Yogofina Elmwood Finally Opens

Fro-yo girl here. The news first broke that Yogofina planned to open a new location in the Elmwood neighborhood of Berkeley back in March 2015. When a year had passed without an update, I started to wonder if Yogofina would ever open. Yogofina finally opened in September.

A friend took some pictures of the shop and shared them with me. It’s a small self-serve shop and the layout reminds me of their Lakeshore location. They do have a rewards program but it’s different than the one for other Yogofina locations. There are 14 self-serve flavors a day and lots of toppings.

* YOGOFINA: 2911 College Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705

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 Celebrates Voltron & Brings Back Pineapple Sorbet

Fro-yo girl here. Last Friday Yogurtland brought back one of their most popular flavors, Pineapple Sorbet. 

I also donated to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and filled out a Yogurtland pledge circle (the circles are posted to their wall of donors). 

Last week they also announced that they were celebrating a new Netflix original series called Voltron Legendary Defender. Visit Yogurtland between Sept. 22 - Oct. 19 three times and you'll be rewarded with three free ounces (must be a Real Rewards member). I’m sure I’ll earn the reward.

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.

Kite Hill Artisan Almond Milk Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. I spotted Kite Hill at 365 by Whole Foods in Silver Lake (Los Angeles). It’s a line of artisan almond milk yogurt that’s traditionally cultured, soy free and dairy free. Almond milk is the leading alternative/dairy-free milk. Kite Hill makes their own almond milk from GMO-free almonds grown in California. Kite Hill also produces dairy-free cream cheese spreads and entrees.

* Plain: Thick, smooth, and creamy, a little chalky. The flavor is definitely interesting. It is sour yet tangy and tastes like almonds. It actually tastes a lot like Tofutti the soy based cream cheese, Better Than Cream Cheese. The subtle sweetness is nice. It might be an acquired taste but I think I like it. The tang and almond flavor make it intriguing.

The packaging is too flimsy. I found that the bottom of my plastic cup of yogurt had cracked on the way home from the market. Some of the product leaked out. The texture was probably thicker than usual since the liquid had drained out.

Flavors: Plain, Vanilla, Blueberry, Strawberry, Peach. The flavored yogurts are blended.

Ingredients: Almond milk (water, almonds), cane sugar, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, agar, live active cultures: S.Thermophilus, L.Bulgaricus, L.Acidophilus and bifidobacteria.

One serving is 5.3 ounces, 160 calories, 13g fat (2g saturated), 5g sugar, 6g protein. 365 by Whole Foods carries Kite Hill Yogurt for $1.69 each.

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.

Trimona Bulgarian Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. Greek yogurt has become so popular that the market has seen an influx of Greek yogurt alternatives. Enter Trimona Bulgarian Yogurt, a European-style yogurt made with lactobacillus bulgaricus and made in New York. It was developed by Atanas Valev with the help of two jars of homemade yogurt brought over from Bulgaria in 1991. 

Bulgarians have a long history of eating yogurt and special connection with yogurt, long revered for its health benefits. A Bulgarian scientist, Dr. Stamen Grigorov, discovered lactobacillus bulgaricus in 1905. Dr. Ilya Mechnikov won a Nobel prize for finding that fermented milk “was responsible for the hardiness of the Bulgarian people."

Trimona Bulgarian yogurt is organic, not strained and made from the milk of grass-fed cows. It is made with whole milk yogurt to which no sugar is added. You can get it plain or plain with flavorings in a separate compartment. I found Trimona for $1.99 (single serving, flavored) on sale at Sprouts (regular price: $2.29).

Varieties: Plain, Honey Ginger Cinnamon, Raspberry Coconut, Mango Passion Fruit, Blueberry Lavender

* Honey Ginger Cinnamon: I tried the plain yogurt side first. The texture is clumpier, thinner, and pretty sour (the whey wasn’t strained out). It had a clean taste and you could taste the richer cream notes from the whole fat milk. I liked how the cinnamon, ginger and honey mixture was kept separate so that you could control the desired level of sweetness. There was a very strong, sharp ginger flavor (I like ginger so that’s a good thing).

