June 22, 2011

Frozen Yogurt

Speaking of frozen yogurt, I only recently noticed how prevalent shops for the allegedly healthy treat are in the Bay Area.  Somehow, I just assumed that fro-yo had faded away with the arrival of the 90's, like leg warmers (What?! They're back now, too?)

While visiting Oahu recently, we stumbled upon a place called Menchie's, which offers a rotating selection of self-serve options.  Sold by the ounce, it taught me just how many ounces of the low-fat concoction I can handle on a given day. We used the scientific method to craft the perfect make-it-yourself sundae before the vacation was over.

Back home, I started to notice the plethora of fro-yo chains and one-off shops. It was hard to find the self-serve style I had become so fond of, however.  While hunting, I found Harmony Organic in San Carlos and Fraiche in Palo Alto. In addition, I tried out a couple local self-serve shops.

So far, all the self-serve shops lack some of the quality found in the high-end scoop shops. The self-servers use mixes that often taste a bit chemically, while the fancier places boast all-natural ingredients and organic yogurt from regional dairies (Harmony has some flavors from Strauss Family Creamery, while Fraiche sources exclusively from Clover Farms.)

Which is best? Well, fresh and organic win hands down on principle.  But it's hard to beat the pop-in-and-help-yourself option.  When I find a place that combines the two, I'll go steady with it. 'Til then, I'm still playing the field.

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