Just When You Thought The Magic Was Over….

  

The rainy weather has moved in once again, and the wind has really picked up as well. It’s just the beginning of the rainy season for Washingtonians, so we’re in for a long ride. With no sign of the stormy weather letting up today, I decided to stick with my nearest fro-yo option today. As much as I would have enjoyed an encore performance at Menchie’s Tacoma Mall, sometimes Mother Nature dictates otherwise. As the rain continued to pour, I dug out my galoshes and canoed my way to Menchie’s at Hawks Prairie.

Guess how many people were there today? Two; me and the manager. It’s not that surprising since there was a monsoon outside, so I have a feeling the shop will be very slow today. That’s okay because I prefer to have it all to myself, plus it gives me a chance to visit with the manager. As we caught up on the latest happenings, I took a peek at today’s lineup in the hopes that they would still have Spiced Gingerbread Cookie. I knew the odds were in my favor because this location is notorious for not having the new promotional flavors on their scheduled release dates, and true to fashion Spiced Gingerbread Cookie is still available and the newest release (Southern Pecan Pie) has yet to make an appearance. That’s good enough for me! Both are tasty, but out of the two I’d rather have Spiced Gingerbread Cookie. As I looked at the rest of the lineup, I had a taste for two in particular: Dreamy Dulce de Leche and I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream. I quickly sampled each, but I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream was a little on the icy side and didn’t pass the quality test. That was too bad, but at least Dreamy Dulce de Leche was creamy and wonderful. I gazed at the rest of the lineup for a third possibility, but the only potential candidate was Live From New York Cheesecake. The rain continued to pour, but I was quite content with what I was about to encounter. As I made my way to the cups, there was an exciting surprise waiting. This location recently found two cases of last year’s color-changing cups, so customers currently have a choice between having the new collectible Alvin & The Chipmunks cup or a magical color-changing Halloween cup. As much as I love Alvin & The Chipmunks, it’s been over a year since I had the chance to use a color-changing cup and I wasn’t about to let it slip through my fingers. Time to let the magic begin!

Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was the first to arrive on the scene, followed by Live From New York Cheesecake and Dreamy Dulce de Leche in a ratio of 50-20-30% respectively. The trio was off to a great start, but there were still a few sweet additions that were needed. Dreamy Dulce de Leche was given a small chunk of chocolate while Live From New York Cheesecake was paired with crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I had a special topping in mind for Spiced Gingerbread Cookie, so I planned ahead and brought a special stash of Cinnabon Morsels which would get added at the table. A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do, right? There was one other order of business before hitting the scale, though; cookie dough bites and whipped cream made their way throughout the cup and then it was time to pay. After today’s discount, my total was only $0.67; not bad if I do say so myself. It seemed only appropriate that since I had a color-changing cup I should pick a color-changing spoon as opposed to a red Alvin the Chipmunk spoon. I grabbed my favorite table, added my secret stash of Cinnabon Morsels, and then it was time to take the first bite.

As expected, this was scrumptious and definitely worth getting soaked for. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was savory with a wonderful spice-induced flavor, and it was elevated even more with the special Cinnabon topping. Nothing like some gingerbread to get into the holiday season! Live From New York Cheesecake was mild but still had that special something, probably because of its PB topping. Zelda love love loves her Peanut Butter, and one way or another there will be PB in the cup whether it’s fro-yo or a topping. Dreamy Dulce de Leche was smooth and indulgent, satisfying all of my sweet caramel craving dreams. Chocolate and caramel? Ooh that’s a sinfully sweet combination that I can’t pass up. Bite after bite of pure decadent bliss, Zelda’s taste buds were over the moon and there was no looking back.

Surprisingly, there ended up being a few other customers who came in while I was eating. That was quite unexpected for both myself and the manager since this is the kind of weather that usually keeps customers away, but the fro-yo cravings don’t stop just because the weather is less than desirable. Whether you choose to answer them or not, that’s a different story. I’ve driven through snow storms and icy roads all in the name of Peanut Butter, so a little bit of rain and wind is nothing. I don’t know about you, but I’m not prepared to suffer the wrath of ignoring my sweet tooth!

Until we eat again….

