The Manufactory (Tartine) Yogurt Parfait and Soft Serve Review

Fro-yo girl here. The Manufactory (Tartine) at the Row DTLA has several areas with different names. I went to the Window during my fist visit and tried the buffalo milk soft serve.

I spotted two soft serve machines (four flavors a day) and what looked to be a toppings bar. There wasn’t much information about the offerings, other than the flavors of the day. It’s made with water buffalo milk, though I didn’t see what mentioned anywhere on site. I read about it years ago and the server confirmed that they use buffalo milk. The soft serve is available in two sizes, Small $5 and Large $7. Ask for samples.

The rosemary soft serve was soft, creamy, silky and smooth. It seemed richer than cow’s milk, but it didn’t have any grassy or distinctive funk. The rosemary was very nice – it wasn’t overwhelming. It was sweeter than I normally like. The swirl wasn’t pretty either.

On my second visit, picked up a yogurt parfait from The Market, which houses their baked goods, prepared foods, a grab & go case of drinks, salads, chia pudding, and yogurt parfaits, ceramics, cookbooks, and gourmet pantry items.

The yogurt parfait (325g, $7) included housemade yogurt, fresh berries, and Liz’s granola (housemade, of course). The granola was packed on top with a layer of plastic to keep it from getting wet and soggy. The yogurt was fairly thick, velvety and unsweetened. It had some sourness but that was relatively mild but definitely rich (full fat). The cream flavor also coated my tongue and lingered. The extra toasty granola, which had big clusters and lots of whole almonds, added sweetness and crunch. Was the parfait good? Yes. Was the yogurt exceptionally different? Not really.

Yogurt ingredients: Pasteurized organic whole milk, organic sweet cream buttermilk, living yogurt cultures)

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

* THE MANUFACTORY: 757 Alameda St., Ste 160, Los Angeles, CA 90021

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.

Pinkberry to Open More Locations in California and Arizona

Fro-yo girl here. Good news, fro-yo fans! I recently visited the Pinkberry website and I noticed that the location finder feature looked different. The map shows future locations. And I spotted two new, not yet opened locations. One is in Agoura Hills and the other, Santa Clarita, CA. According to the map, two locations are coming soon to Chandler, Arizona. 

The Agoura Hills listing has an address: 2912 Canwood St., Agoura Hills, CA 91301. Wow, this is surprising. 

Also, the new The Eatery in Encino, CA (16133 Ventura Blvd, Ste 210) carries Pinkberry.

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.

My Favorite Big Chain Froyo Flavors

Fro-yo girl here. By now I’ve been to frozen yogurt franchise locations hundreds of times. I’m pretty sure that I’ve sampled every frozen yogurt flavor that Yogurtland, Menchie’s, and Pinkberry have ever offered (except for Pinkberry’s coffee flavor that they stopped offering a long time ago). Many frozen yogurt flavors have come and gone. I wanted to share my favorites from among the regular flavors, the ones that are offered all the time. These are the reliable flavors that I turn to on a regular basis in Southern California.

Menchie’s: My top picks are I Dream of Cookies n’ Cream, Ice Cream Sandwich, and Mudslide Pie. Menchie’s sweet flavors are better than their tart flavors and I like the ones that feature chocolate combined with something else. The Creamy Country Vanilla is also very good – it’s richer than their Vanilla Snow flavor.

Pinkberry: The two reliable flavors are Original Tart and Pomegranate Tart. Original is better. It’s the flavor that started the entire tart froyo trend.

Tutti Frutti: Some of the fruit flavors at Tutti Frutti taste and look artificial, but I know I can count on two flavors: TF Premium Tart and Cookies n’ Cream. The TF Premium Tart is thick, creamy, and tangy. And the Cookies n’ Cream is rich and creamy. I liked their Peanut Butter soy bean frozen yogurt but it’s become very hard to find.

