Nancy’s Fancy Gelato: Frutti di Bosco with Greek Yogurt and Mixed Berries Review

Fro-yo girl here. Nancy’s Fancy, a line of artisanal gelato from Chef Nancy Silverton (Mozza, Campanile, La Brea Bakery), famed pastry chef, cookbook author and recipient of 1990 Pastry Chef of the Year from the James Beard Foundation, was introduced last year at the Winter Fancy Food Show. A pint retails for $10.99.

Nancy’s Fancy is all natural and made with hormone free milk with no corn syrup. The flavors certainly sound fancy and indulgent. Yes, there is one frozen yogurt flavor. I found it at Gelson’s for $9.99.

Flavors offered:

* Chocolate fondente with dark rum and Valrhona chocolate chips.

* Roasted banana with bourbon and pecan praline

* Salted Peanut Butter with Crunchy Peanuts

* Coconut Stracciatella with Bittersweet Chocolate Strands

* Spiced Stumptown Coffee with Cracked Cocoa Nibs

* Butterscotch Budino with a Caramel Rosemary Swirl

* Frutti di Bosco with Greek Yogurt and Mixed Berries: Once I lifted the lid off I noticed some ice crystals. The product wasn’t icy though. The color was a pretty deep berry. The texture was dense, creamy and thick – more like ice cream than frozen yogurt. The flavor tasted natural, fruity and tangy but they didn’t strain the fruit puree and there were a zillion hard berry seeds. Surprising – I’ve never encountered so many berry seeds in ice cream or froyo before. On the plus side they use real fruit and lots of it and the quality of the ingredients is evident in the taste. This product would much better if they strained the seeds out.

The yogurt flavor is there but it’s not as intense as the best froyo brand you can buy at the supermarket, Jeni’s. Those biodynamic grassfed cows in Ohio are doing something right. Is Nancy's much better than most supermarket froyo? Yes, the ingredients are better and it tastes less processed.

Ingredients (Frutti di Bosco): Greek yogurt (grade A pasteurized skimmed milk and cream, live active yogurt cultures), gelato syrup (sugar, water, glucose), mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries).

A half cup serving is 150 calories with 3g of fat ad 23g of sugar.

You can find Nancy’s Fancy Gelato at Bristol Farms, Whole Foods, Gelson’s, etc. See the website for the complete list of locations: http://www.nancysfancy.com/

4 out of 5 stars.

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

* GELSON’S MARKET: 635 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011

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 Quest Continues with New Dulce De Leche Cookies Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland’s Fourth Annual Flavor Quest continues with a trip to Argentina and a new froyo flavor, Dulce De Leche Cookies. In Argentina, dulce de leche cookies are called alfajores. They’re sandwich cookies with crispy melt in your mouth butter shortbread cookies and creamy milk caramel made out of slowly heated, caramelized sweetened condensed milk.

Yogurtland’s cookie flavors are usually winners because they’re made with real cookie bits. If you like the cookie, you should like the froyo version.

Yogurtland describes Dulce De Leche Cookies froyo as: “It’s hard to go wrong when you sandwich dulce de leche between two shortbread cookies. That’s why we took real dulce de leche and real cookies to create a creamy South American flavor that’s absolutely irresistible.” Dulce de leche cookies froyo is lowfat with live and active cultures.

I found the flavor to be extra creamy, smooth and rich. It doesn’t taste like your usual caramel. It has more of a caramelized sugar flavor. I didn’t notice the shortbread cookies but they’re in there. The flavor is pretty sweet but it’s so good that the sugar didn’t bother me.

Suggested toppings: Almonds, walnuts, bananas, coconut, condensed milk

Every Thursday will feature a new froyo flavor. The flavor will run for two weeks or while supplies last.

Collect a stamp in your passport for every visit. The more stamps you collect, the more free froyo you can earn. Collect five stamps and get 5 free ounces. Collect ten stamps and you’ll be rewarded with 10 free ounces. Join Real Rewards to participate (extra perk: you get 3 free ounces just for signing up).

Next up: Horchata (Mexico): May 5 (which also happens to be Cinco De Mayo)

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.

SunLife Organics Opens in Pasadena

Fro-yo girl here. SunLife Organics quietly opened on April 8 in the Lake Avenue business district. The Pasadena location, store #5 for SunLife, which was established in Malibu, CA in 2011, is tucked away in the courtyard area behind Lemonade.

