eaten a massive amount of Blush froyo in the past. The texture at the new location isn’t as good as the other locations. The frozen yogurt is softer and not as thick. Perhaps it’s because the Pleasanton location uses different soft serve machines (Pleasanton has Stoelting machines, the other locations have Taylor machines)? The frozen yogurt comes out of the spout very fast.

Earn rewards with FiveStars. I recommend the Original Tart and Blush flavors.

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

* BLUSH ORGANIC FROZEN YOGURT: 3500 Bernal Ave. #145, Pleasanton, CA 94566

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.

IFYA's New Froyo Marketplace, Place Free Classified Ads

Fro-yo girl here. Are you looking to buy, sell or trade frozen yogurt products, services or businesses? Do you have a frozen yogurt event to announce? The International Frozen Yogurt Association has just launched a frozen yogurt online marketplace, with free classified ads. 

The froyo marketplace makes it easier for froyo buyers and sellers to find what they’re looking for. There are five categories: products, services, businesses, events and other. The ads can easily be searched by category, location, price range, keywords, etc.

Advertise for free for 10 days. Any registered user can post a classified ad.

Run your ad for a month for $5.

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.

Boston Froyo Report

Fro-yo girl here. Boston is a respectable froyo town. It became achieved that status when Berryline opened at Harvard Square in Cambridge (3 Arrow St.) back in 2007. Local favorite Berryline has won Best FroYo from boston.com’s A-List in 2010-2014. The original shop offers four house flavors a day and they do come up with creative flavors like malted cinnamon cocoa, pear almond, banana chocolate, apple cinnamon, rose and lavender honey. They also have some housemade toppings like granola, mochi and brownies. Some of their flavorings are subtle. The frozen yogurt texture is smooth and light.

Coolidge Corner and the Allston/Brighton/Brookline neighborhoods seem to be the hub of frozen yogurt activity. Many froyo shops are located in this area, including the recently closed Yogurtland (which closed in September 2015), FroyoWorld (from Connecticut), 16 Handles and local shops: Mixx, Chill, JP Licks. Chill (354 Chestnut Hill Ave., Brighton, MA) is a local shop that carries ice cream and counter serve frozen yogurt (4 rotating flavors). Their Original Tart is thick, creamy and refreshing.

JP Licks is primarily an ice cream shop (with 13 locations in the Boston area) but they do offer frozen yogurt. Sweet and tart flavors are offered. Yogurt X is their plain/original tart flavor and it’s respectable (moderately tart, firm with a sweet finish, the texture was slightly gritty).

Mix in, hand churned style yogurt is a popular menu item at Angora Café (1024 Commonwealth Ave., Boston) across from Boston University. The delightful Japanese bakery, Japonaise (1020 Beacon St., Brookline), also offers mix in style froyo, including a green tea and red bean variety.

Froyo is never too far when you’re on the Freedom Trail, starting with the Walgreen’s flagship store (620 Washington St.) at Boston Common which carries UpMarket froyo. Faneuil Hall has Grasshopper Creamery with four flavors of froyo, while you can find froyo at Quincy Market’s The Berry Twist and Sprinkles Ice Cream. Pinkberry (285 Hanover St., Boston) is across the street from the Freedom Trail in the North End area.

You can find froyo at several transportation hubs. Pinkberry has locations at South Station and Logan International Airport. Pinkberry locations in Boston carry more than froyo. I also spotted cupcakes, coffee and acai bowls.

Other froyo shops in Boston include FroZen Yo, Red Mango, iYo, Orange Leaf, etc.

I was excited to try Stonyfield Frozen Yogurt Pearls at Whole Foods, but they weren’t available at the location that I visited.

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 Pink Bubbly Flavor at Pinkberry

Fro-yo girl here. I just had a cup of Pinkberry’s Pink Bubbly froyo. The flavor is inspired by pink champagne but it’s non-alcoholic. The flavor is described as light and bubbly. I tried a test version back in February of this year at the Pinkberry in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. The flavor I tried back then was called Pink Champagne tasted much more like champagne. 

Pink Bubbly is light, sweet and fruity. It reminds me of peach but the peach flavor is very subtle. I liked how the flavor was delicate and smooth with a sweet, clean finish. It was lighter and definitely tasted like yogurt (yay). I wish they had introduced new toppings, like  white chocolate curls and mini macarons. Recommended toppings: popping boba, yogurt chips, mochi, pomegranate seeds (they're back).