Yogurtland: My top three regular flavors are Plain Tart, Peanut Butter, and Sumatra Coffee. I like how the peanut butter and coffee flavors aren’t crazy strong; you can taste the yogurt too. Their Plain Tart is balanced and flavorful. It tastes like real yogurt. My next tier of preferred favorites includes Green Tea (a tad too sweet), Cookies n’ Cream, and Madagascar Vanilla. I know that Rocket Pop sorbet and Fresh Strawberry are among their most popular flavors though they’re not for me. I just can’t choose sorbet over froyo. And the Fresh Strawberry is good but it doesn’t taste like yogurt. I don’t like coconut but I have to say that they have the best froyo coconut flavor, Toasted Coconut.

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.

Toppings Changes at Menchie’s

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s is currently phasing out several toppings to make room for new toppings. This list isn’t complete.

Toppings to Be Phased Out: Whoppers, peach gummy rings, Nutter Butter, Andes Mints, yogurt chips, Jet Puff marshmallows, Sour Patch Kids, Nestle Crunch

New Toppings: Cupcake bites, rainbow marshmallows, papa gummy bears, milk chocolate mini marshmallows, gummy sharks, sour gummy poppers

What do you think? Do you like any of the old or new toppings? I personally preferred the old toppings, especially Whoppers, Nutter Butter, and Andes Mint. What toppings would you like to see Menchie’s add? I wouldn’t mind seeing another kind of granola, hemp seeds, chia seeds, chocolate crisps (the round balls that Pinkberry carries), honeycomb, pretzels, and other types of cookies.

Thanks, Zelda Z., for the toppings update!

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.

Pinkberry Little Tokyo (Downtown Los Angeles) Has Closed

Fro-yo girl here. Sad news, froyo fans. Since Pinkberry introduced a new flavor, I started seeing which locations near me carried Pinkbee's Salted Butter Caramel Reduced-Fat, Milk Ice Cream. I found out that the Pinkberry Little Tokyo location, the only downtown LA location, just closed. The Pinkberry sign has already been removed. And the windows were covered up. Somi Somi, the soft serve and taiyaki shop, will take over the space. 

Pinkberry Little Tokyo first opened in 2007. I visited a couple of times, since I like Little Tokyo. I met friends there. Sadly, I had a feeling it might be closing for good. The last time I went, I was looking for the new flavor, which they didn’t have even though it had been out for a few days. It seems like they started closing earlier too. RIP, Pinkberry Little Tokyo.

Yogurtland is still open in Little Tokyo. I doubt Somi Somi will last for 12 years, like Pinkberry did. Somi Somi is good but I just don’t crave soft serve ice cream as much as I crave tangy froyo.

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

* PINKBERRY LITTLE TOKYO: 332-A East 2nd St., Los Angeles, CA 90012

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 Fall Flavor at Pinkberry: Pinkbee's Salted Butter Caramel Milk Ice Cream

Fro-yo girl here. The froyo summer seems to have come to an end. Pinkberry just introduced its first fall flavor of 2019, Pinkbee's Salted Butter Caramel Reduced-Fat, Milk Ice Cream. The flavor is available for a limited time, beginning August 16. Pinkberry recommends topping Pinkbee’s Salted Butter Caramel with caramel sauce and sea salt.

I remember when Pinkberry introduced Salted Caramel froyo back in 2011 with caramel sauce and sea salt. The new Pinkbee’s flavor will probably be one that the salted caramel fans out there will like and embrace.

I didn’t realize Salted Caramel Pinkberry had been discontinued years ago, since it wasn’t a flavor that I’d ever seek out or order. It wasn’t a bad flavor, but it was more decadent and sweeter than I prefer. It looks like you can still get Salted Caramel Pinkberry outside the US.

Pinkbee’s Salted Butter Caramel milk ice cream: My fears that the caramel or salt would be too strong were unfounded. Instead, it was more buttery than salty and subtle enough to be pleasant. The texture was smooth and creamy. It definitely tasted like ice cream to me. Recommended toppings: Almond Roca, almonds, dark chocolate crisps.