While the shop opened on April 8, they weren’t serving froyo at the time because they were waiting on a permit. Froyo is now available but it’s one of many of the shop’s offerings. They have juices, superfood bowls, salads, wraps, shakes, custom smoothies, protein shakes, shots, coffee, tea and bone broth. It’s healthy and fresh.

The organic froyo comes in two flavors: chocolate and vanilla. I got the sense that they never change the flavors. The frozen yogurt is gluten free, kosher with probiotics.

Prices: Small ($4), Large ($6.50)

Toppings (+$1): Granola, fresh fruit, chocolate sauce, shredded coconut

Toppings (+$2): Chocolate peanut butter cups, chocolate covered goji berries, almond butter superfood crumbles, honey sweetened whipped cream, gluten free brownie crumbles, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies

As you can see, the toppings are “healthier” and food allergy conscious.

I planned to have the vanilla froyo as a post-lunch snack. The small size is BIG though – possibly 8 ounces. Their vanilla frozen yogurt doesn’t taste like soft serve ice cream. It is sweet but it has yogurt flavor. The texture was not optimal: icy, gritty, soft. However, the frozen yogurt did have a sweet, clean finish. Considering the portion size, it was reasonably priced.

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

* SUNLIFE ORGANICS: 146 S Lake Ave., Suite 103, Pasadena, CA 91101

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 Hayward Grand Opening on Saturday, April 30

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland Hayward had its soft opening about a month ago and now they’re gearing up for their grand opening celebration. Local residents received a flyer in the mail with the grand opening details. The flyer also included three coupons with the following offers: $1 off, $2 off and buy one, get one free.

Date: Saturday, April 30, 2016

Schedule of Events:

• 11 AM – 2 PM: Free yogurt and toppings
• 2 PM – 4 PM: Face painting
• 4 PM – 6 PM: Balloon artist
• 8 PM – 11 PM: Buy one, get one free

I’ve been to the Yogurtland Hayward location. It’s smaller; there are only 12 froyo flavors a day and the usual toppings for 45 cents an ounce.

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

* YOGURTLAND HAYWARD: 30162 Industrial Pkwy SW, Hayward, CA 94544

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 Quest Continues with Fig & Honey Gelato (Middle East)

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland’s Fourth Annual Flavor Quest brings you a brand new flavor, Fig & Honey Gelato, inspired by the flavors of the Middle East.

I’m not a fan of figs or gelato, so I wasn’t too excited but I do like honey, so I was hopeful. Remember the Yogurtland Honeycomb Tart flavor? I was a fan. Plus Yogurtland gelato is not like other gelato because it has live and active cultures (big yay).

Yogurtland describes Fig & Honey gelato as: “To create this sweet combination, we visited the source of where figs originated – the Middle East! Known for their antioxidants, we combined real figs and a touch of honey to create a rich and sophisticated gelato.”

The fig and honey gelato smells like figs but the first flavor to hit me was the honey. The honey is definitely noticeable and it’s delicious. The fig flavor isn’t too strong but it lingers. The texture seemed denser and richer than their frozen yogurt.

Suggested toppings: Honey, almonds, galette cookies. I like something crunchy and nutty with honey. Baklava would be a perfect topping if they had it.

Every Thursday will feature a new froyo flavor. The flavor will run for two weeks or while supplies last.

Collect a stamp in your passport for every visit. The more stamps you collect, the more free froyo you can earn. Collect five stamps and get 5 free ounces. Collect ten stamps and you’ll be rewarded with 10 free ounces. Join Real Rewards to participate.

Next up: Dulce De Leche Cookies (Argentina): April 28

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.

Divino: Handcrafted Gelato Filled Fruit Made in Italy Review

Fro-yo girl here. While looking for supermarket froyo, I noticed a new brand called Divino. These single serve hand-crafted frozen treats are made with Italian fruit from the Amalfi Coast and they’re served in their own fruit shells. The edible packaging reminded me of Stonyfield’s frozen yogurt pearls.

I spotted Divino at Lassen’s and Bristol Farms. They were on sale at Bristol Farms, two for $5 (regularly $3.99 each).

