Froyo files: Orange Leaf (Southpark Meadows)

I was so excited to see that Southpark Meadows finally had a froyo place.  But things didn't go quite as I had hoped.

This is going to be more of an existential treatise on sampling and frozen yogurt than a complete review of this place, mostly because I can't do a full review.  Because instead of providing sample cups, an employee comes out from behind the counter with sample cups to prepare them for you.  Hmm.

Orange Leaf: 9600 South I-35, Suite B-200, Austin, TX


When I visited: Friday, November 22nd, around 2 pm

Cost per ounce: 47 cents

Number of flavors: 16

Sorbet options: no true sorbet

Experience: Without ranting, let me describe what happened and how it made me feel as a customer. With the cashier by your side, you literally stand there and say, 'Okay, I'll try Gingerbread,' they put a little in the cup, hand it to you, and watch while you eat this sample.  You repeat this as many times as your personal tolerance for awkwardness allows, or until more customers come in and that one person on duty has to tend to them.  And then you are there, waiting for them to return and standing in front of the forbidden yogurt.


I only tried three flavors before the whole thing was just too awkward to stand and I was ready for it to all be over.  There were other flavors I would have liked to try, especially since they actually had quite an impressive number of them on offer.  But it felt a little ridiculous to go down the line and do them all like that. Pineapple was dairy-free, but felt more like a sherbet than a sorbet.  But it was still pretty good, and swirled with the Coconut next to it, became a good Pina Colada.  The aforementioned Gingerbread was also good, though I think with any of these spiced flavors in froyo I tend to want them stronger, creamier, just.... -er.  Similarly to the Spiced Apple Cider at TCBY earlier.

Maybe I'm being overly sensitive, but it felt a little like I was being accused of being a moocher, that I couldn't be trusted to sample for myself without gobbling up more than my share.  The more I sample, though, the more I buy.  And the more I tell all of you how good everything was.  Okay, there aren't that many of you, but still.  One last point: with prices hovering around a dollar for every two ounces, I think part of the business model is built-in sampling.  I understand the theory of increasing profit margins by decreasing the amount you give away for free.  But here's the actual result: my mom and I usually spend around $10 between us for each stop.  If the offerings are particularly delicious, maybe even $15.  What did I spend here? Less than $3.

I took a small swirl of pineapple and added a few pieces of fruit.  Tasty, and can I just say, I loved their spoons.  But something about the non-self-service just seemed so...odd.  I mean, if the sampling isn't self-service, what exactly is the point of it being self-service, as opposed to putting the yogurt behind the counter and having someone swirl it for you the way they scoop it in an ice cream shop?

Worth a revisit?  Yogurt-wise, yes.  Experience-wise, sadly no.  Just too complicated.  I think I'll go to the Teapioca Lounge right next door instead.

Froyo files: TCBY

Newly armed with contacts, I wanted to try them out while running.  And after that wonderful test of dust and depth perception, I rewarded myself with frozen yogurt.

TCBY: 5701 W. Slaughter Lane Bldg. B Suite 100, Austin

When I visited: Tuesday, November 19th, around 4 pm

Cost per ounce: 44 cents

Number of flavors: 10

Sorbet options: 1

Experience: I think this is just a genius location for frozen yogurt.  Aside from being the home of the new Alamo Drafthouse, it's still pretty much within walking distance for a great portion of the neighborhoods around Circle C.  So they are in a perfect position to catch people, which seems to be half the battle for froyo, or any business.  When we went, there were a number of kids who had clearly just gotten out of class and had come, either with friends or parents, for an afterschool snack.  

That made the taste testing a little crowded, but the sample cups were put out with the actual cups, so everything went smoothly, as people worked around each other in their strategic samplings.  My two favorites were the two I tried first: the grapefruit sorbet and the white chocolate mousse.  They didn't really go well together, though, so I did mostly grapefruit with a little Tart.  Dad did Grapefruit, Chocolate, and White Chocolate, with bits of Crunch on top.

They also had a Spiced Apple Cider which was nice, though I would have really loved it as more of an apple sorbet.  And a Honey Vanilla Greek yogurt that was interesting.  Could have been tangier, I think, but then I'm a little more of a Greek yogurt purist.

Worth a revisit? Yeah.  All in all, the yogurt was good, the location is great, and another froyo stop is added to my list.

Tokyo tales: Slurping ramen

Most people associate ramen with the dried blocks of noodles that can be bought by the crateful, with packets of sodium-overdosing flavor.  As with most things, these are just a shadow of the true amazingness of 'real' ramen.  A rich broth with soft noodles, crunchy bean sprouts, fall-apart meat and a softly-boiled egg...mmm.  Just how good is it?  Well, it's probably the one thing I ate the most while I was there this time around.  There were four separate ramen meals, each unique:

1.  Train Station Ramen

On our first day in Tokyo, we wandered around Akihabara and found the restaurant supply district (which deserves its own post later) near Ueno.  At Ueno station, we decided that whatever time our bodies thought it was, it was certainly time to eat something, so we popped into a noodle shop for sustenance more than anything else.