I liked how the yogurt was simple, minimally processed and similar to homemade yogurt. Good stuff.

One serving is 130 calories, 4.5g fat, 12g sugars, 4g protein

Ingredients: Pasteurized organic whole milk, live & active yogurt cultures, organic honey, water, organic ginger puree, pectin, organic ground ginger, organic cinnamon

I found this interesting snippet on the Trimona website about straining vs. not straining yogurt: “Greek yogurt is by definition a strained yogurt, which means they remove the liquid whey fraction. Bulgarian yogurt retains the whey, since it is one of the highest quality proteins, and is stocked with vitamins and minerals. Most Greek yogurt is further adulterated by removing fat and adding sugar. Some also add inferior protein and thickeners.”

4.5 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.

Yogurtland’s New Fall Flavor: Pumpkin Whip

Fro-yo girl here. Welcome back, fall. September 22 is the first day of fall and that means it truly is pumpkin season. Pumpkin flavored items started showing up in September. Yogurtland just introduced a new fall flavor, Pumpkin Whip.

Pumpkin Whip’s flavor card says, “Pumpkin lovers unite for a new twist on a fall favorite. We whipped up real pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, and the sweet taste of vanilla for a rich and creamy pumpkin-perfect treat.” Pumpkin Whip froyo is nonfat, gluten free and made with real pumpkin and real spices.”

Pumpkin Whip has more spices than Yogurtland’s Pumpkin Pie flavor and it has vanilla. It’s rich, thick and indulgent (and it’s non-fat). The pumpkin pie spices like nutmeg and cinnamon add a comforting warmth to the flavor. The spices aren’t overwhelming you can still taste the pumpkin – which is how a good pumpkin froyo should be. You have to add whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs. I also like to add almonds for crunch and mochi for chewiness. Nilla Wafers, white chocolate chips and cheesecake bites would also be good toppings.

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.

Icelandic Provisions Skyr Review

Fro-yo girl here. The newest skyr in town comes from Icelandic Provisions, a company that was co-founded by MS Iceland Dairies, the oldest and largest dairy co-op in Iceland. Icelandic Provisions calls itself the only traditional Icelandic skyr available in the US, because it is the only skyr to be made with centuries old heirloom skyr cultures. Their skyr was co-developed with MS Iceland Dairies.

Similar to Smari and Siggi’s, Icelandic Provision’s skyr is high in protein, low in sugar and all natural (no rBGH). Icelandic Provisions flavors are more Nordic, incorporating Nordic fruits like lingonberry, cloudberry and bilberry.

Varieties: Plain, Coconut, Raspberry, Vanilla, Strawberry & Lingonberry, Blueberry & Bilberry, Peach & Cloudberry

I tried two flavors: Blueberry & Bilberry and Peach & Cloudberry. The skyr doesn’t smell as nice as yogurt. It smells and tastes more fermented. The texture is certainly very thick (enough to keep your spoon standing up) and the fruit is blended in, though you can see tiny bits of skin. The flavor was sweet (but less sweet than usual) and more sour than tangy. While I could taste the fruit (the blueberry and peach more so than the bilberry and cloudberry), the overall flavor is mild. The skyr coats the tongue and doesn’t leave a clean aftertaste. It was filling, bland and fermented tasting. I prefer Siggi’s and Smari.

One serving is 5.3 ozs, 2g fat, 12g sugars, and 14g protein.

Ingredients (peach and cloudberry): Skyr (pasteurized low-fat milk, live and active cultures), peaches (puree and fruit), cane sugar, cloudberry puree, pectin, locust bean gum, natural flavors, fruit and vegetable juice concentrate for color, lemon juice concentrate.

I found Iceland Provisions on sale at Sprouts for $1.59 (regular price, $1.99). It’s also sold at Whole Foods, Wegmans, Harris Teeter and other retailers.

3.5 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.