Flavors: Amalfi Lemon, Roman Kiwi, Ciaculli Tangerine, Apulian Peach and Black Diamond Plum

Each serving is approximately 100 calories, non-GMO verified and contains fresh fruit pulp, cane sugar, water and lemon juice. On the box it’s called gelato but there was no dairy in the tangerine so it was sorbet. Apparently in Italy, ice cream and sorbet are both called gelato because gelato means frozen. I found that confusing.

The box suggests thawing your Divino treat for 20 minutes. I did that and after 20 minutes it was still frozen solid. I was able to pry off the rind and then waited for the sorbet to soften. It stayed solid for a long time. I chipped off small pieces with the enclosed gelato spoon and the spoon broke.

* Ciaculli tangerine: I don’t think I’ve had a Ciaculli tangerine before so I was excited to try it. It was fragrant and tasted like a mild, sweeter tangerine. I was surprised by how much sweeter it was but then I looked at the nutritional information, 21.7g of sugar per serving – that’s a lot of sugar. I’m not sure why they had to add that much sugar (the amount you’d find in ice cream). The peel was thin and soft. I tried it – it had the bitterness you’d expect from a tangerine peel. The sorbet was too sweet for me; I would have appreciated some tang. Also, it was difficult to eat. I’d rather eat a tangerine.

* Black diamond plum: I liked this sorbet better than the tangerine one, even though it had even more sugar, 22.1g of sugar per serving. The plum had a deeper, richer flavor and the shell/skin was edible. It was more icy than creamy.

One serving was 120 calories with no fat. Ingredients (tangerine): tangerine pulp, cane sugar, invert cane sugar, water, lemon juice.

You can find Divino stockists on their website: http://lovedivino.com/find/ or purchase it online from Williams Sonoma, http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/gelato-filled-fruit-set/

3 out of 5 stars

* BRISTOL FARMS: 606 S Fair Oaks Ave., South Pasadena, CA 91030

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 Quest Continues with Apple Strudel with Caramel (Austria)

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland’s Fourth Annual Flavor Quest brings you a new frozen yogurt flavor: Apple Strudel with Caramel. The new flavor was inspired by the flavors of Austria. I’ve never seen Apple Strudel froyo offered anywhere else though I’ve seen apple pie froyo, which is probably similar. Red Mango introduced Cinnamon Apple Pie froyo in 2012. Dannon Yo Cream has an apple pie froyo flavor and Honey Hill Farms has a spiced apple pie froyo flavor.

Apple Strudel with Caramel froyo is described by Yogurtland as: “A new take on the classic Austrian dessert of apples and cinnamon baked inside flaky pastry dough. With real caramel blended in and notes of real cinnamon, this delectable treat will become the apple of your eye.”

Apple Strudel with Caramel froyo is lowfat. It’s creamy and rich. I mainly tasted apples and caramel; the cinnamon note must have been overpowered by the sweet caramel. There is something about it that makes it different from caramel apple – the pastry note which for some reason had a bitter quality to it. The aftertaste wasn’t good.

Suggested toppings: Almonds, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, whipped cream

There was also a new topping available, Venetian chocolate truffle. It’s a good size, dense truffle that’s creamy and very chocolatey. The exterior is dusted with cocoa powder.

Every Thursday will feature a new froyo flavor. The flavor will run for two weeks or while supplies last.

Collect a stamp in your passport for every visit. The more stamps you collect, the more free froyo you can earn. Collect five stamps and get 5 free ounces. Collect ten stamps and you’ll be rewarded with 10 free ounces. Join Real Rewards to participate.

Next up: Fig & Honey Gelato (Middle East): April 21

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.

Sweet Rose Creamery: Ojai Pixie Frozen Yogurt

Fro-yo girl here. The city of Ojai is currently celebrating the Fourth Annual Pixie Month. Pixies are a sweet, seedless variety of tangerines native to the Central Coast and grown in Ojai. Several eateries in Ojai are featuring Ojai Pixie creations. 

The master ice cream maker at Sweet Rose Creamery, Shiho Yoshikawa, is an Ojai native and she created the new Ojai Pixie frozen yogurt flavor for Pixie Month. The limited time flavor is currently available at all Sweet Rose Creamery shops during the month of April. It’s scoopable (not soft serve).

