Frozen Yogurt is the latest craze taking the OC by storm with new stores opening up all over the county. You can typically find a nice, reasonable line in front of the few well-known frozen yogurt establishments like Pinkberry and Yogurtland. However, this summer, expect those lines to be substantially longer and harder to endure. Make sure you bring your iPod, PSP, or even your laptop (some yogurt places have Wi-Fi).

Frozen yogurt has always been around with establishments like Golden Spoon and TCBY. In fact, we still remember going to the Golden Spoon on the corner of Bristol and Sunflower near South Coast Plaza back in the 80s during the first yogurt craze. Recently, however, the demand for the nutritious, low-fat dessert (about 25 calories per ounce) has experienced an all-out, manic surge that has blasted it into the same class of food crazes as boba and Krispy Kreme doughnuts (sorry, Cold Stone and Jamba Juice didn’t quite make it).

OC’s addiction to frozen yogurt will most likely hit an all time high this summer as it will be another hot one this year. Luckily (or unluckily?) for us, the big chains are being given a run for their money as knock-offs and imitators are heavily contributing to the number of frozen yogurt establishments sprouting up all over Orange County. Among the most notable, there are Swirls in Costa Mesa, Passion Berry in Westminster and a Wildberry that has opened up in Fountain Valley (ironically where a Baskin-Robbins used to be).

The concept behind this latest frozen yogurt craze is quite simple: provide a few different flavors of frozen yogurt like regular, green tea, chocolate, and strawberry and then choose from an assortment of topping choices like strawberries, kiwis, bananas, coconut shavings, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and a few popular cereal brands. Flavors and toppings vary from store to store, but the concept remains the same. Pick your yogurt flavor, top it with whatever you want, stick it in your mouth, get addicted, and then come back the next day for more.

In an attempt to vary from Pinkberry’s traditional method of having the yogurt served by employees, some of these new yogurt establishments have implemented a “serve-it-yourself” approach to this yogurt craze. They allow their customers to get their own yogurt and top it however they want. When they are done, their concoctions are weighed and they are charged accordingly. This is a great twist to the yogurt concept as this allows for fewer employees to run a yogurt establishment and it makes the petite and extra-extra large yogurt patrons especially happy.

Over time, yogurt joints will mutate and more variations will develop so that they can be distinguished from one another. There will be more yogurt flavors. There will be more of a variety of toppings. One notable variation that has already emerged is that some of these yogurt places now have comfortable lounges, much like some of their boba predecessors. Patrons are invited to sit around in comfortable settings and chit chat for as long as they want, as long as it’s not past closing time.

Yogurt is made by taking milk or dairy product and adding bacterial cultures, which causes the transformation from the milk’s sugar into lactic acid. The process produces a slightly acidic, tart flavor with a coagulated, pudding-like texture. The initial bite is sour, but after a few bites you will quickly get accustomed to the flavor. Frozen yogurt is also said to provide numerous benefits, such as improving digestion and helping your body absorb more nutrients.

And most importantly, it’s lactose-intolerant-friendly!

It’s very hard to predict when this latest Orange County craze will subside. However, one thing’s for sure. Frozen yogurt is truly a nutritious snack and dessert that will make everyone infected in OC happy and healthy.