Z-

 

Move Over Pumpkin Pie, It’s Pecan Time

   

   

   

It’s Monday once again, and no one usually looks forward to the start of the week. The only time Mondays are appealing is when there’s a holiday or a new fro-yo flavor. Just my luck, there happens to be a new flavor at Menchie’s as of yesterday! I know better than to pin all of my fro-yo hopes on a new flavor, so there has to be a backup plan that involves Peanut Butter. My strongest PB option at the moment is Menchie’s at Tacoma Mall, plus they have another one of my favorites. Sold! The weather may have been cold and windy, but it wasn’t going to keep me from a special dessert. Back to the mall for a noteworthy adventure!

There were two other customers when I arrived, so evidently the damp day didn’t keep everyone away. The team member welcomed me in as I grabbed my favorite table, and then I was anxious to see what yummy things awaited me. The holiday promotion began two weeks ago and has launched three flavors so far, one of which has already departed. Chocolate Mint Creme made with Andes is one of the lucky ones that will be in all month, but Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was only in the store for two weeks and departed to make way for today’s arrival of Southern Pecan Pie. It’s too bad because I really like Spiced Gingerbread Cookie whereas I’m not a fan of mint flavored fro-yo. That’s the breaks, though! Luckily for me Southern Pecan Pie is yummy, although I have to say that I didn’t get much of a nutty flavor. It’s very sweet and it almost reminded me of a maple flavor more so than pecan. It’s been years since I’ve had pecan pie, but this didn’t really taste like pecan pie to me. If I didn’t know what the flavor was, I probably wouldn’t be able to identify it in a blind taste test. It was still yummy and a definite contender, so that’s what really matters. I already knew what my two main flavors would be, so a quick quality check ensured their place in the cup and then it was time to create.

Creamy Peanut Butter was joined by Southern Pecan Pie and Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll to make a sweet and scrumptious delight. A powerful trio this was, and all it needed was a few tasty trinkets. Creamy Peanut Butter was accented with Hershey’s Special dark chocolate chips, Southern Pecan Pie received a light dusting of graham cracker crumbs, and Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll was in its own sweet bliss because it was drizzled with cream cheese icing. It also had another topping that would be arriving once I sat down at the table, but that’s something I’ll get to in a moment. For the entire cup, cookie dough bites and whipped cream were added before redeeming a 50% discount through the Pirq smartphone app. Awesome! I grabbed my spoon and headed to the table, and that’s when the highly coveted Cinnabon Morsels made their appearance. The promotional topping ran out a few weeks ago, but I took home a cup for future Cinnabon encounters and I always bring it with me. After they made their appearance, I was ready to indulge.

I was in heaven from the first bite! Creamy Peanut Butter had such decadence that dazzled me through and through. I can never get enough of this amazing flavor, and it’s an encounter like this that made me fall in love with it in the first place. Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll was the second favorite of the day, enrobed in its specially themed toppings. Every bite was tantalizing, and I was quickly in a state of fro-yo euphoria. Southern Pecan Pie was succulent and had a sugary sweetness, blending well with both of its neighbors. It was the smallest portion of the three, but it held its own very nicely. Graham cracker crumbs were a perfect accent considering this was a “pie” flavor even though it didn’t make me think of pecan pie per se. I tried to make the cup last as long as possible, but all good things eventually come to an end. I guess it’s a good thing for me that there’s always another adventure waiting in the wings, so let’s hope it’s every bit as amazing as Monday’s was!

Until we eat again….

Z-

It’s Back In All Its Cinnabon Glory!

   

Another rainy Saturday, but that didn’t stop Zelda from tracking down her beloved PB. Menchie’s at Tacoma Mall still has Creamy Peanut Butter for the time being, plus they brought back another one of Zelda’s favorites. They were definitely the most promising of options, so as the rain continued to fall I found myself searching for a parking spot at a rather crowded Tacoma Mall in hopes of something scrumptious. Persistence paid off, but would the reward?

The shop was empty compared to all of the stores inside the mall, but it wasn’t exactly the kind of day that would make someone crave a frozen treat (unless you’re Zelda). The team member welcomed me in and was wondering if she’d see me today since I’ve been in the last few Saturdays. I am quite the creature of habit after all, and when there is Peanut Butter that’s even more assurance that I’ll stop by. It probably won’t be around much longer, but at least it’s here today. To make things even better, the shop brought back one of my favorites yesterday: Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll. It was one of last month’s featured flavors and has been disappearing and reappearing at a few locations lately; I’ve been tracking it down like a mad woman! This shop is also the only location that still has the cream cheese icing that was released with it, so that’s a major bonus. And if that’s not enough, I’m also a big fan of Spiced Gingerbread Cookie which debuted two weeks ago. Today’s the last day to have it at Tacoma Mall because the next featured flavor arrives tomorrow, so I have to enjoy it while I can. With three heavy hitters, there was no need to look any further. I still checked the rest of the lineup to make sure I didn’t overlook anything, but these were the only three that called out. After a quick quality check, my Alvin & The Chipmunks cup was ready to be filled.