I haven’t had the Ojai pixie tangerine but I did try the Ojai Pixie frozen yogurt. The flavor is very much like a freshly squeezed glass of tangerine juice that’s sweeter and less acidic than an orange, mellowed out by the milkiness of the frozen yogurt. It was very fresh tasting, unlike most of the frozen yogurt that I consume. The texture was on the icy side, more reminiscent of a sorbet than a rich ice cream. While I liked it, I wish it had a stronger yogurt flavor and a creamier texture.

Visit Sweet Rose Creamery’s website and enter the raffle for a chance to win a weekend getaway to Ojai.

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 Spread Mediterranean Kitchen in Downtown LA Offers Housemade Greek Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Downtown LA has always been a bit of a froyo desert. While you could find froyo here and there, there were very few places to get your froyo. This is surprising since a thriving downtown area usually has a lot of froyo. Good news: Spread Mediterranean Kitchen opened last month.

It’s got a GRK/Souvla type of vibe and a similar set up for lunch: pick your base (housemade flat bread, basmati rice, hummus or salad greens), pick your main (falafel, grilled free range chicken, lamb meatballs, roasted mushrooms, braised beef) and pick your style (traditional, smooth & cool, savory & red, or cheesey & spicy).

The treats section of the menu includes housemade Greek frozen yogurt. There’s just one flavor, plain. Choose from the mini or large size ($2/$4). The list of toppings is short: beet salt & citrus powder, chai halva crumble, or harissa dry spice & pita chip. The toppings are included in the price of the yogurt.

Their frozen yogurt didn’t taste like the typical plain/original tart frozen yogurt. It was dense, smooth and icy. The taste was mild; I could taste the yogurt and it was sweetened but not as sweet. I like how the flavor had a clean, natural finish but it was on the bland side. There was little tang though it was refreshing. I did like the chai halva crumble – it was a bit crunchy and not too sweet. There was very little topping but she did offer me more after I started eating my froyo. I’d give the froyo 3.5 stars and the toppings a 4.5.

I thought the chicken flatbread wrap, cheesey & spicy style, was very tasty and flavorful though it didn’t come with much chicken. Spread is open daily from 11:30 AM – 11 PM. There’s free wi-fi before 6 PM and Middle Eastern inspired cocktails for the evening.

This is Spread’s first and only location. Will it spread?

* SPREAD MEDITERRANEAN KITCHEN: 334 S Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90034

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.

Plants vs. Zombies GW2 at Menchie’s: Plants Spoons

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s has partnered with Electronic Arts, the makers of Plants vs. Zombies the video game for a fun promotion involving Plants and Zombies collectible spoons. There are two spoon designs: green Plants and purple Zombies. The Menchie’s locations in my area started distributing Zombie froyo spoons last week but they didn’t give out the green Plant spoon.

I don’t know anything about the Plants vs. Zombies game, so I don’t know which characters are represented on the spoons. The green spoon character looks like a man, not a plant and he’s not on the Plants design Menchie’s cup. I wonder who he is? 

Update: I found out the man is Crazy Dave and the zombie is Dr. Zomboss.

The Menchie’s employees had on PVZ buttons…I didn’t see any for sale.

Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 is available for Xbox and PS4.

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 Quest Continues with Coconut Mango Tart (Thailand)

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland’s Flavor Quest continues with a returning froyo flavor: Coconut Mango Tart, inspired by the flavors of Thailand. It was first introduced during the 2nd Flavor Quest in 2014. Flavor Quest flavors are usually new, so it’s interesting that they brought back a flavor from a previous Flavor Quest. Since it’s been two years since I last had Coconut Mango Tart, I gave it another try.

* Coconut Mango Tart (Thailand) is described by Yogurtland as “Taste a true tropical treat from Thailand and one of their most beloved culinary combos. We paired two of the best mango varieties in the world and blended it with coconut water for a light tart flavor that refreshes your tastebuds.” The sweet mango flavor dominates but you can taste the coconut too. I like how the coconut isn’t overpowering. It’s really about the sweetness of mangos. For a tart flavor, it’s not that tart. Coconut mango tart tastes similar to Yogurtland’s mango froyo flavor.

Suggested toppings: Coconut, mango, popping boba, salted caramel sauce, lychee

Every Thursday will feature a new froyo flavor. The flavor will run for two weeks or while supplies last.