A new menu board is going to be revealed in early December. It will feature customizable shakes and the mini size will be back on the menu. A new non-dairy flavor, Just Strawberry, and new coconut milk based flavors are on the way: Coconut Milk Coconut, Coconut Milk Dark Chocolate and Coconut Milk Salted Caramel.

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.

Monsieur Singh Frozen Lassi Review

Fro-yo girl here. I recently found Monsieur Lassi frozen lassi pints at a Whole Foods in New York. Monsieur Singh was founded by Karan Gera in October 2011 and it started out as a lassi cart in New York. It’s currently sold around NY/CT. Monsieur Singh is a healthier, probiotic product with Indian flavors, herbs and spices, inspired by lassi, the Indian yogurt drink.

* Frozen Honey Lemon Lassi ($6.99 at Whole Foods): Frozen lassi is packed with flavor. The frozen lassi tastes much different than any froyo product that I’ve tried before. Mint leaves are found in abundant amounts giving it a cooling flavor. The mint is dominant but the flavors are complex – with lemon rind, sweet honey, and tangy yogurt. It very much reminds me of raita, minus the cucumber. It’s almost savory. The texture is firm and icy (but not watery). It’s not as smooth because of all the mint leaves.

Available flavors: Honey Lemon Lassi, Mango Lassi, Pineapple Banana Lassi

Monsieur Singh frozen lassi can be found at the following locations: http://monsieursingh.com/find-lassi/

4 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.

New Holiday Flavor at Menchie’s: Southern Pecan Pie

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s rolled out a new holiday flavor today, Southern Pecan Pie froyo. The new flavor is the favorite of Theodore (from Alvin and the Chipmunks), according to the flavor card. Southern Pecan Pie froyo is lowfat and contains pecans and pie crust crumbs.

I’ve never eaten pecan pie (and I never want to) but I do eat pecans. Southern Pecan Pie froyo did have a nutty pecan flavor though it was on the subtle side. I couldn’t detect the pie crust. The flavor seemed very sweet and was a bit icy. Mr. Froyo agreed that he could taste pecans.

Recommended toppings: Whipped cream, almonds, Heath Bars, graham cracker crumbs

My Menchie’s location ran out of the Alvin spoons (sad face) though they’re expecting more soon. They still had plenty of Alvin & the Chipmunk yogurt cups.

The next new holiday flavors are Holiday Eggnog and Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownie, due December 1.

Remember that for every $25 Menchie’s gift card purchased, receive a $5 bonus Alvin and the Chipmunks Menchie’s gift card. Be sure to enter the Alvin & the Chipmunks The Road Chip contest and win a road trip to Los Angeles from San Francisco.

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.

Innovative Froyo Shop: Victory Garden in New York City

Fro-yo girl here. Goat milk – yay or nay? If you love goat milk, you’ll likely love Victory Garden, a unique goat milk soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt shop in the West Village of NYC. The petite shop is an ode to the goat and to healthy, local eating. A large picture of goats dominates one brick wall. The logo is a stylized image of a goat’s head.

The goat milk is sourced from a local farm. Soups, baked goods and some of the toppings are housemade, others are locally sourced. Flavors and toppings are seasonal. Gluten free baked goods and toppings are offered. The flavors are more sophisticated and the toppings healthier.

Flavors of the day:

* Tangy goat milk: The goat milk yogurt flavor is distinctive and delicious without being too strong (or too weak). The texture is smooth, dense and creamy and the aftertaste is sweet and clean. It tasted “cleaner” and less processed than the typical frozen yogurt. The flavor was tangy but moderately so and the slight refreshing edge was also pleasant.

* Date yogurt

* Salted caramel: Sweeter than the tangy goat milk flavor, salt flavor is subtle

* Chocolate rosemary

Toppings included fresh fruit (just strawberries during my visit), cocoa nibs, sauces (rose quince, honey, agave), sprinkles, nuts, cookies, coconut, granola and dried mulberries. Toppings labeled premium (vs. regular) are available for an additional charge ($2.19 for one premium topping, $1.09 for one regular topping). I enjoyed the sour cherry topping, with lots of chewy whole sour cherries in a sweet syrup. Look out for unusual toppings and sauces like mole sauce, raspberry rose sauce, edible flowers, blackcurrant bay leaf sauce, fennel pollen, bitter orange drizzle, and candied pine nuts.

Prices: Kid ($4.75)/ Doe ($5.50)/ Buck ($6.75)/ Hero ($12.99)

In addition to soft serve in a cup or gluten free cone, Victory Garden has juices, chia parfaits, baked goods (e.g., brownies, carrot cake with goat cheese frosting), goat milk smoothies, sandwiches, mastic coffee, tea and goat milk Greek yogurt (not frozen). Baked goods are made with housemade goat milk butter. They also sell Victory Garden t-shirts and goaty products like soap and so forth. Pick up your loyalty card. Seating is limited.