Creamy Peanut Butter the first flavor to arrive, and it was joined by Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll and Spiced Gingerbread Cookie respectively. Creamy Peanut Butter had the luxury of being joined by crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups as well as Hershey’s Special dark chocolate chips. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was joined by graham cracker crumbs as well as cream cheese icing, and then I moved on to Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll. When the flavor was released, there were two promotional toppings that coincided with it: Cinnabon Morsels and cream cheese icing. The Cinnabon Morsels ran out a few weeks ago, but I brought home a cup of them for my own personal stash, so they make an appearance at any and all Cinnabon encounters. Since they usually get added after I pay, I drizzled a little bit of cream cheese icing to Cinnabon before adding my final two accents of cookie dough bites and whipped cream throughout the cup. After redeeming a discount through the Pirq smartphone app, I received a 50% discount on my order. Awesome! Time to grab a spoon and add the coveted morsels to Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll. Perfecto! You know what comes next…..indulgence.

Wow, what a home run! Spiced Gingerbread Cookie and Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll had an amazing savory comfort, and every bite made my tongue dance with excitment. Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll was the highlight of the two, but Spiced Gingerbread Cookie wasn’t too shabby in the least. Creamy Peanut Butter seemed to melt in my mouth and awakened every sense imaginable. My sweet tooth was in heaven! It’s a bit different compared to Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll, so it’s hard to say which of the two was my favorite today. I enjoyed both in their own special way, holding on to every bite as long as possible. Eventually I got to the last bite which was a mixure of Creamy Peanut Butter and Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll, and then I was staring at the few remaining droplets and wondering where it had all gone. If there were a dreamy Saturday encounter to be had, this was definitely it. It’s going to take a lot to top this with Sunday’s adventure, so I’m already looking at my possibilities. Will it be a visit to the land of yogurt or a possible refreshment in Seattle? Or perhaps a return to Menchie’s to welcome in the next flavor? What will the taste buds ask for?

Until we eat again….

Z-

13 Rules The Day

   

   

It’s Fro-Yo Friday the 13th! I’m not much into superstition, and I actually find the number 13 to be quite lucky. There are plenty of people out there who avoid black cats and walking under ladders, though. For my Fro-Yo Friday the 13th adventure, I decided to pay a visit to the crew at Menchie’s in Hawks Prairie since I hadn’t been there yet this week. They’ve always got a few flavors I crave, and they’re the most convenient option. Considering that it was raining cats and dogs outside, a short drive was much appreciated. As the afternoon arrived, a Menchie’s encounter was upon me.

I was the first customer of the day, and the manager greeted me with a big smile. It’s been a while since I’ve been in during her shift, and she has definitely noticed. We had plenty to catch up on, and it was perfect timing since the weather was so lousy. Not too many people think about fro-yo on a cold and rainy day, but the weather never stops me. As we chatted, I took a look to see what had changed since last week’s visit and noticed one big difference…..Creamy Peanut Butter has left the building! I knew it was coming, so it wasn’t a surprise and I had prepared myself for it. In its place was one of the featured flavors for the month, Chocolate Mint Creme (made with Andes). I’m not much of a mint fro-yo fan, so I didn’t give it a second thought and kept looking. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie is another featured flavor that I find rather appealing, so it was my strongest contender. I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream was my second leading option, and the sample found it to be just the way I like it (not too chocolatey). I also considered Dreamy Dulce de Leche, but caramel wasn’t calling me today like it usually does. Since I already had two dominant flavors, I looked at possible divider flavors and decided on Live From New York Cheesecake. Time to grab a cup and get to it!

Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was joined by Live From New York Cheesecake and I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream. As I pondered the toppings, I knew there had to be something special and I started with chocolate. I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream was given crushed KitKat and chocolate chunks while Live From New York Cheesecake was paired with crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I planned in advance for Spiced Gingerbread Cookie because there are only a couple of toppings I really like to use, and neither are available at this location. Both of the two in question are promotional toppings from last month’s Cinnabon flavor, and Zelda just so happens to have some of the last remaining Cinnabon Morsels in her possession. Since they make their appearance at the table, I added my usual go-to toppings of cookie dough bites and whipped cream throughout the cup and after today’s discount the cup was only  whopping $0.13. How’s that for a coincidence? Fro-Yo Friday the 13th for $0.13! The shop still has some of the color changing spoons as well as the new Alvin the Chipmunk spoon, so I grabbed one of each and claimed my favorite table. A girl has to have her choice of spoons, right? The last order of business was to add the super secret Cinnabon Morsels to Spiced Gingerbread Cookie, and then it was ready for tasting.