Collect a stamp in your passport for every visit. The more stamps you collect, the more free froyo you can earn. Collect five stamps and get 5 free ounces. Collect ten stamps and you’ll be rewarded with 10 free ounces. Join Real Rewards to participate.

Sadly, some locations have run out of the French galette cookies. If you see them, get them. The next limited time only Flavor Quest topping will be chocolate truffles.

Next up: Apple Strudel with Caramel (Austria): April 14

P.S. It's raining today. Check your local Yogurtland to see if it has a rainy day special. Yogurtland Pasadena has a buy one, get one free double Real Rewards points on rainy days.

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 Frozen Yogurt/Ice Cream Shop: Sweet Lab in Rosemead, CA

Fro-yo girl here. Sweet Lab opened recently in Rosemead; they use liquid nitrogen and KitchenAid stand mixers to make your ice cream or frozen yogurt to order. One order gets you two scoops and they use cookies, nuts and cereal to make cute faces on your ice cream or frozen yogurt. You can get liquid nitrogen ice cream or frozen yogurt in a cup, waffle cone or Hong Kong style egg waffle cone (aka egg puffs, HK waffles), milk teas, and hot spicy dip (which I think it’s like a hot pot?)

There aren’t that many ice cream and yogurt flavors to choose from but the fruit flavors are made with real fruit. Froyo flavors ($5.50-$5.95): Double berry (strawberry, blueberry), Strawberry, Blueberry, Papaya, Mango

I recommend getting the egg waffles – they’re also made to order. The waffles look kinda like bubble tape. The bubbles are soft and the batter in between is crispier. People like the contrast between the warm waffles and the cold ice cream or frozen yogurt.
* Strawberry yogurt ($5.50): A little simplistic but natural tasting; imagine adding fruit to yogurt and freezing it. The frozen yogurt wasn’t too sweet and it was actually sour and tangy. The texture was soft and smoother than a mix in style yogurt. Some parts were firmer. 

* Egg waffle cone ($1): Very nice, the soft parts were soft, the crispy parts weren’t too crispy, the batter wasn’t too sweet and it had a hint of coconut, just $1 with your froyo or ice cream order, it’s totally worth it

I think my favorite part was the egg waffle cone but I don't think it would go well with soft serve froyo because the froyo would make it soggy.

$15 credit card minimum.

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

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

* SWEET LAB: 8526 Valley Blvd. # 112, Rosemead, CA 91770

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.

Plants vs. Zombies GW2 at Menchie’s This April

Fro-yo girl here. Are you #TeamPlants of #TeamZombies? Menchie’s has partnered with Electronic Arts, the makers of Plants vs. Zombies the video game for a fun promotion involving Plants and Zombies collectible spoons. The signs say that Plants choose vanilla and Zombies choose chocolate. 

There are two spoon designs: green Plants and purple Zombies. There are also two cup designs: green Plants cups with pictures of four Plants characters and purple Zombies cups with four Zombies characters.

Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 is available for Xbox and PS4. I’ve never heard of it before this week but it seems to have a big following. Some players are reporting receiving Menchie’s $3 coupons for playing the game.

While I prefer vanilla froyo, we’re very much #TeamZombie here.

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 New Flavors for April: Smooth White Chocolate and Fire Toasted S’mores

Fro-yo girl here. Happy April! A new month means new flavor time at Menchie’s. The new limited time flavors for April are: Smooth White Chocolate and Fire Toasted S’mores.

* Smooth White Chocolate froyo: It’s a mild, creamy, smooth flavor – reminiscent of vanilla though it does taste different from Menchie’s Vanila Snow. This lowfat flavor would pair well with most other flavors and toppings. Recommended toppings: Nilla wafers, Butterfingers, almonds, white chocolate chips, Cap’n Crunch

* Fire Toasted S’mores froyo: This lowfat flavor combines the flavors of graham crackers with the sweetness of marshmallows. The chocolate flavor isn’t as prominent. What’s surprising is that it does have a toasted flavor. S’mores has a lot going on…I’m not sure I like the toasted flavor though. Recommended toppings: Chocolate sauce, graham crackers, marshmallows

These flavors are here for a limited time only, from April 1-April 30, or while supplies last.

While you’re there be sure to get your Plants vs. Zombies GW2 spoons and cups. 

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.