Here’s the official press release: 

Pinkberry Is "Fall Ready" with New Pinkbee's Salted Butter Caramel Flavor

This Reduced-Fat, Indulgent, Treat is Available for a Limited Time Only

Aug 16, 2019, 09:07 ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Even though temperatures are hot, Pinkberry® (www.Pinkberry.com) is dreaming of fall with the launch of the new Pinkbee's® Salted Butter Caramel Reduced-Fat, Milk Ice Cream! This limited time flavor will be available beginning August 16.

This decadent Pinkbee's® flavor will also be featured as a combination made with Pinkbee's Salted Butter Caramel topped with sea salt and a caramel drizzle, making it the perfect fall treat.

"Heat waves continue across the country but here at Pinkberry, we are ready for cooler weather," said Melissa Hubbell, director of marketing at Kahala Brands™, parent company of Pinkberry. "So until then, we are just going to cool down and indulge in a classic fall flavor at the same time with our new Salted Butter Caramel!"

At Pinkberry, guests can customize their favorite treat with a variety of toppings that include fresh, never frozen, fruit that is hand-cut in stores daily, along with premium granolas and nuts, specialty chocolates, and much more. Pinkberry is swirling with possibilities!

Promotional Flavor:

Pinkbee's® Salted Butter Caramel

Promotional Combination:

Pinkbee's® Salted Butter Caramel topped with sea salt and a caramel drizzle

About Pinkberry

Pinkberry® launched in Los Angeles, CA in 2005 as the original brand that reinvented frozen yogurt. Today, over a decade later, Pinkberry continues to create great tasting treats with fresh ingredients in an experience comprised of distinctive product, outstanding service and inspirational design. At Pinkberry you can taste the difference of an uncompromising commitment to quality and freshness. Most recently, Pinkberry U.S. was acquired by Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kahala Brands™, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of nearly 29 fast-casual and quick-service restaurant brands with approximately 3000 locations in 35 countries.

For more information about Pinkberry, visit www.Pinkberry.com.

For more information about Kahala Brands, visit www.KahalaBrands.com.

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 Spoon Collection: sweetFrog The Hungry Caterpillar Spoon

Fro-yo girl here. sweetFrog recently launched a promotion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the award-winning children’s picture book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, in partnership with Penguin Young Readers. The promotion included a contest, summertime swirl (The Very Berry Apple Swirl), new TVHC spoons, and in-store events. The Very Berry Apple Swirl, a swirl of Farm Stand Strawberry Ice Cream and Green Apple Sorbet, is available until August 24th.

Thanks to my froyo loving friend and avid froyo spoon collector, Zelda Zonk, I was able to add the sweetFrog The Hungry Caterpillar yogurt spoons to my froyo spoon collection. Very exciting! I wanted to share a few pictures of the spoon. They’re plastic and don’t appear to be compostable.

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 Yogurtland Location on Katella in Anaheim

Fro-yo girl here. I was recently in Anaheim for the Reliant Expo at the Anaheim Hilton (by the Anaheim Convention Center and across the street from Disneyland). Since the new Yogurtland was about a mile from there, it was a perfect opportunity to visit. It’s located in what looks to be a new strip mall development that isn’t fully occupied yet, close to the I-5 freeway exit. 

Yogurtland opened on Katella in Anaheim about a month ago, on July 13. The design is the newer one with a more natural look, including wood walls and floors. A strip of green square tiles is a nod to the older Yogurtland interior design. The door handles no longer feature the cute giant Yogurtland spoons (too bad). 

The location is smaller with only 7 froyo machines (and 14 flavors). I was surprised that they didn’t have Drinkable Creations but they had a Blendables machine instead. With Blendables, you choose your froyo and toppings and then the machine blends them together. They did have the new waffle cones though.

Froyo and toppings are 55 cents an ounce, which isn’t too bad considering the proximity to Disneyland, I suppose.

The opening was low key. They gave away giant Yogurtland spoons with purchase. That’s all. Froyo shop grand openings have definitely been toned down.