I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream was the first flavor to leave the cup; it was rich and well balanced, satisfying my chocolate cravings. Live From New York Cheesecake was mild yet sweet, and its PB topping really gave it pizzazz. Zelda loves her PB, and if I can’t have Peanut Butter fro-yo then you can be certain that there will be a PB topping. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was savory and scrumptious, and the Cinnabon Morsels were a perfect accompaniment. Had the cream cheese icing still been available, I would have gone with that as well. It ran out within the last week, so it’s becoming a little more scarce and Tacoma Mall is the only location that still has it (as of Wednesday). Before I knew it, I was taking the last few bites and licking the spoon clean. What a way to spend a rainy afternoon!

The shop only had two other customers while I was there, and it was rather funny because one of them reciognized me as soon as she walked in. She was a lady who had been at the Capital Mall location on Tuesday and we were casually talking about flavors etc. Dreamy Dulce de Leche came up in conversation and the fact that Capital Mall hasn’t had it lately, so I mentioned that Hawks Prairie keeps it as a permanent flavor. Well, wouldn’t you know it? She took my advice and came in today just so she could have it. It was ironic that we were both here at the same time, so we both got a kick out of that. Great minds think alike, right?

Until we eat again….

Z-

A Special Veteran’s Treat

It’s Wednesday, but it feels like a weekend because it’s Veteran’s Day. A mid-week holiday is always a good thing! In honor of the holiday, I invited my favorite veteran to join me on my adventure today and it just so happened that Menchie’s is offering a free yogurt to veterans as well as active duty and family members. If there’s free fro-yo, you can bet I’ll be there! The Tacoma Mall location has a great lineup at the moment to include my beloved PB, so after a fun morning of shopping holiday sales and enjoying a complimentary lunch it was dessert time at Menchie’s.

The shop was bustling with military families when I arrived, and I think this is probably one of the busiest days I’ve seen at this store. I was surprised that my favorite table was open, so I grabbed it before anyone else had a chance to. My friend was working today, so she welcomed me in amidst all of the hubbub and we chatted in between customers. We always enjoy our visits, and I try to drop by when I know she’s working. Once the shop quieted down, I ventured over toward the sample cups to see what looked tempting. So many choices! I didn’t see anything different since my visit on Saturday, so that made the choice a simple one. Three flavors called out to me, and they all passed their quality check even though Creamy Peanut Butter was not so creamy and was a little firmer than it should have been. The other two were ideal, but this one was slightly less than perfect. I guess PB might have the minority of the cup for a change.

Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was joined by Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie and (not so) Creamy Peanut Butter. Whenever I have bold flavors in the cup, it’s nice to separate them with a milder divider flavor and Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie was perfect for the task. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie had the pleasure of being adorned with Cinnamon Toast Crunch (from Zelda’s personal stash) as well as cream cheese icing, Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie was paired with crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Creamy Peanut Butter was given a chocolate accompaniment in the form of Hershey’s Special dark chocolate chips. For the finale cookie dough bites and whipped cream were generously distributed throughout the cup to make it complete, and the cup was free thanks to the generous Veteran’s Day offer. With a collectible Alvin the Chipmunk spoon in hand, I was ready to savor the reward.

Spiced Gingerbread Cookie and Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie were today’s highlights, and every bite was a dream. I love the savory presence of Spiced Gingerbread Cookie, and it always goes so well with cream cheese icing. The icing is a former promotional topping that was brought in for Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll, so it’s only here for a short time and the shop is almost out. I don’t know how I’ll survive after it’s gone, but I’m sure I’ll manage. It really adds a nice touch to some of the autumn flavors, so it will really be missed. Creamy Peanut Butter may not have lived up to its name today, but it’s hard to say anything bad about my favorite flavor. Since it wasn’t a perfect 10, it was the first flavor to exit so that I could focus on the two creamier offering. Talk about saving the best for last! It wasn’t long before the cup was empty and staring back at me, and my sweet tooth was once again satisfied. With the holiday coming to a close, there are just two short days until another weekend rolls around. And something tells me that tomorrow will find Zelda in the Emerald City! Who’s up for a refreshment?

