Our favorite classic ice cream and froyo flavors have all rightfully earned the designation “classic.” Chocolate and vanilla are ubiquitous flavors seen in every frozen treat shop from sea to shining sea, but have you ever wondered how our modern vanilla soft serve compares to the vanilla ice cream served at James Madison’s inauguration in 1813? Or how our smooth, mild chocolate froyo of today compares to the spicy Mexican chocolate that was America’s first introduction to cacao? Well, we can assure you, we’ve come a long way.

Vanilla may seem like a safe if a bit boring, ice cream flavor. Today, we can buy no less than three different varieties of vanilla extracts, vanilla flavorings, and even vanilla sugars, but in the 1800s, as Americans were getting their first taste of ice cream, vanilla was the most exotic flavor around. Vanilla is extracted from the long mahogany bean of the (then) rare vanilla orchid. In its first incarnation, vanilla ice cream would have had the smooth, buttery notes we commonly associate with the flavor but also would have had an earthy, almost spicy quality that has since been bred out of commercial vanilla plants.

Chocolate ice cream, on the other hand, would have been bitter, a bit spicy, and rich with notes of cinnamon. Chocolate had been in heavy rotation for hundreds of years pre-colonization, but newly minted Americans would often be indulging in chocolate for the first time.

Craving a chocolate-vanilla swirl? Visit Frenzi Frozen Yogurt’s menu to see what deliciously modern flavors we have in stock!

Next time you visit historic Downtown Gresham, stop by Frenzi Frozen Yogurt and treat yourself! Don’t forget to stop by every Wednesday for Waffle Cone Wednesdays – buy one desert and receive one waffle cone or waffle cup free!

 

It’s well established that America is an ice cream loving nation. From our downtown gelato shops to our beachside snow cone carts to our trendy, modern creameries, we love frozen sweet treats containing or inspired by rich, decadent, sweet, dairy cream. For centuries ice cream has been the desert of choice, but not until relatively recently has America revealed its infatuation with frozen yogurt.

It was in 1981 that TCBY founder, Frank D. Hickingbotham pitched franchising his modest frozen yogurt shop. Within a few years, frozen yogurt swept the country as an alternative to calorie-rich ice cream. Though the first true frozen yogurt incarnation was achieved when a Boston dairy company employee sent regular yogurt through a soft-serve ice cream machine in 1971, Mr Hickingbotham would go down in history as the father of frozen yogurt.

Sadly, America seemed to fall out of love with froyo just as quickly as it had fallen. TCBY’s massive franchise closed a thousand stores by 2001.

Just a few years later, Yogurtland in Southern California became the nation’s first self-serve frozen yogurt shop and America once again resumed its love affair with froyo. The self-serve craze has shown a longevity that leads us to believe that ice cream might soon be edged out as America’s favorite frozen treat.

Luckily at Frenzi, you can enjoy both decadent ice cream and silky froyo! Why choose a side when you can enjoy both? Visit our menu to see all our delicious froyo, ice cream, and extensive topping offerings.

Next time you visit historic Downtown Gresham, stop by Frenzi Frozen Yogurt and treat yourself! Don’t forget to stop by every Wednesday for Waffle Cone Wednesdays — buy one desert and receive one waffle cone or waffle cup free!

 

If ice cream is the ruler of the American frozen desert landscape, then froyo is well on its way to usurping ice cream’s crown. Frozen yogurt is lighter, creamier, and decidedly healthier than most ice cream; all the indulgence with a fraction of the guilt. We would never deign to designate froyo a guilty pleasure, with its myriad of health benefits, we daresay it’s a wholesome, healthy treat for all. But don’t take our word for it, these three celebrities have all proclaimed their love for froyo and have been snapped by paparazzi, sometimes with whole armloads of it (I’m looking at you, Selena Gomez).

Justin Beiber—This Canadian heartthrob loves froyo and has been snapped scarfing down towering peaks of topping coated frozen yogurt on dozens of occasions. Though we can only speculate on what his favorite flavor is, we respect his choice in frozen desserts regardless.

Lindsay Lohan—The biggest sensation of the new millennium has countless paparazzi photos of her and her compadres delicately slurping froyo from long candy-colored spoons in froyo shops from NYC to LA. While her body of work may be questionable, we can’t deny her superior taste in frozen desserts.

Adam Sandler—This affectionately offensive funnyman is a regular at his local frozen yogurt shop, turning up with his daughter so often, their pictures are plastered all over the shop’s walls and website.

For more fun, ice cream, froyo articles, and more, visit Frenzi Frozen Yogurt’s blog.

