The Perfect Fro-Yo

photo (1) Summer is in full swing. That means so are the two most time-honored Jackson Hole summer pastimes: killing mosquitos and looking for chilly foods and beverages. While even deep-woods Off! may never cure the bugs, hope isn’t lost for those in search of something refreshing and sweet. It’s called frozen yogurt. And around Jackson, you have no shortage of choices.

For frozen yogurt newbies, Haagen-Dazs in Crabtree Corner has two great flavors of extra creamy fro-yo, starting at $3.15 for a small cup. The rich recipe is a good middle ground between soft-serve ice cream and yogurt. You’re free to top your vanilla, chocolate or swirled yogurt with the same eight toppings –– including coconut –– that you would for Haagen-Dazs ice cream. Their vanilla is mild, while the chocolate hits just the right note of sweetness.

Dolce, next to Merry Piglets in downtown Jackson, offers more than just famous cappuccinos –– they also have six incredible flavors of organic, naturally sweetened fro-yo. Their tart is crisp and fresh, but don’t hesitate to try their more exotic flavors such as lemon and peach. Their 15 toppings aren’t afraid to be out of the box, either. They serve Fruity Pebbles and Cap’n Crunch alongside the regular sprinkles and gummy bears. At $3.95 for a small cup, with a cozy café-like atmosphere and delicious extras such as yogurt parfaits, milkshakes, waffle cones and take-home pints, Dolce is one stop you can’t afford to miss.

Blue Bird Yogurt, unlike the previous two, lets you serve the yogurt yourself in the grand tradition of frozen yogurt bars. In comparison to Dolce’s fruity flavors, Blue Bird seems almost dessertlike: their most popular flavors, beside their incredible original tart, are consistently red velvet cake and cake batter. The 22 toppings, including bits of Reese’s, cheesecake bites and cookie dough, echo the dessert theme. Other interesting toppers include white chocolate chips, fresh fruits, and jelly-like spheres called “strawberry poppers.” Blue Bird can be found right next to the Starbucks in Albertson’s supermarket.

photo

Meanwhile, Mix is a deftly hidden gem in the Smith’s shopping center, between Teton Dental Arts and the Pilates Place. Mix features classic tart, chocolate and vanilla along with pomegranate yogurt and mango sorbet. Perhaps the most exciting part about Mix isn’t even the delicious fro-yo, but the décor. One wall has a stunning array of 2D artwork for sale by local artist Victoria Hollingsworth; the other, a “brainfreeze” installation by the Jackson Hole Community School. Mix is also self-serve, and has a whopping 32 toppings, including animal cookies, toasted coconuts and all sorts of nuts and cereals, and even colored mini marshmallows.

Avid bikers can find a sweet treat in Aspens Market, steps off the bike path and centrally located between Teton Village and Wilson. Nestled between the coolers of healthful drinks and the counters of deli meat is a self-serve frozen yogurt machine, but with the sweetness and charm of soft-serve ice cream starting at $2.50. With chocolate, vanilla and swirl flavors, Aspens Market offers the only yogurt on the west bank –– and the perfect treat for an exhausted biker.

Try one –– or try them all. There’s no better tasting cure for the summer heat.

Meridith Viguet

Continuing the Southern tradition, Houston native Meridith Viguet studies at Columbia University in New York City, but has spent her summers with her family in Jackson Hole for 7 years. A creative writing and linguistics major, she aims to spend her junior year in another hub of incredible food: Florence, Italy.

Terra
Tom Evans
Haagen Dazs