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

* YOGURTLAND: 111 E Katella Ave. #20, Anaheim, CA 92802

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 at Pressed Juicery: Frozen Non-Dairy Dessert (No, It’s Not Freeze)

Fro-yo girl here. I was at Pressed Juicery in Old Town Pasadena picking up a green juice this week when I spotted a new product that Pressed hasn’t mentioned on social media yet. It’s their new plant-based ice cream, aka frozen non-dairy dessert. They describe it as “a creamy plant-based blend of coconut cream and almonds.” There are three flavors: Vanilla, Strawberry, and Matcha, and two sizes, large/ pints (16 oz) and small/ single serve (5.3 fl oz). They’re stored in the store’s freezer. A small size was $5 with membership. A pint is $8 with membership.

* Vanilla Frozen Non-Dairy Dessert: Unlike Pressed Juicery Freeze, the non-dairy has coconut cream and it’s sweetened with maple syrup instead of dates. Also, it has thickeners (natural ones): tapioca and xanthan gum. And, it's not soft serve. However, the list of ingredients is still short and it’s all natural. While water is the main ingredient, the frozen dessert was not icy or watery. This is due to the richness of the coconut cream. The coconut cream flavor dominated the other flavors but it also made the product rich and creamy. The coconut cream flavor lingers on the palate. I thought it was very good though I found it sweeter than necessary. I still prefer the lightness of Freeze. The frozen non-dairy dessert is richer and heavier.

Ingredients (Vanilla): Water, coconut cream, maple syrup, tapioca, coconut oil, ground almonds, vanilla extract, salt, xanthan gum.

One serving is 250 calories, 12g total fat, 35 total carbs, and 21g sugars.

I wonder what the frozen non-dairy dessert would be like as a soft serve? Anyway, it’s definitely worth trying. If they put Freeze in the freezer, I’m sure it would be too hard and icy.

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

* PRESSED JUICERY: 59 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105

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 Flavor, Pomegranate Lime Twister Sorbet

Fro-yo girl here. The new summer flavors continue…Yogurtland just launched a new sorbet, Pomegranate Lime Twister. It’s nonfat, dairy-free, gluten free, and vitamin C fortified. Yogurtland describes the flavor as “real pomegranate and Persian lime juice, combined with a hint of salt, gives this smooth sorbet a bright and sour summertime flavor that will have you screaming for more.” It sounded good, based on the description.

Pomegranate Lime Twister sorbet: It didn’t seem even the least bit sour to me. Pomegranates and limes are tangy but the sorbet was just sweet and reminded me of a super sweet soda. There was a strange aftertaste too. I didn’t like it. Recommended toppings: sour gummy worms and popping boba.

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 Closes in Old Town Pasadena

Fro-yo girl here. Breaking news! Yogurtland has closed in Old Town Pasadena. The last time I saw it open was July 19. I was out of town last week, so I didn’t go to Old Town. The last post on their FB page was on July 21. The last post on their Instagram account was on August 1. But it was closed on August 2. Hmm. Yogurtland Old Town Pasadena opened in 2014 and lasted for five years.

Not only has Yogurtland closed, but the signs have been removed and the windows have been covered with brown paper. There was a sign on the door that said, “Thank you Old Pasadena for hosting us. Please visit us @S. Lake Ave.”

Am I sad? Not really. I rarely went to the Old Town location because it had fewer flavors and was the most expensive Yogurtland in the area. It seemed like a shop for tourists and out of town visitors. Yes, rent was probably much more expensive there. Meanwhile, 21 Choices looks close to opening in Old Town. Open, open, open.

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

* YOGURTLAND OLD TOWN PASADENA: 30 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105

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 August Featured Flavors and Dora the Explorer Cup

Fro-yo girl here. Don’t you just love how a new month brings new froyo flavors? This must be my lucky month because I was able to find all three new Menchie’s flavors on day 1 of the promotion.

Gourmet Chocolate Gelato: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Gourmet Chocolate Gelato is Menchie’s first gelato. It has live and active cultures but no artificial colors or flavors. It was richer and thicker than their frozen yogurt. The chocolate flavor was mild and milky, like milk chocolate. Recommended toppings: Peanut butter sauce, Nutter Butter, chopped peanuts OR Heath and chopped almonds.