Taste of South Lake, San Gabriel's Largest Culinary Festival, Returns on October 8

Fro-yo girl here. San Gabriel Valley’s largest culinary community event, the Taste of South Lake, will take place on Saturday, October 8 from 11 AM – 5 PM. Taste of South Lake, presented by the South Lake Business Association, features South Lake restaurants (including Yogurtland) and community partners, cooking demos, and live music. 

For more details, see the press release below.

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

Savor the Taste of South Lake, San Gabriel Valley’s Largest Culinary Festival!

Pasadena, CA, September 17, 2016 - Thousands are expected to attend Pasadena’s largest culinary celebration, The Taste of South Lake, Saturday, October 8th, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests can enjoy culinary delights from over 25 South Lake Avenue restaurants, live cooking demos from the area’s most talented chefs, music performances from internationally known bands, an interactive vendor village, beer, wine and cocktail garden and much, much more! This is a day you do not want to miss!

The Taste of South Lake offers guests a day to indulge in a diversity of taste, featuring popular South Lake Pasadena restaurants. From Del Frisco’s Grille, to Urban Plates and Lemonade, Taste of South Lake will cater to all. This free, outdoor festival features a special live cooking demonstration stage with famed chefs such as Luisa Fabbri, owner of Contessa, Ronald Russell, the renowned vegan and raw food chef, as well as vegan Chef Yvonne Ardestani, creator of “My Eclectic Kitchen” cookbook and app. We are excited to announce that Chef Daniel Shemtob, the award winning chef of TLT Food and the Food Network will also be joining us, with demonstrations of his bold, culturally-inspired cooking.

Additionally, there will be live music performances from not only the best emerging bands, but also platinum selling artists throughout the day. Presented by Bai Brands, the day begins with the eight-piece, fusion musical collective The Nick Valentini Collective, who has been dubbed as the “Jazz fusion Radiohead”. Los Angeles’s very own psych pop artist James Supercave will grace the stage, followed by American Rock band The Shelters, whose debut EP was produced by none other than Tom Petty. MTV VMA award nominees, Chairlift will perform their upbeat mix of indie pop/electo and Australian alternative rock band, Atlas Genius, whose debut album “When It Was Now” peaked at No.34 on the US Billboard 200, is headlining the festival at 5pm. KCRW’s DJ Raul Campos is spinning throughout the day between sets. Bai Brands, the better-for-you beverage company is proud to be a presenting sponsor of the Music Stage. Guests will be able to take photos at the Bai photo booth and enjoy a complimentary bottle of Bai at their booth, to keep hydrated and refreshed.

The Taste of South Lake is presented by the South Lake Business Association and co-sponsored by Corporate Center Pasadena. The South Lake Business Association gives special thanks to Corporate Center Pasadena, KCRW 89.9, LA Weekly, Bai Brands, Logix Federal Credit Union, Pasadena Outlook, Pasadena Star News, Pasadena Weekly and Universal Protection Service.

“Taste of South Lake celebrates and showcases the South Lake Avenue District while providing the ideal community building experience. The event is also our way of welcoming guests and thanking them for being patrons of the South Lake Avenue District.”– Gina Tleel, Executive Director of the South Lake Business Association.

Participating restaurants & businesses include Celestino Ristorante, Corner Bakery Cafe, Del Frisco’s Grille, Du-Par’s Restaurant & Bakery, Jamba Juice, Lemonade, Logix Federal Credit Union, Massetti Caffe Mobile, Nekter Juice Bar, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Bai Brands, Perry’s by Claud Beltran, Real Food Daily, San Sai Japanese Grill, Souplantation, Ten Thousand Villages, Tpumps, Urban Plates, Veggie Grill, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, Cutco, Williams-Sonoma, Yogurtland and more. 

• Date: Saturday October 8th, 11am - 5pm
• Location: 251 S. Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101
• Admission: FREE plus FREE parking at Corporate Center Pasadena!