Just a plain miso broth with some pork.  Maybe I had just forgotten how good this stuff really is, but this tasted so much better than something from a train station has any right to.  It was definitely worth the few splatters I caused from my relearning chopstick skills.

2.  Vending Machine Ramen

Next was another ramen of convenience.  After a hard day's work, Dad didn't feel like venturing far from the hotel for dinner.  Thankfully, the Westin in Ebisu happens to be right next to a shopping square, and there is an underground path allowing you to access the shops and restaurants without ever actually going outside.  We found this in the basement level, it looks like the kind of place that would be packed for lunch on a work day.

What made this a little interesting was the way you ordered.  Rather than attempting broken English and pointing with a waitress, you push the buttons on this vending machine, which spits out tickets for each item and takes your money ahead of time.

I opted for the basic ramen, plus my favorite toppings of egg, pork, and bamboo.  And a small beer, the beverage of choice with a steaming bowl of goodness.

3.  The Favorite Ramen

There was only one planned ramen stop on this trip, to the 'favorite noodle shop' located in Harajuku.  It's just around the corner from Kiddy Land, an awesome toy store with several floors filled with Hello Kitty, Disney, and other toys.  It's pretty much a given at this point that for any time spent in Tokyo, one day has to be devoted to Harajuku for shopping and ramen.

This is an almost creamy pork broth, rich from the bones boiled for hours.  Otherwise, it features the same highlights of noodles, sprouts, egg, and pork.  We also shared some dumplings, and I got an almond jelly dessert as part of a set deal.

4. Cheesy Ramen

The final night in Tokyo, we didn't really have plans for dinner.  So I Googled around for ideas in the area, and read about this place, Tsukumo, that did cheesy ramen.  I didn't know whether to be intrigued or horrified.  What I knew I was, was hungry.  Dad approved of this culinary experiment, and it was an easy find just a few blocks from the Ebisu train station.

They start out with the rich pork broth, possibly with some of the parmesan rinds going into that process as well.  And the noodles we know and love.  Then, a 'Made in Italy' cheese grater takes a huge hunk of the stuff and grates it in a heaping pile into the soup.  You add your plate of extras (egg, pork, etc.), and ta-dah!

Man, I cannot tell you how good this was.  Seriously.  It sounds a little weird, but the cheese melts beautifully into the broth and noodles.  The only comparison I can make is to a french onion soup.  So delicious.  I'm quite pleased with myself for this find, but really that's the beauty of Tokyo, it almost doesn't matter where you happen to walk into, chances are you're going to get something good to eat.

Well, with the exception of when you walk into places that aren't restaurants, of course!

There you have it, another tale from Tokyo.  It's taking me a while to get to everything, but I hope you're enjoying it, because I love getting to relive it weeks afterwards.  Stay tuned for further installments of craft stores, food, and more.

Froyo files: Crazy Good (San Marcos)

The thought occurs that perhaps the lack of posts reviewing purveyors of frozen yogurt might lead readers to assume that I have stopped eating froyo.  Allay your fears, because it merely means that I have instead been enjoying swirls of dairy deliciousness in some of the same places I've already reviewed.  And I didn't think it necessary to share every bowl with you.  Most often, I've gone to Tutti Frutti, Chill Out, and Yogurt Spot, depending on which one coincides with the shopping of the day.

But this weekend, on the way back from Kid 'n Ewe, we stopped at a place I have been to before, but just happened to predate my blogging activities.  And so, another case for the Froyo files...

Crazy Good: 1504 Aquarena Springs Drive #303, San Marcos, TX

When I visited: Saturday, November 12th, around 4 pm

Cost per ounce: 45 cents

Number of flavors: 10

Sorbet options: 1

Experience: This is my mom's preferred froyo spot in San Marcos, and I like it too.  Aside from the one sorbet option, they also have a good Euro Tart and a Wildberry Tart.  Which is what I ended up having, because unfortunately the sorbet was fruit punch, and that just tends to have a fake taste to it.  But the Wildberry was really good, so I wasn't too disappointed.

There were also two cinnamon-y flavors, Snickerdoodle, and Cinnamon Roll.  Both of those were super-tasty when sampled, but just didn't make it into my final bowl selection because cinnamon and fruit doesn't melt together well.  The Irish Mint was nice and minty.  They also had a White Chocolate Macadamia, but I'm not sure how I felt about it.  White chocolate is kind of a non-flavor when it's done in something other than actual white chocolate.  It tasted a little like how certain sweet Yankee candles smell, if you know what I mean.

I want to give a shoutout to their Dulce de Leche, because even though it wasn't swirling on this particular day, it's a big reason why my mom will sometimes visit (gasp!) without me.  And also: they have an impressive selection of toppings, particularly in the sauce category.  There was a lemon zest one in particular that was really tempting, but I didn't try it because it was almost certainly not light on sugar.  But there seem to be an endless number of possibilities here as far as customizing your yogurt and jazzing it up even if you go with a plain Vanilla or Chocolate.