4.5 out of 5 stars

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

* VICTORY GARDEN: 31 Carmine St., New York (West Village), NY 10014

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 York City Froyo Report

Fro-yo girl here. New York City has always been a trendsetter when it comes to food and it’s no different when it comes to froyo. I’m always excited to visit and check out the froyo offerings. The diversity of froyo offerings is impressive and the city offers much more than your typical froyo, including many counter serve shops and innovative froyo offerings.

Homegrown Favorites

GRK is a quick-serve chain of Greek cafes serving fresh Greek food, Greek drinks and Greek yogurt (fresh/refrigerated or frozen). GRK started in NYC and now has a Washington DC outpost.

There’s a separate express line for counter-served fresh or frozen yogurt (spelled ygrt on the sign). Toppings are limited but include interesting Greek toppings like cherry preserves, fig preserves, rose petal preserves along with figs, fresh fruit, Greek honey and nuts. They only have one flavor of yogurt, plain. The yogurt contains no added sugar and is sweetened with honey. It’s on the icier side with a sweet, clean finish – it tastes like real yogurt with natural tanginess.

Culture: An American Yogurt Company is still my favorite NYC froyo shop. The housemade yogurt and housemade toppings are a notch above what you can find elsewhere. They take their yogurt very seriously, making Greek yogurt from scratch from locally sourced Hudson Valley milk and live probiotic cultures. The counter-served yogurt is available fresh or frozen. One variety per day is organic. The frozen yogurt is super thick, clean, tangy with a refreshing edge, less sweet – what froyo should taste like. Gourmet toppings include fresh key lime custard (recommended, very tangy), strawberries macerated in balsamic vinegar and pineapple roasted with cardamom in maple syrup. The key lime pie sundae features key lime custard, lime syrup and graham cracker crumbs (yum). They also have yogurt drinks, froyo cookie sandwiches and Stumptown Coffee. Culture has two locations in NYC and its fresh Greek yogurt is available at select local markets, including Whole Foods.

Victory Garden (31 Carmine St., New York (West Village), NY) is the only goat milk soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt shop in town. The goat milk is sourced from a local farm. Flavors and toppings are seasonal. The goat milk frozen yogurt flavor is distinctive and delicious. The texture is smooth, dense and creamy and the aftertaste is sweet and clean. It tasted “cleaner” and less processed than the typical frozen yogurt. The flavor was tangy but moderately so and the slight refreshing edge was also pleasant. You can taste the goat milk. The flavors are more sophisticated and the toppings healthier. Look out for unusual toppings and sauces like mole sauce, raspberry rose sauce, edible flowers, blackcurrant bay leaf sauce, fennel pollen, bitter orange drizzle, and candied pine nuts.

Butterfield Market (1114 Lexington Ave., New York, NY) is a smallish Upper East Side gourmet market with a froyo/smoothies counter and walkup window. The froyo is counter-served and they serve Frogurt, the same frozen yogurt carried by Forty Carrots (Bloomingdale’s, 1000 3rd Ave., New York, NY).

Blue Olive Market (210 E 41st St., New York, NY) is an upscale Greek market and café in Murray Hill known for its made to order frozen Greek yogurt. The yogurt and toppings are combined and then frozen with liquid nitrogen. 

Greecologies (379 Broome St., New York, NY) serves grass-fed Greek fresh yogurt served in terracotta bowls, smoothies, desserts, coffee and tea in Little Italy. The yogurt is made with local milk and can be topped with sweet or savory toppings like sour cherry, quince, quinoa, muesli and olive oil. There was talk of adding frozen yogurt but they are currently still working on the recipe.

Invasion of the Foreign Froyo Chains

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere. It’s up to you, New York, New York.” New York is where Chillbox (of Greece) and Yooglers (of Spain) chose to open their first US locations. Yooglers recently closed for good before I had a chance to try it.

Chillbox (204 E 60th St., New York, NY) has one Upper East Side location. I was told that the frozen yogurt comes from Greece and so do some of the toppings like the honey and sour cherry syrup. I suppose this explains the price, 78 cents an ounce. While the frozen yogurt is good (tangy, whipped, light and smooth), it isn’t the best in town and some of the toppings didn’t look that fresh.