Live Cooking Demos by:

• 12:00pm: Luisa Fabbri - Owner of Contessa 
• 1:00pm: Chef Daniel Shemtob - Award winning chef of TLT Food
• 2:00pm: Ronald Russell - Renowned vegan & raw food chef, co-owner of celeb hangout Sun Cafe in Studio City
• 3:00pm: Chef Yvonne Ardestani - Creator of the My Eclectic Kitchen cook-book app and blog specializing in vegan fare

Live Music Performances by:

• 12:00pm: The Nick Valentini Collective - Eight-piece, fusion musical collective
• 1:00pm: James Supercave - Pysch pop artist featured on NPR and Vice
• 2:00pm: The Shelters - American rock band, debut EP produced by Tom Petty
• 3:00pm: Chairlift - American synth-pop duo, MTV Video Award nominee 
• 4:00pm: Atlas Genius - Alternative rock band from Australia 
• Spinning between sets: KCRW DJ Raul Campos 

General Public: For more information, please visit www.southlakeavenue.org or call 626.792.1259.

Edible Arrangements: Froyo Fruit Blends Review

Fro-yo girl here. Earlier this summer, Edible Arrangements introduced the Edible to Go concept. Edible to Go includes new menu items: design your own fresh fruit smoothies with add-ins, frozen hot chocolate smoothies, fruit salad, chocolate dipped fruit cones and “froyo fruit blends.”

Froyo fruit blends start with a base of non-fat Tahitian vanilla frozen yogurt which is blended with your choice of fresh fruit puree and topped with your choice of fresh fruit. The classic blend is $4.99. The indulgent blend ($5.99) adds hot fudge, whipped cream and chopped almonds.

I’ve never been to an Edible Arrangements (fruit arrangements seem silly to me) but I noticed a poster with a picture of frozen yogurt, so it was time for a visit.

I was surprised by the lack of options for the froyo fruit blends. For fruit purees, they only had strawberry and pineapple (sometimes blueberry is available). For fresh cut fruit they had pineapple, strawberry, cantaloupe, honeydew, blueberry, banana, kiwi, mango and watermelon. For the base, there’s just Tahitian vanilla frozen yogurt which has corn syrup, artificial vanilla, and maltodextrin.

The vanilla yogurt was super sweet and very soft (even before it was blended with the fruit puree). The fruit puree is blended with the vanilla yogurt by holding the cup under the Vitamix blender. The strawberry flavor was not strong and the texture was way too soft. It also melted very quickly. I wasn’t impressed with the fresh fruit either. The strawberries were sour and the blueberries weren’t that flavorful.

They describe their yogurt as all-natural but the ingredients show that it is not all natural. It tastes like super sweet ice cream flavored with artificial vanilla.

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

2 out of 5 stars

* EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS: 452 E Colorado Blvd., 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.

Noosa Yoghurt New Sweet Heat Flavors Review

Fro-yo girl here. I started seeing teaser ads about new flavors from Noosa on Twitter recently. The new flavors are part of the new “sweet heat” collection: Raspberry Habanero, Pineapple Jalapeno, Mango Sweet Chili, Blackberry Serrano, Mexican Chocolate (4 oz 4 packs only) and Bhakti Chai (limited batch).

I’ve looked for all the new flavors at Vons, Sprouts, Target, Whole Foods, and Gelson’s. I haven’t spotted Raspberry Habanero or Mango Sweet Chili yet. Target had the best selection of Noosa flavors.

* Blackberry serrano: The blackberry compote is on the bottom, so you can blend it in as much as you’d like. The yogurt smells like serrano chilies and it tastes like serrano chilies too. It’s spicier than I expected but of course yogurt is cooling, so it can handle some heat. The yogurt is thick and velvety. The blackberry compote had blackberry seeds and though the seeds were hard, they added a nice texture. The flavor is definitely different, sweet yet spicy, but it’s really good and it’s still mostly sweet. One serving has 36g of sugar and 300 calories.

* Pineapple jalapeno: This was a pretty spicy and pretty sweet yogurt as well. The pineapple flavor is also strong. This is one flavorful cup of yogurt. I liked the blackberry serrano flavor better. I liked the tartness of the blackberry.