Milk Chocolate Caramel froyo made with Ghirardelli: The first flavor that struck me was the caramel, followed by the chocolate. The caramel wasn’t cloying or overwhelming. The texture was smooth and creamy. Recommended toppings: Chocolate shell, almonds, Nilla wafers

Fresh Squeezed Strawberry Lemonade sorbet: The sorbet was a pretty light pink color, icier in texture, of course. I like tangy lemonade and this lemonade was just sweet. Recommended toppings: Sour gummy candies.

These flavors are around for a limited time only, so try them before it’s too late. I also picked up a new Dora the Explorer cup, which promotes the new movie.

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.

Top Ten Toppings You Can Buy for Home Froyo Consumption

Fro-yo girl here. Froyo shops have good toppings but if you’re eating froyo at home, you can get even better toppings. Better yet, these toppings are widely available.

If I had to pick one store to buy toppings from, I’d choose Trader Joe’s. The toppings choices there are overwhelming, including biscotti, Joe Joe’s, gummy candies, peanut butter cups, peanut butter filled pretzels, chocolate chips, toffee chips, cinnamon graham crackers, meringues, macarons, cake, cheesecake, cupcakes, chia seeds, fruit, yogurt pretzels, dried fruit, honey, olive oil, etc.

My second choice would be Sprouts, because they have those bulk bins with many kinds of granola, candy (jelly beans, gummy candies, chocolate covered things, peanut butter cups, sesame sticks), yogurt pretzels, nuts, and seeds, not to mention a wide variety of fresh fruit, natural cereal, granola, honey, chocolate, dessert sauces, cones, etc.

If I had to pick my favorite toppings for home consumption, I’d choose the following:

1. Marcona almonds: These Spanish almonds are better than the California almond and rarely spotted at froyo shops. Almonds go with every flavor of frozen yogurt, soft serve, or sorbet. Love the crunch and flavor that they add.
2. Nature’s Path Organic Love Crunch Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Granola: I’ve tried many brands of granola and many of them are too sweet. Nature’s Path Love Crunch dark chocolate and peanut butter granola is addictive, with big crunchy clusters, dark chocolate pieces, roasted peanuts and peanut butter granola. And it has less sugar than most granola on the market. I’ve seen it at Sprouts and Target.
3. Chocolate shell: I tried Hershey’s Shell and Smucker’s Magic Shell and Hershey’s chocolate shell was better! It was thinner, crispier, less sweet, and had more chocolate flavor. I like the crunch of the shell because it doesn’t mask the yogurt flavor as much as a sauce.
4. Peanut butter chips: I haven’t met a brand of peanut butter chips that I don’t like.
5. Nutter Butter cookies: Sensing a theme? Love peanut butter and Nutter Butter is crispy and creamy.
6. Belgian butter waffle cookies from Trader Joe’s: They look like mini waffles but they’re thin, crisp, and buttery. So good!
7. Speculoos cookies from Trader Joe’s: These crispy cookies have a wonderful blend of warm spices.
8. SMASHMALLOW: These flavored, non-GMO marshmallows are so much better than typical marshmallows. They’re firm and chewy and come in flavors like Cinnamon Churro, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Coconut Pineapple. I’ve seen SMASHMALLOW at Target and Whole Foods.
9. Peanut M&M's: I just like peanut butter. Peanut M&Ms have bits of peanut and chocolate in a crunchy shell. 
10. Chocolate covered honeycomb and malt balls: Find both in the bulk bins at Sprouts. Both combine crunch with chocolate.

I left a few toppings off the list because they’re not as easy to get. But if you can find mochi, get the Korean kind. You’d probably have to go to an Asian market to find some. Turkish delight is similar and also lovely as a froyo topping. It’s also not that easy to find though, unless you live by a Middle Eastern market. And if you’re at the Middle Eastern market, be sure to pick up some baklava for your plain tart frozen yogurt.

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

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