Until we eat again….

Z-

Warm Cinnabon Comfort On A Cold Day

  

   

Tuesday brought extremely cold temperatures, but it wasn’t going to stop Zelda from enjoying her favorite frozen dessert. I had it on good authority that Menchie’s at Capital Mall still has Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll for a couple of days, so I knew that was where today’s adventure would lead me. Until recently the Hawks Prairie store also had it, but they finally took it out a few days ago. Now it seems that Capital Mall is the only Cinnabon game in town, and that’s good enough for me. I planned my morning so that I would be on the west side of Olympia when fro-yo hour approached, and Menchie’s was calling my name.

The manager welcomed me in, and the shop was empty. It wasn’t exactly the most inviting weather for fro-yo, but some of us just have to have our daily indulgence no matter how low the temperature outside is. I certainly don’t mind an empty shop because there’s nothing I dread more than a crowded shop when I’m creating my masterpiece (except maybe for icy fro-yo). I grabbed my usual table and chatted for a while before eventually making my way to the sample cups. In addition to Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll, I had my eye on a couple of other flavors. The shop always keeps I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream as a permanent flavor in the lineup, so that was one of today’s other contenders in addition to Spiced Gingerbread Cookie which made its debut earlier this month. After a quality check of each, the trio was decided and my cup was ready to be filled.

Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll was the first flavor to arrive, followed by I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream and Spiced Gingerbread Cookie. The majority of the cup was awarded to Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll at 50% while I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream was a modest divider flavor at 20%, and Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was given the remaining 30%. The trio was looking so scrumptious, but it still needed a few forget-me-nots. Those of you who have shared in my adventures before know that Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll is best enjoyed when it has its signature toppings of Cinnabon Morsels and cream cheese icing. Oddly enough, the owner of this location is not a fan of either topping and chose not to order them. Are you kidding me? Why is it that owners tend to stock flavors and topping based on what they like as opposed to what the customer likes. It’s a real tragedy in my opinion, and it calls for drastic measures. No, I don’t carry a vial of cream cheese icing with me although I probably should since it goes so well with Spiced Gingerbread Cookie also. I do however carry a small stash of Cinnabon Morsels whenever I know I’m going to have a Cinnabon opportunity. When the Tacoma Mall location started to run low, I made sure I brought home a cup of this scrumptious topping for future Cinnabon encounters. They’ll make their appearance after I sit down at the table, so for now I continued on to I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream which was paired with crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey’s Special dark chocolate chips before adding Cinnamon Toast Crunch to Spiced Gingerbread Cookie. For the finale, cookie dough bites and whipped cream were added throughout the cup before heading to the scale. As good as it sounds, it was about to get even better. After redeeming some of my Menchie’s Money, today’s treat was totally free. Let’s hear it for free fro-yo! As I took my seat, I broke out the coveted stash of Cinnabon Morsels and then it was complete. Let the eating begin!

Ooh, I love a good savory combo like this! Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll was every bit as mouth-watering as always, and its super secret topping was the missing link to make it irresistible. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was another wonderfully savory choice, and having Cinnamon Toast Crunch was a nice complement. You can never go wrong with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar, especially when the savory holiday flavors are involved. For my chocolate fix, I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream had exactly what I craved and it was the perfect balance of cocoa and cream. I don’t really like flavors that are over chocolately, so this one was perfect. Between my three choices, my taste buds were in heaven and I soon forgot just how cold it was outside. This was comfort food in a cup! Eventually I reached the end and had to brave the cold once again, but it was definitely a worthwhile endeavor.

Until we eat again….

Z-

A Triple Play In MOre ways than one

Sunday’s adventure took a little bit of a different turn than originally expected, but it was a yummy one nonetheless. Typically I enjoy lunch at my favorite Tukwila restaurant followed by a visit to Yogurtland in Kent, but I decided to switch it up a bit and ended up having lunch in Federal Way. I was still planning to visit the land of yogurt, but my favorite fro-yo companion was with me and had not been to Menchie’s since the new flavors arrived. It actually worked out quite well because Yogurtland’s new promotion starts tomorrow, so there’s a likely chance that I’ll be going. Menchie’s at Tacoma Mall has a really amazing lineup right now anyway, so it didn’t take much convincing for me to change my plans. After a fantastic meal, it was back to Tacoma Mall for another Menchie’s indulgence.

