Fro-Yo!

I am not a huge fan of sweets/desserts.  As my Mom likes to say, "give me some chips and hot sauce" for a treat!  I really cannot believe I am devoting a whole post to frozen yogurt!

But, ever since I was a little girl I have been a fan of "real" frozen yogurt.  I remember the novelty of it in the late 70's/early 80's when my Mom took me to get it at the health food store café.  The taste was sweet, but with a definite *tart* tangy/sourness---just like *real* yogurt.

It seemed to all but disappear in my life from then until about 1993.  While on a trip to NYC, I experienced frozen yogurt at 40 Carrots Café in Bloomingdales.  This was the fro-yo I remembered from my childhood.

Then, gone again...

Fast forward to a couple of years ago, when I start seeing mention of Pinkberry all over the place.  I surmise from some internet research that:

1.  It seems to be a cute place to procure *tart* frozen yogurt and 

2. It only exists in CA and NY.

This causes me to dislike Pinkberry, much like I dislike H&M for not existing in Texas.

Next...

I find I Heart Yogurt in Dallas.  Very cute, very hip, full of North Dallas/SMU/HPHS people.  A bit expensive and a blatant rip-off of Pinkberry.  But, hey, it's their loss, since they don't exist in Texas.  The fro-yo is wonderful---sweetness is subtle, tartness is full-on.  It is fat-free.  LOVE it! Hate that it is 45 miles from my home.

I also find Pure Bliss frozen yogurt in Arlington.  A lot like I Heart Yogurt.  I need to give this place another shot.  Hate that it is 20 minutes from my home.

And finally I find Frogberry frozen yogurt right here in Fort Worth.  It's practically on campus at my alma mater, TCU.  I found the yogurt tasty, but was disappointed in the plain tart (my fave).  However, my daughter's blueberry tart was PHENOMENAL!  The only other issue I have with Frogberry is their spoons.  The spoons are eco-friendly, made from recycled material, and frankly, they taste like you are having a side of newspaper with your yogurt.  Perhaps we will bring our own spoons next time.  That's green, right?

My next fro-yo experiment will be trying this recipe at home:

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Recipe

Heidi notes: First off, remember it is important to use good-quality whole-milk yogurt. The version in David's book is Vanilla Frozen Yogurt. This time around I skipped out on the vanilla, opting for straight, bright white yogurt with the sweetness playing off the tang of the yogurt. I also used slightly less sugar than called for here, more like 2/3 cup - but you can go either way depending on what you like.

3 cups (720g) strained yogurt (see below) or Greek-style yogurt
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla (if using). Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

To make 1 cup (240g) of strained yogurt, line a mesh strainer with a few layers of cheese cloth. then scrape 16 ounces or 2 cups (480g) of plain whole-milk yogurt into the cheesecloth. Gather the ends and fold them over the yogurt, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours. So, for the above recipe start with and strain 6 cups of yogurt.

Makes about 1 quart. 

I will let you know how it goes!

Do you like tart fro-yo?

Do you have a shop near you?

Let's share, people!