Yogorino (657 Broadway, New York, NY) of Italy opened its first US location in Philadelphia. The NYC location added a new flavor, chocolate, a few months ago. The chocolate flavor tasted too much like cocoa powder, but the original flavor is as good as I remembered it: thick, creamy, whipped/light with a light tang and mild flavor. It’s not as tart as tart froyo but it does have some tang. This location also offers crepes, gelato, milkshakes and beverages.

Froyo for Travelers

Penn Station’s Chickpea cafes feature Red Mango frozen yogurt. You can also find Red Mango at JFK International Airport Terminal 7 and LaGuardia International Airport.

Of course there are many other froyo shops in NYC, including 16 Handles, Pinkberry, Yogurtland, Red Mango, Off the Wall, YoArt, Yorganic, Fresko, Uptown Swirl, etc. Unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to visit them all.

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 Tis the Season to Share Holiday 2015 Promotion

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland’s Tis the Season to Share holiday promotion began today and it runs through December 27. Tis the Season to Share features four festive flavors (they are returning holiday favorites) and a Share more, Earn more promotion for Real Rewards members. 

Flavor schedule:

• Cranberry raspberry tart (Nov. 9): one of their tarter tart flavors, nice balance of cranberry and raspberry flavors, creamy yet refreshing. Recommended toppings: yogurt pretzels, berries, popping boba, condensed milk
• Bananas foster (Nov. 9): I hate bananas but the banana flavor isn’t overwhelming, the vanilla and cinnamon helps mellow it out. Recommended toppings: vanilla wafers, cheesecake bites, salted caramel sauce
• Caramel almond bar (Dec. 7)
• White chocolate peppermint (Dec. 7)

To earn rewards for sharing Real Rewards with your friends, visit yogurt-land.com to generate your unique URL, share it with friends and earn rewards for each friend who joins and makes a purchase.

• 1 friend = 3 free ounces
• 5 friends = 10 free ounces
• 10 friends = 30 free ounces
• 15+ friends = 30 free ounces and an exclusive gift

There’s a new festive topping: Pumpkin pie bites. They go perfectly with pumpkin pie froyo, whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs.

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.

Tasti D-Lite/Planet Smoothie Grand Opening in Santa Monica

Fro-yo girl here. Tasti D-Lite, a long time staple of New York City, has finally arrived on the West Coast. The new location in Santa Monica had a soft opening earlier this week and the grand opening event today.

Tasti D-Lite is a low calorie, low carb, dairy-based soft serve, made with a proprietary formula and no artificial sweeteners – it is not frozen yogurt. It has 30% fewer calories than froyo. Since it isn’t frozen yogurt, today was my first time trying it. I remember seeing it in NYC, including one that was right next to a 16 Handles location. 

I was surprised to find Greek froyo offered at Tasti D-Lite. They have other Greek frozen yogurt flavors, including mango, raspberry, acai, banana and pomegranate.

The Santa Monica location is self-serve with flat rate pricing, all you can swirl for $4.50, add $1.50 for toppings. Since they’re touting their health benefits, this seems like a strange pricing decision (as it encourages you to eat more).

Though it’s self-serve, employees dispensed the free product and even put the toppings on. Toppings were standard: candy, sprinkles, nuts, coconut, syrups, fresh fruit, cookie dough, mochi, brownies, cheesecake and yogurt pretzels.

Flavors of the day:

• Greek frozen yogurt
• Strawberry
• Rice pudding
• Birthday cake
• Peanut butter
• Chocolate mousse
• French vanilla
• Chocolate pudding

The Greek frozen yogurt wasn’t good. It had a whipped texture and a slight tang. It lacked flavor. The peanut butter was mild with a strange whipped cream like texture. The rice pudding tasted like the vanilla with a bit of cinnamon. Vanilla was better, smoother and less whipped. Their soft serve is definitely bland and too airy.

The location is co-branded with Planet Smoothie. Planet Smoothie blends its smoothies to order using fruits, vegetables and its own line of proprietary sweeteners and supplements.

The first 150 people at the grand opening received gift bags. Free 3 ounce Tasti cups were provided from 12 PM – 5 PM. The VIP bag included a Tasti D-Lite/Planet Smoothie tote bag, Planet Smoothie smoothie mug, packet of Peet’s Coffee, sample of Grab the Gold gluten free snack bar, Tasti D-Lite device stand, Tasti D-Lite sticker wallet and a coupon for one free Tasti D-Lite. They had a DJ and Tasti D-Lite and Planet Smoothie mascots.

Tasti D-Lite and Planet Smoothie plan to expand throughout Southern California. Tasti D-Lite was founded in 1987 and began franchising in 2008.

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

* TASTI D-LITE: 526 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401

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.