The shop was bustling with several families when I arrived, and I can’t even remember the last time I saw so many people here. My favorite table was still available, so I quickly grabbed it and then said hello to the team member. The first thing I noticed was that one of the machines was turned around to be serviced, and unfortunately for me it was the machine with Spiced Gingerbread Cookie. Oh no! Evidently the team member was having trouble with a few of the parts and was having trouble putting the machine back together. She had been trying for a while and had no luck, but then the shop got busy and she hadn’t been able to work on it any more. Instead of waiting for the next team member to come in, my favorite fro-yo companion offered to help and wouldn’t you know it….they had the magic touch and within a couple of minutes the machine was successfully put back together. Hooray! After a short time of waiting for the yogurt to freeze, we got the thumbs up that Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was back in business. i already knew which flavors I wanted and nothing had changed since yesterday, so my sampling was brief. Time to build a masterpiece!

Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was joined by Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie and Creamy Peanut Butter to make a perfect trio of goodness. A sweet and savory combination like this deserves a few special accompaniments, so I started with Spiced Gingerbread Cookie which was given graham cracker crumbs and cream cheese icing. Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie was paired with crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Creamy Peanut Butter was adorned with Hershey’s Special dark chocolate chips. Cookie dough bites and whipped cream are two of my must-have toppings, so both were added to all three flavors to make it complete. After redeeming a deal through the Pirq smartphone app, I received a 50% savings which is always a bonus. Time to dig in!

What a hit! This trio had it all….sweet, savory, not to mention the CHOCOLATE! Zelda loves her chocolate toppings, especially when it comes to dark chocolate. Creamy Peanut Butter was rich and had wonderful flavor making it the highlight of the cup once again although Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was a very close second. There’s something about that savory goodness that combines so nicely with the cream cheese icing; it’s a match made in heaven! I’m really going to miss having the cream cheese icing once it’s gone, but Spiced Gingerbread Cookie will only be here for a short time anyway. Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie aka Pan’s Pixie Dusted Sugar Cookie was sweet and sugary, and its texture was much better than yesterday. It still wasn’t perfectly creamy, but it was well on its way. The entire cup had my taste buds in overdrive, and it was such a euphoric feeling. Another great finish to the weekend! Typically no one likes to see the weekend wrap up, but Monday will bring something new in the land of yogurt. It looks like Zelda might be taking a road trip to Kent!

Until we eat again….

Z-

A Sugar Cookie Without Pixie Dust

  

   

Another rainy Saturday found Zelda making the drive back to Tacoma. In case you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m quite the creature of habit. I have certain places I like to go on the weekend, so I often spend my Saturdays in Tacoma which opens up a few extra options for fro-yo. After such a delicious encounter yesterday at Menchie’s, I didn’t think twice about returning to Tacoma Mall for an encore. Peanut Butter, here I come!

The shop wasn’t very busy today, but that’s not a surprise since the weather was kind of yucky. The mall itself was busy with lots of shoppers trying to get a jump on the upcoming holiday season, but not too many people were looking for a frozen snack. Both of the team members welcomed me in and we chatted for a while, and then I took a look at today’s offerings. Although I was just here yesterday, there was an exciting flavor change. I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream had been replaced by a new but very familiar flavor. At first I thought it to be something I hadn’t seen before, but then I realized it was a former promotional flavor in disguise. In September, Menchie’s debuted Pan’s Pixie Dusted Sugar Cookie during their promotion for the “Pan” theatrical release. It was only in stores for the month and quietly exited as September came to an end. Evidently the flavor was such a hit that it has become part of the regular rotation at Menchie’s under its permanent name, Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie. This was definitely great news, and I immediately grabbed a sample cup. The texture was a little bit firmer than what it should have been, but it wasn’t to the point where I wouldn’t get it in my cup. My other two top contenders were Creamy Peanut Butter and Spiced Gingerbread Cookie, so after a quick quality check I was ready to start mixing.

Creamy Peanut Butter was the first flavor to arrive at the party, followed by Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie and Spiced Gingerbread Cookie. Creamy Peanut Butter had the majority of the cup at 50% while Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie was a modest divider flavor at 20%, leaving Spiced Gingerbread Cookie to make up the remaining 30%. My eyes lit up at the sight of this sweet and savory combo, but it wasn’t complete without a few special trinkets. Creamy Peanut Butter was paired with Hershey’s Special dark chocolate chips, Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie was adorned with crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Spiced Gingerbread Cookie had the pleasure of graham cracker crumbs and cream cheese icing. For the finale, cookie dough bites and whipped cream were added throughout just to liven it up even more. I even utilized another deal through the Pirq smartphone app and got a 50% discount, so let’s hear it for savings! With another collectible Alvin the Chipmunk spoon in hand, I grabbed my favorite table and indulged.

