We all scream for frozen yogurt

Megan’s scrumptious experience at a new Heath restaurant, Josie’s Self-Serve Yogurt Megan Messer | Issue date: 9/28/10 Section: Megan’s Musings on Food Ah, what a splendid and rare occasion, to enjoy a delicious dessert and feel healthy at the same time. I can conclusively say that Josie’s, a new frozen yogurt place that opened this summer in Heath, certainly fulfills its motto, “What Goodness Tastes Like.” Upon entering the brightly colored shop, one is happily overwhelmed with the variety of delectable yogurt options, from the classic vanilla and milk chocolate, to the decadent butter pecan and New York cheesecake. After squeezing every last dollop out of my sample cups, including tart raspberry, apricot-mango and espresso, I made the difficult decision to stick with a combination of dark chocolate and peanut butter. It was love. But the magic doesn’t stop there. After filling a dish with the desired amount of yogurt, one continues to the extensive buffet of toppings. Josie’s reaches well beyond the basic strawberries, peanuts, sprinkles and beloved candy pieces like M&Ms and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, etc., to offer some seriously innovative stuff. Gummy bears; Andes mints; granola; mini animal crackers; cashews; ice cream cone pieces; chocolate covered pretzels; fresh kiwi – the possibilities are endless. Get creative, load it up, pay by the ounce and enjoy. This shop in Heath is the third of four Josie’s stores, with the others being located in the Las Vegas area. The two founding partners, Newark natives and childhood buddies are John Babcock and Phil Wince. Wince currently lives in Granville, and happens to be a “Denidoo” alum from the class of 1970. “I had a lot of fun,” Wince chuckled, in reference to his years on the hill as a football and basketball player, political science major and brother of Beta Theta Pi. Mighty in stature but smiley and jovial in his neon orange polo, Wince is clearly enthusiastic about the Josie’s concept. “It’s a lot of fun to come in here – both to be a customer and work,” he said. “All of us are pretty health conscious. We were all looking for a healthier alternative to ice cream or custard.” Sure, it’s no substitute for broccoli or Brussels sprouts, but Josie’s yogurt has a surprising amount of nutritional value. The frozen yogurt contains no high fructose corn syrup, in favor of healthier and more natural sweeteners like pure crystalline fructose. The end result a lower glycemic index, good bacteria for digestion, plenty of calcium and vitamin D, less calories per serving, and personal justification for me to go back to the dark chocolate for a little more. And it’s not just me – everyone who I discuss Josie’s with can’t seem to say a bad word about it. “You better go in there with a game plan, or else prepare to have your mind blown,” said senior Mara Wilber of Chagrin Fall, Oh. “First time I went in there I was like, ‘say whaaaat Josie?’ My taste buds are just about jumping out of my mouth. Also, I like self-serve. It makes me feel powerful.” The fantastic flavors on tap at Josie’s are constantly changing, so check out their Facebook page for updates. Seasonal summer favorites included watermelon and honeydew. Look out for pumpkin this fall, and eggnog as the holiday season approaches. http://media.www.denisonian.com/media/storage/paper1253/news/2010/09/28/MegansMusingsOnFood/We.All.Scream.For.Frozen.Yogurt-3938825.shtml#cp_article_tools&sourcedomain=www.denisonian.com&facebook