* Bhakti chai (limited batch): Unlike the other Noosa flavors, there is no compote. It looks like they poured a cup of Bhakti Chai on top of their honey sweetened yogurt. The honey flavor seemed more pronounced than usual and the warm spices included cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and clove (possibly others). It’s very sweet but the yogurt is still tangy. The texture is rich, creamy and smooth. One serving has 11g fat, 34g of sugar, 300 calories and 8 ozs.

The Noosa yogurts are very flavorful and velvety but they’re also very sweet. I do like the unusual flavors and I hope to find all the flavors in the near future.

I found Noosa on sale at Target for $2. The regular price is $2.39-$2.59.

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.

Yogurtland Azusa Guest Appreciation Event

Fro-yo girl here. I think of Yogurtland’s National Frozen Yogurt Day promotion with free froyo as Yogurtland’s guest appreciation event but some locations have additional guest appreciation events. Yogurtland Azusa held its guest appreciation event today, September 10. The event included:

• 11 AM – 2 PM: Free yogurt and toppings
• 3 PM – 5 PM: Face painting and balloon animals for kids
• 5 PM – 7 PM: Free prizes
• 7 PM – midnight: Buy one, get one free

There was a line before Yogurtland opened and the doors opened a little early. Each guest received a mini cup which could be filled as much as he/she desired. Most of the attendees seemed to have received the mailer that went out to area residents.

The event was well organized and the line went quickly. Each person was handed a napkin, spoon and coupons for future visits. Kids received Yogurtland balloons.

Free froyo = happiness. Thank you Yogurtland Azusa! There's still a little time to take advantage of the buy one, get one free offer.

* YOGURTLAND AZUSA: 922 E Alosta Ave., Azusa, CA 91702

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 10th Anniversary Flavors, Spoon and Fundraiser

Fro-yo girl here. Happy anniversary, Yogurtland! Yogurtland is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year by giving back. Yogurtland Cares, which is Yogurtland’s charitable arm, announced that it would collect donations for local children’s hospitals. Every dollar raised will go directly to the hospitals and Yogurtland will also host yogurt parties for patients, their families and hospital staff. Last year they held a similar fundraiser for local children’s hospitals. Donations will be accepted at Yogurtland locations from September 9 - October 19.

To help celebrate their tenth anniversary, Yogurtland is also bringing back three of its most popular flavors: Birthday Cupcake Batter (Sept. 9), Pineapple Sorbet (Sept. 23), and Almond Midnight Mocha (Oct. 7). Birthday Cupcake Batter is in shops now. The flavor was created in honor of Yogurtland’s 6th anniversary/birthday back in 2012.

For Yogurtland’s fifth anniversary, they introduced their first purple spoon. For the tenth anniversary, there’s a new magenta spoon with the Yogurtland logo on the top of the handle. The spoon says Yogurtland 10th Anniversary.

“Some of the hospitals benefiting from the Yogurtland fundraiser include Rady Children’s Hospital (San Diego, Calif.), Children’s Hospital of Orange County (Orange, Calif.), Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Cottage Children’s Hospital (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Lauren Small Children’s Medical Center (Bakersfield, Calif.), Valley Children’s Hospital (Fresno, Calif.) Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (Salinas, Calif.), UC Davis Children’s Hospital (Sacramento, Calif.), UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital (San Francisco), St. Rose Dominican Hospital (Henderson, Nev.), Phoenix Children’s Hospital (Phoenix, AZ), Children’s Hospital Colorado (Denver, Colo.), Seattle Children’s Hospital (Seattle, Wash.), Primary Children’s Hospital (Salt Lake City, Utah), Children’s Medical Center of Dallas (Dallas, TX) and Miami Children’s Hospital (Miami, FL).”

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.

Benton’s Oats & Yogurt Sandwich Biscuits

Fro-yo girl here. I was pleasantly surprised to find Benton’s Oats & Yogurt Vanilla sandwich biscuits while shopping at Aldi. While I only saw the vanilla flavor, they did offer a strawberry version before. A box has 6 packs with 2 biscuits per pack. A box is $1, a bargain.