Creamy Peanut Butter was today’s highlight once again with its smooth and satisfying decadence. There’s nothing like having fresh PB, and this was definitely a 10 on Zelda’s scale of PB perfection. From the first bite I was completely mesmerized and knew I’d be feeling the effects of a PB coma very shortly. Soft-Baked Sugar Cookie was sweet and pleased my taste buds nicely, but its texture was very firm and borderline icy. I’ve noticed that to often be the case when there are flavor changes at this location. It has something to do with the steps they take in cleaning the machine, so coming in on the first day that the flavor is offered is not always a good thing. By the second day the texture is usually creamy and back to the way it should be, but the first day usually leaves something to be desired. The texture may not have been the greatest, but the taste was good. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was savory and inviting, and I am really enjoying having it with the cream cheese icing that was brought in for last month’s Cinnabon flavor. I know it’s just a temporary thing, so I’m trying not to get too attached. I think it’s a little late for that, though! Once the cream cheese icing is gone, they probably won’t be able to order it again since it was only available as a promotional topping. I have to make the most of it while I can, and believe me I will. I relished every bite of this succulent creation and before I knew it I was holding an empty spoon. Where did it all go? Is it me or does anyone else have this problem of having their dessert disappear too quickly? It’s madness! At least I have another cute spoon to show for it, though!

Until we eat again….

Z-

A New Match For Cream Cheese Icing? Ooh, Yum!

   

  

It’s Fro-Yo Friday once again, so let the weekend begin! An event like this calls for something special, and Zelda had just the place in mind. I had gotten word that Creamy Peanut Butter was back in stock at Menchie’s (Tacoma Mall), and that’s always great news for me. I knew my friend would be working today as well, so no one had to twist my arm. After spending the morning in Tacoma, my afternoon adventure sent me to the mall for a sweet treat.

My friend welcomed me in with open arms, and she was super excited when she saw I came bearing a treat for her. Who doesn’t enjoy a special surprise? It’s always nice to brighten someone’s day, and that’s exactly what I did. The shop had a few customers who were taking advantage of today’s $5 Fill-Up Friday promotion, but it wasn’t too busy to where we couldn’t chat for a while. After a little bit of girl talk, I decided it was time for dessert and made my way toward the sample cups. Creamy Peanut Butter arrived yesterday and took the place of Toasty Marshmallow, and that was the only noticeable change since I was here on Monday. The “Holiday Sweet Shop” promotion began on Sunday and launched two new flavors: Spiced Gingerbread Cookie and Chocolate Mint Creme (made with Andes). I’m not a fan of chocolate mint fro-yo, so I wasn’t too impressed with the Andes flavor. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie is rather tasty, so it was a definite contender for today’s creation. The shop still has I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream, so after a quick taste test it became another of the chosen few. Nothing else stood out, so after three positive samples it was time to pick up a collectible Alvin & The Chipmunks cup and start the delicious process.

Spiced Gingerbread Cookie kicked things off, followed by I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream and Creamy Peanut Butter. There was no majority today, so all flavors received 1/3 of the cup. Fortunately for me, the shop still has cream cheese icing which is one of the promotional toppings from last month’s Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll flavor. This was a perfect choice for Spiced Gingerbread Cookie! I also added a few graham cracker crumbs and then I moved on to I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream which was adorned with crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, while Creamy Peanut Butter was the happy recipient of Hershey’s Special dark chocolate chips. For the finale, I always add cookie dough bites and whipped cream throughout to make it complete. After utilizing a deal through the Pirq smartphone app, I even received a 50% discount for today’s purchase which is always a bonus. With a red Alvin the Chipmunk spoon in hand, I grabbed my favorite table and prepared to have my sweet tooth dazzled.

What a way to spend an afternoon! My taste buds were on overload and there was no stopping them. Spiced Gingerbread Cookie was quite flavorful, and the cream cheese icing brought a nice level of sweetness to it. I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream was smooth and well-balanced with a light chocolatey taste, and having a PB topping is always a great match. Creamy Peanut Butter was the flavor I enjoyed the most with its intoxicatingly bold flavor. Whenever there’s PB and chocolate, you know it’s bound to be heavenly. Before I knew it, there were only a couple of bites left and then the cup was empty. How did it go so fast? You know what they say, good things never last for very long. Good thing for me there’s another adventure waiting in the wings….now it’s just a matter of choosing where to go!

