Shopkeeper: [Homer has agreed to purchase a Krusty doll for Bart's birthday] Take this object, but beware it carries a terrible curse.
Homer: Ooh, that's bad.
Shopkeeper: But it comes with a free frogurt!
Homer: That's good.
Shopkeeper: The frogurt is also cursed.
Homer: That's bad.
Shopkeeper: But you get your choice of toppings.
Homer: That's good!
Shopkeeper: The toppings contain potassium benzoate [Homer looks puzzled]
Shopkeeper:.....That's bad.
-The Simpsons
Move over gelato, there is a new cool kid in town. New age fro yo, frogurt or frozen yogurt parlors have been gaining increased popularity recently and are popping up in most major cities in the US. Unlike the frozen yogurt of yesterday, these joints aren’t trying to mimic fat laden ice-cream or provide toppings loaded with sugar (or in Homer’s case potassium benzoate). The new breed of frozen yogurt shops are modern architectural spaces dedicated to providing tart, all natural yogurt (most sell yogurt with live and active cultures) with a variety of natural and healthy toppings such as fresh fruit (not the canned syrupy stuff!), nuts, coconut, raisins, and cereal. The new style of tart frozen yogurt has quickly gained a cult following, with major players Pinkberry and Red Mango going head to head in advertisement wars to gain public loyalty.
In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, new age fro yo joint Orange Cup recently opened in the Northpark mall with plans to expand to 4 more locations by the end of the year. Orange Cup offers three basic yogurt flavors: natural, zum (infused with orange juice, B-12, and Taurine), and acai berry. Fresh fruit and all natural nut, granola, and dark chocolate chip toppings allow a wealth of flavor combinations. Following its modern, health conscious approach, Orange Cup advertises its core beliefs in its pledge to offer a healthy food option to its customers by “revitalizing everyday life” and promises “to be environmentally sound and eco-conscious in every aspect of our operation”. Urban legend has it that the ladies of nearby Neiman’s dine on Orange Cup for both lunch and dinner. Who can blame them when customized nutrition labels are printed out for each individual flavor combination? One common complaint to note about Orange Cup is the portion size of their toppings - one serving of berries is disappointingly only equal to three berries.
For those looking to exert more control over their yogurt and topping portions, the perfect fro yo solution may be Yogilicous, a new shop that opened in Dallas at the end of September. Yogilicious allows the customers to build their own frozen yogurt concoctions with all flavors and toppings at the customers’ fingertips. Once the yogurt masterpiece is created, it is weighed on a scale and priced by weight. Yogilicous offers 22 flavors ranging from plain to pistachio, green tea, lychee, and New York Cheesecake. Fresh fruit toppings are available, as well as healthy and not-so-healthy (Oreos, M&Ms, gummi bears) dry toppings.
Interested in checking out a frozen yogurt joint in your area? Below are some of the popular joints in some of the major cities in the US. Let us know which one you think is the best.
Houston: Berripop
New York and LA: Pinkberry
Chicago: Red Mango
San Francisco: Tuttimelon
image source: myorangecup.com, pinkberry.com, yogi-licious.com
-RW
cool article! i can't wait to try orange cup and i want tx to get a pinkberry!!
Posted by: chai tea latte | October 11, 2008 at 09:39 PM