Ice cream has come a long way since it was first enjoyed as Asian Sorbeto and appropriated by Marco Polo. Centuries later, upon its introduction to America, it was only enjoyed by the elite. This was awhile before the invention of the ice house popularized frozen foods, and as such, ice cream was an ephemeral delicacy that few could afford. Aside from being a treat reserved for the rich and famous, it was also wildly different from what we now enjoy. Flavors were limited, but nonetheless, these historical figures found a way to enjoy some seriously memorable sundaes.

First Lady Dolley Madison was said to have a fondness for ice cream prepared with fresh Potomac oysters. Though this unique concoction was reported to be one of her favorite indulgences, she was resigned to serve vanilla ice cream topped with fresh strawberries for her husband’s inauguration. While we’re sure the vanilla and strawberries were lovely, we can’t help but wonder what she would have served atop the oyster ice cream.

Governor Francis Fauquier used the remarkably large hailstones that crashed through his mansion windows during a freak summer storm to make an ice cream with red wine and fresh cream. Governor Fauquier would go on to be one of the originators of the modern icehouse, or freezer, such was his love of ice cream.

First Lady Martha Washington was a huge fan of ice cream and served it often. Among her favorite flavors were parmesan cheese and chocolate, which by today’s standards would be quite spicy and bitter.

Click here for our own menu of delicious ice cream, frozen yogurt, and toppings.

We don’t need to tell you how much people love ice cream, it’s part of the fabric of America. From the formica and chrome countertops of soda fountains to candy-colored ice cream trucks heralding tinkling versions of nursery songs in its wake, we love ice cream and all of its sugary frozen associates. We love it so much in fact, that its influence on pop culture is inescapable. It’s been heavily represented in our art, our lore, and our music for decades. You may have an ice cream print in your kitchen, sticker on your notebook, or even an ice cream tattoo, but you know you’re really in love with ice cream if you can recite the words to these three songs (at the very least we expect a respectful head nod—in time with the beat if you please).

Ice Cream Man—Van Halen. This boot-stomping, hard-rocking ode to summer love and frosty peaks is almost 100% family friendly if you ignore the double entendres and focus on the guitar solos.

Ice Cream Man—Jonathan Richmond and the Modern Lovers. A very different reimagining of the dutiful role of the beloved ice cream man, this sweetly sung love song to the cherished ice cream truck is a timeless classic. Listen to this song with a vanilla cone in one hand and a tambourine in the other for maximum effect.

Ice Cream Man—Tom Waits. Tom Waits is the coolest ice cream man around, regaling his listeners with his neighborhood love story, serving cool treats to his cherished sweets in the deadest heat of summer.

For more fun facts about ice cream, froyo, and everything in between, visit Frenzi Frozen Yogurt’s website.

 

 

 

What do we really know about ice cream aside from the fact that it is universally loved and enjoyed? Who was the genius that formulated the first dish of ice cream? What were the first flavors?

There are so many questions, it’s enough to give you brain freeze.

Ice cream has a long history that starts thousands of miles from American soil. That long and storied history is marked by a handful of events which shaped what we now know as modern ice cream. Let’s take a quick journey through a few of the events that shaped the frosty treat that we love today.

Sometime during the 12th century, Marco Polo returned from Asia with what we may today consider sherbet. This recipe would shortly evolve into “cream ice.” In the 17th century, France would usurp this basic recipe when a chef named Procopio incorporated heavy cream and eggs into the mixture. The sweet dessert, now known colloquially as ice cream was now available to the public.

When ice cream finally arrived stateside via the confectioner Philip Lenzi in the late 1700s it was considered a delicacy and was mainly enjoyed by the elite. It wasn’t until insulated ice houses were invented and began popping up around the nation that ice cream became a readily available treat. By the mid-1800s it was a full-fledged American industry.

As the 1800s gave way to the 1900s, the soda counter became the main purveyor of ice cream, with the classic “soda jerk” serving new interpretations of ice cream in the form of floats, splits, and sundaes.

For more fun ice cream and froyo facts, visit Frenzi Frozen Yogurt’s website.

At Frenzi, we offer a number of, what we feel are, the best frozen yogurt flavors in the world — we might be biased, but that’s beside the point. Frozen yogurt is a global phenomenon, enjoyed all around the world by people of varying cultures. What are generally expected flavors in a western froyo shop (cake batter, cookies and cream) may seem outrageous to a Scandinavian who swears by salty black licorice yogurt. Here are a few of the most intriguing flavors enjoyed by global froyo enthusiasts:

Durian, AKA the world’s stinkiest fruit, is a huge, spiky melon known for its considerable smell. Durian is actually banned from areas throughout Southeast Asia just for its pungent odor. Despite the smell, durian has a flavor reminiscent of custard and almonds, so regardless of the olfactory offense, this sounds like a truly delightful froyo flavor.