Until we eat again….

Z-

Bonus Morsels And Promo Flavors that are missing in action

Who ordered the chilly temperatures? I know I sure didn’t! Zelda woke up to a nippy 37 degrees, and it was definitely not the kind of weather that makes a person think of frozen treats (present company excluded). I may not have been motivated to do very much, but I managed to leave the cozy comfort of home long enough to track down my beloved Peanut Butter. Since the past few adventures have been PB-less, I wasn’t about to delay it any longer. I looked at my nearest option which is Menchie’s at Hawks Prairie because they have PB as well as a lot of good flavors right now, plus I didn’t want to make the drive to Tacoma which is where Black Bear is located. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Black Bear, but I’ve found it hard to pass up on some of the flavors at Menchie’s lately and I tend to go where the flavors are. As fro-yo hour approached, I threw on an extra layer of clothing and headed to Menchie’s at Hawks Prairie for some PB relief.

I was the first customer of the day and the shift lead happily welcomed me in. He was still getting the shop set up, so I took a seat and kept him company while he finished stocking the chilled toppings. As I looked around, I noticed the poster for the new “Holiday Dessert Shop” promotion which began on Sunday. Oddly enough neither of the new promotional flavors are in, so I’m sure that has raised a few eyebrows for customers. I know from experience that this location doesn’t always have the promotional flavors available on the first of the month, so I wasn’t too surprised when I noticed their absence. With that being said, why would you advertise the flavors if you don’t have them? That doesn’t make any sense and it’s a bit misleading, but I guess that’s par for the course. I inquired about how soon they would be in stock, but the employee wasn’t sure. The good news in that scenario is that Creamy Peanut Butter is still available for the time being; one of the promotional flavors will be replacing it so it’s days are numbered. To my excitement Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll is also still in stock, so that was another strong contender. After a quick sample of each, I looked for a third possibility and decided to sample I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream and Dreamy Dulce de Leche. The texture of I Dream Of Cookies ‘n’ Cream was a little firm, and it didn’t hit the spot like usual. Dreamy Dulce de Leche was a lot harder to resist, so it looks like Zelda found her third. TIme to pick up an “Alvin & The Chipmunks” cup and create my mix.

Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll was the first flavor to arrive, followed by Dreamy Dulce de Leche and Creamy Peanut Butter. Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll had the majority at 40% while the other two had 30% each. When it was time to pick out a few toppings, there was a pleasant surprise waiting for me. When I was here last Wednesday, the shop had run out of Cinnabon Morsels which were brought in specifically for the month of October to coincide with Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll. It was disappointing because I really like the topping, but I knew it would run out eventually. Well, it seems that they found one last bin of these precious morsels in the freezer; evidently it was buried underneath the cookie dough bites. Score! I was definitely excited about that, so I added them to Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll and then drizzled some of the cream cheese icing before moving on to the next flavor. Dreamy Dulce de Leche was given a small chunk of chocolate, and Creamy Peanut Butter was paired with crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. For the finale, cookie dough bites and whipped cream made an appearance throughout the cup and then it was time to grab another limited edition Alvin the Chipmunk spoon and put him to work.

What a treat! Creamy Peanut Butter was smooth and nutty, satisfying every taste bud imaginable. Oh, how I’ve missed my PB the last several days! I don’t like to go this long in between PB encounters, but sometimes it happens. Dreamy Dulce de Leche was rich and caramelicious, dazzling me with its silky decadence. You can never go wrong with a great caramel flavor! And then there’s Cinnabon…..mmmmm…….Zelda loves a good cinnamon flavor. It’s savory, but with its signature toppings there was an element of sweetness that could satisfy any sweet tooth. How can you go wrong with cream cheese icing? That’s the best part of a cinnamon roll, and it really enhances the flavor. The Cinnabon morsels are soft, especially after they’re thawed, and their doughiness reminds me of the inside of a cinnamon roll. This was a fantastic indulgence! The shop only had two customers while I was there and it was toward the end of my adventure, so I was able to enjoy having the shop to myself and savor the moment. This was definitely worth braving the cold air! Something tells me that the next time I go there may not be any Creamy Peanut Butter, but there’s a possibility that Cinnabon will still be there. If by some chance they’re both gone, at least I know I’ll have Spiced Gingerbread Cookie to look forward to!

Until we eat again….

Z-