Jeni’s Calabasas Grand Opening

Fro-yo girl here. I went to Jeni’s Ice Creams grand opening in Calabasas last night, June 7. The shop opened a few days ago. It’s the fourth LA location (the others are Los Feliz, Venice, and Larchmont). Yes, Jeni’s is an ice cream shop but they make the most amazing frozen yogurt flavors with real cultured buttermilk, organic yogurt and cream. It’s rich, indulgent and bursting with flavor.

I wasn’t one of the first 50 people in line (LA traffic), so I’m not sure what was in the swag bag. Everyone was a winner though, because of free scoops.

The event was well organized with people managing the line and the number of people in the shop. There was even someone outside handing out free ice cream and sorbet samples. Once we reached the shorter line, we perused menus.

They have a passion for using small family farmers (often ones in Ohio, since that’s where they are based) and highest quality ingredients like biodynamic yogurt from Ohio producers. The flavors range from creative to classic, like Cream Puff, Gooey Butter Cake, Hard Cider Sorbet, Sweet Cream Biscuits & Peach Jam. They have chocolate, vanilla and cookies & cream too (but with fancier names like Ndali Estate Vanilla). The toppings, waffle cones and sauces are housemade.

* Mango buttermilk frozen yogurt: Tastes like a ripe mango but better, creamier, richer and more indulgent, a sweeter froyo

* Lemon & blueberries buttermilk frozen yogurt: Very tart, very lemony in flavor, rich, smooth and thick in texture, with some housemade blueberry jam but my scoop didn’t have much blueberry

I loved the extra thick, crispy housemade waffle cone. So good!

Prices: Single ($5.50), Trio of half scoops $6.50, pints are $12

The shop is shiny, new and adorable. Parking can be a challenge at the Commons Shopping Center.

They didn’t have the new Peach Lassi Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt. I’ll have to come back to try it and the other seasonal flavors.

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

* JENI’S ICE CREAMS: 4751 Commons Way, Ste A, Calabasas, CA 91302

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.

Jeni’s New Orange Blossom Frozen Yogurt & LA Expansion News

Fro-yo girl here. Jeni’s Spring Collection 2017, entitled “We’re Not From Here,” has hit Jeni’s scoop shops. The new flavors are: Orange Blossom Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt, Genmaicha & Marshmallows, Supermoon, Osmanthus & Blackberry Crackle and Cocoa Curry Coco. “This collection explores what it takes to change your perception in a single instant. These ice creams may sound like they come from somewhere far away. But each one is extraordinarily familiar. One bit and you’ll realize that you’ve had these flavors before. Just never like this.”

I had to try the new froyo flavor, Orange Blossom Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt. It’s described as “round and juicy with the scent of a fresh orange blossom. That full flavor comes from combining two of Jeni’s favorite orange essential oils: tangerine for bright acidity, and neroli (the blossom of the bitter orange tree) for a honeyed, floral fragrance. Using these two essential oils alone would be too sweet in ice cream. The tartness of our buttermilk frozen yogurt base—a combination of organic yogurt from Seven Stars Farm and cultured buttermilk—balances it out. Ultra creamy, Orange Blossom Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt tastes a lot like an orange push-pop. Some even say it reminds them of orange Pez!”

Orange Blossom Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt, like Jeni’s Mont Blanc Frozen Yogurt, is a sweeter frozen yogurt, though it is made with tart organic yogurt and tart cultured buttermilk. I didn’t taste the tartness. It tasted like creamsicle made with tangerines, cream, with a subtle floral note. The texture was very creamy and smooth. I like my froyo tart, so I paired it with the returning flavor, Ultramarine Blue Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt. Ultramarine Blue froyo is made with wild blueberries and it’s super intense and tart.

The new Supermoon is two flavors in one: blue violet and vanilla marshmallow ice cream. I mostly tasted the marshmallow but it wasn’t as sweet as real marshmallows.

For the We’re Not From Here collection, I noticed some signs around the shop, paper popup cards with the new flavors, new t-shirts and cute stickers.

In other Jeni’s news, Jeni’s announced the location of their third LA scoop shop, 123 N Larchmont Blvd. in Windsor Square. They’re taking over the Zpizza space. The shop is expected to open soon.

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.

Jeni’s Opens First West Coast Scoop Shop

Fro-yo girl here. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has finally arrived on the West Coast and I don’t mean that the pints are available at markets or the Jeni’s ice cream truck. That’s right, Jeni’s just opened her first scoop shop on the west of the Mississippi in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The opening night party was held on Friday, 3/20, from 7-10 PM and included free scoops, an appearance by founder Jeni Britton Bauer (an ice cream/froyo  legend), and free ceramic flavor mugs for the first 50 people in line.  As an added bonus the first 50 people actually got Jeni’s tote bags and flavor mugs, plus free scoops. The line must have had well over 100 people.

Before they opened I spied employees making waffle cones and batches of ice cream. There was a mini Ohio State/Buckeye reunion.

The new flavor mugs come in 8 colors/flavors. I was lucky enough to receive Mango Lassi Frozen Yogurt 1997, the only frozen yogurt flavor represented in the flavor mug series. Destiny!

Of course I selected two scoops of froyo: Lemon Buttermilk Tart Frozen Yogurt and Lime Cardamom Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt. Both were luxuriously creamy, silky scoops. They’re made with full fat biodynamic  yogurt. The buttermilk gives it extra tanginess, which I love. The lemon flavor has crunchy shortbread bits and lemon curd ribbons – insanely good.

I’ve been a huge fan of Jeni’s for years (I own both of her cookbooks, went to the book signing to meet Jeni, bought pints, visited the Chicago scoop shop) and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Jeni’s makes the most amazing frozen yogurt!!!!

Proudly handmade in Columbus, Ohio, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams are made with Snowville milk and cream from grassfed cows in Ohio. Their frozen yogurt uses biodynamic organic yogurt and has live and active yogurt cultures.

For my review of some of Jeni’s froyo flavors, check out my older posts:

http://froyogirl.blogspot.com/2014/05/jenis-splendid-ice-creams-chicago-scoop.html

http://froyogirl.blogspot.com/2012/12/jenis-splendid-ice-creams-fro-yo-review.html

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

* JENI’S SPLENDID ICE CREAMS: 1954 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA  90027

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.