Worth a revisit? Yup!

A brand new face

What do you see when you look in the mirror?  This isn't so much a deep philosophical question, I mean it more matter-of-factly.  When you look in the mirror, you see...yourself.  Your face.  Every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to bed.  Usually with a toothbrush in your mouth, unless you happen to spend a lot of time just staring at yourself, in which case maybe you have a little too much time to spare.

Anyway, for most of my life, I haven't just seen my face, I've seen my face with glasses.  I think I was in third grade or so when I first got them.  And I need them, because otherwise I can't read that huge 'E' at the top of the charts.  So the only way I've seen my face without glasses is either as a vaguely me-shaped blur or with my nose practically pressed up against the mirror, which is not the way most other people would see it.

Until today, when I got contacts.

I don't plan on wearing them all the time.  Just on the odd day, particularly if I want to go running and don't want to keep pushing glasses up my nose as I go, or maybe on a random day when it's bright and I feel like wearing sunglasses.  Really, the only reason I decided to go ahead and get contacts was because my insurance will only cover new frames every other year, but lenses, whether contacts or glasses, you can have each year.  Plus, I have some flex spending money left over for the year, and if I don't use it, I lose it.  So getting contacts is like going shopping with money you've already spent.  Plus, I've always sort of wanted to try it, just to see.  Literally.

And so now, I have my first pair in.  Aside from being able to see to the side without turning my head, and dealing with the whole issue of touching my eyes so much, I'm just trying to get used to my face.  Because it's completely different.  I don't know quite how to describe it, but it's like there's so much more of it now.  My eyes are so far apart compared to the bridge between lenses on glasses.  And my cheeks, there's more of them as well.  So I'm spending a little too much time staring in the mirror, because it's not quite me.  And I keep putting my hands on my face, because it feels different as well.  My hair doesn't tuck behind my ears in quite the same way.  Little things that are completely ordinary, they are just new.

Okay, time to take them out again.  I've had them in for the allotted four hours, and I need to give myself plenty of time before dinner, since it took at least ten minutes to get them out the first time!

Cubicle kitchen: Pumpkin Pie Cookie Bar

Tis the season for pumpkin pie.  But why should the crust just be...crust?  Especially when it can be cookie.  When I saw this seasonal mix from Betty Crocker, I knew I had to make it.  And I've been using Hungry Girl's recipe for several years now to get the pumpkin pie feeling without the extra calories.  Putting two things like this together is pretty much my raison d'être, so it had to be done.

I was really worried about burning the cookie crust with the double baking, but they turned out really nicely, the filling likely keeping the crust moist, but not getting soggy.  You could probably also half the amount of dough, and get a more pie-like ratio of filling and crust.

Pumpkin Pie Cookie Bars
(adapted from Betty Crocker and Hungry Girl)
makes a 9x13" pan

Ingredients:

• Betty Crocker Pumpkin Spice Cookie Mix (you can also use sugar cookie mix with the addition of some pumpkin pie spice, or your own recipe)
• 15 oz can pumpkin puree
• 12 oz can evaporated fat-free milk
• 2 eggs (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
• 3/4 cup Splenda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare the cookie mix as directed.  Press into the prepared pan, using a spatula or your fingers to press it into the bottom evenly.
3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until dough is just set.  You don't want to end up overbaking the crust.  Allow it to cool at least slightly.
4. While the crust is baking (or even once cooling), mix together the pumpkin, milk, eggs, Splenda and spice.  Pour onto the crust and return to the oven for 45 minutes.
5. Allow the bars to cool, chilling in the fridge before cutting into squares (or triangles, like my picture).

A trip to the dentist is better than no sleep at all

I went in for my six-month cleaning today.  And there were two things that struck me.

First of all, doctor-patient small talk is already awkward at the best of times.  But it's one heck of a lot harder to chit chat when there are fingers and other implements occasionally in your mouth.  It must be a kind of fine art for dentists and hygienists, to cut through the awkwardness of the situation with conversation, and yet manage to not force dialogue while they are in the middle of something in your mouth.  No questions right before going in for the final floss, for instance.  It truly is commendable.

And second, as my chair was returning to its upright position, I felt oddly...rested.  That makes sense.  I mean, we're talking about 30 to 45 minutes where the most demanding thing I was asked to do was this aforementioned chit chat.  It's one of the few times when you can't multitask.  Kind of hard to use your iPhone, watch TV or draft a blog post.  Perhaps there's a slight uptick in blood pressure as I wait for a verdict on cavities, but really, it's a fairly relaxing break in the day.

And no, this completely random blog post was not brought to you by the remaining effects of laughing gas.  I only went in for a cleaning, and my pearly whites passed their inspection.