* Vanilla oats & yogurt sandwich biscuits: The biscuits (cookies) were thick, firm, crunchy and less sweet than I expected. They tasted healthy in a good way – like oats and whole wheat. Think McVitie’s digestive biscuits and BelVita. The filling was creamy and much sweeter. It did have some yogurt flavor but no tartness. The flavor was pleasant. The biscuit sandwiches look very similar to Quaker’s Oat & Yogurt sandwich biscuits, but I’ve never had those so I can’t make a direct comparison. They’re heartier than the typical cookie and not as sweet. I wish I could convince myself that they’re healthy because they are good.

One serving is equal to 2 biscuits, 180 calories, 10g of whole grains, 7g of total fat, 26g of carbs, and 10g of sugar. The sandwich biscuits are a product of the Netherlands.

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.

626 Night Market Dessert Trends Report

Fro-yo girl here. I returned to the 626 Night Market, “the original and largest Asian-themed night market in the United States” with some friends during Labor Day weekend. They changed the layout again (the food trucks were outside in the parking lot) and they seemed to have as many vendors as ever, including plenty of new ones. The art section was much smaller though. 

The 626 Night Market is a showcase for new Asian food trends. This year some new foods included rainbow grilled cheese, cute bentos, cotton candy topped with bacon or a soft shell crab, shot glass cookies filled with milk and sushi donuts.

There were more Thai rolled ice cream and churros vendors than ever (ice cream rolls and churros were already at the 626 Night Market last year). The Blue Nova, SoCal's first ice cream rolls truck, just launched. Drinks continued to be very popular. Main Squeeze started the light up bottle trend last year. This year the drinks came in light bulb shapes with a mini lightbulb light) and giant light up baby bottles.

Desserts included fried ice cream, potted ice cream, fish waffles filled with soft serve, snow ice, Hawaiian shaved ice, churros (with ice cream), cronut ice cream sandwiches, cookie shot glasses filled with milk, Hong Kong egg waffles, funnel cakes, ice cream rolls, liquid nitrogen ice cream, grass jelly, dessert tofu, milkshakes, halo halo, and cotton candy.

While I didn’t see any froyo, A+ Tea House did offer yogurt drinks. The rolled ice cream places only had ice cream. Last year one place, Snow House, Tea Bar had strawberry froyo rolls. The trends didn’t seem as innovative this year. The only one that surprised me was the cotton candy topped with a soft shell crab from Cap’n Crispy. I wish they had higher end vendors like Sul & Beans, Honeymee or Beeline.

The 626 Night Market will presumably return next summer (given how popular it is, it should be back). Free parking. Admission is $3.

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 Nescafe Coffee Flavors & Storks Promotion

Fro-yo girl here. It’s the beginning of a new month and several new things are going on at Menchie’s. First, there are two new coffee flavors, made with Nescafe: Vanilla Latte and Caramel Frappe. Second, they’re promoting a new animated Warner Bros. movie called STORKS which has a US release date of September 23.
New flavors:

• Vanilla Latte made with Nescafe: The coffee note is definitely there and it’s much stronger than the vanilla note. It has a familiar flavor (I guess because I’ve had Nescafe), like instant coffee. The texture is smooth but not that creamy for some reason. There isn’t any real yogurt flavor. This is a lowfat flavor.
• Caramel Frappe made with Nescafe: The coffee flavor is not as strong as in the Vanilla Latte but it’s still pleasant like a sweet caramel macchiato drink. The caramel flavor is warm and not overwhelming. It’s also smooth but not that creamy. There isn’t any real yogurt flavor. This is a lowfat flavor.

Recommended toppings: Both of these flavors are great covered in chopped almonds.

STORKS limited edition printed cups are available while supplies last. Some of the froyo flavors had STORKS signs. The Baby’s favorite flavor is Vanilla Snow and Junior’s favorite flavor is Chocolate Dunked Banana.

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.