Mazamorra Violeta is a purple corn that is a delicacy in South America. Originating from Peru, this sweet variety of corn also has a vibrant purple hue that makes for a lovely cup of froyo.

Japan offers novelty flavors of ice cream and froyo that can seem quite unbelievable from a western point of view, but if you consider squid ink, raw horse meat, wasabi and octopus attractive flavors that may find their truest compliment in the form of soft serve frozen yogurt, these may be brilliant.

 For more fun frozen treat ideas, visit Frenzi Frozen Yogurt’s website, or better yet visit us in person for a healthier frozen dessert option.

Most folks prefer their ice cream treats served in a cone or a cup. Sugar cones, waffle cones, cake cones or sturdy cups and spoons — that’s the typical arrangement of options when it comes to ice cream servings. Across the nation, the cup vs cone debate wages on, but it’s not often that we end up discussing the zany ways people eat ice cream. We’re leaving vanilla cake cone territory here and moving onto something much more…weird.

1. With Bacon and Whiskey — Something for the bacon-as-a-pop-culture-accessory crowd, this novelty sweet is blended with candied bacon and finished with a heavy pour of whiskey as the cream blends and freezes. It’s very adults only, but that doesn’t mean it’s not whimsical.
2. In A Taco Made From A Waffle — If you’ve never chased down an ice cream truck in the peak of summer, ordered a ChocoTaco and then promptly scarfed it curbside while luscious ribbons of vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, and sugar dribbled down your face, arms and legs, then you really missed out.
3. Donut Ice Cream Sandwiches — This may sound like some State Fair falderal but believe us when we say this is an ice cream eating experience to be celebrated and savored, but, for the love of your heart, do so only sparingly.
   

    For more fun frozen treat ideas, visit Frenzi Frozen Yogurt’s website, or better yet visit us in person for a healthier frozen dessert option.

 

It’s quite rare to meet someone without a sweet tooth, even a reluctant one. Americans are known globally for our love of all things sweet and creamy, and ice cream is arguably our favorite sweet creamy treat. From the beloved root beer float to the treasured banana split, we’ve found ways to insert ice cream into all manner of other foodstuffs. Our love for ice cream is so great that we put it in sandwiches, on cakes, in tacos. We brulee it, deep fry it, and truffle it. We can’t get enough. But what is it about ice cream that gets our collective mouths watering?

Plain and simple, it turns out that ice cream, does, in fact, make you happier. Studies done by neuroscientists at the Institute of Psychiatry in London showed that when subjects were observed eating a scoop of vanilla ice cream, the results were an “…immediate effect on parts of the brain known to activate when people enjoy themselves…”

Ice cream (and its first cousin froyo) stimulates pleasure centers in your orbitofrontal cortex, but more than just the simple release of serotonin, ice cream can trigger your sense of memory much in the same way your favorite song would. The feel of the silky blend of sugar and cream against your palate, the waft of vanilla or rich cocoa, the chill it leaves in its wake as it glides past your teeth and tongue; all of these feelings coalesce to create a strong connection between you and ice cream.

For more ice cream fun facts and musings, visit Frenzi Frozen Yogurt’s website today!

 

Full disclosure, we are acutely aware that dessert pretty much goes with everything. It might seem somewhat inane to consider particular food pairings with select frozen yogurt combinations, as everyone knows that there is no wrong way to consume post-meal frozen treats, but hear us out; there are a number of great Gresham restaurants right in our own little downtown community, and what better way to celebrate our thriving Main Street than to consider a post-meal froyo and a stroll among the streetlights?

If you’ve selected Nicholas Lebanese Restaurant for your meal this evening, you have most likely been beautifully bombarded with savory spices and robust flavors. This meal likely had the potential to make you sweat, maybe flush a bit and most certainly swoon over all the authentic flavors. Finish up your meal at Nicholas’s with a swirl of almond milk and pineapple dole whip froyo topped with fresh seasonal berries. The acid in the fruit will recall the bright flavors of your meal while the almond milk calms any lingering heat.

The Local Cow is just about the best burger this side of the Willamette. Finish up your Local Cow burger and fries with a milkshake from Frenzi in one of our classic flavors, and let the nostalgic Americana take you away.

If Boccelli’s Ristorante was your dining choice for the evening, finish up your hearty Italian meal with a swirl of cake batter and original tart froyo, topped with coconut and waffle cone pieces. Top it with a maraschino cherry et voila! The perfect dessert to complement your meal.

Next time you visit historic Downtown Gresham, stop by Frenzi Frozen Yogurt and treat yourself! Visit our menu to see our seasonal offerings and plan your next visit. Don’t forget to stop by every Wednesday for Waffle Cone Wednesdays – buy one desert and receive one waffle cone or waffle cup free!