DC doesn't love fro yo as much as I do.

How is there only one frozen yogurt chain in DC?

This question has been plaguing me since I moved here. I am an avid consumer of good frozen yogurt and back in Southern California, I have numerous options: Yogurtland, Beach Berries, Pinkberry, Berry Cool, Red Mango … at any of these places I can indulge in my fill of tart frozen yogurt and fresh fruit toppings. When I’m at Biola, it’s a common occurrence to make a late run to Berry Cool before it closes at midnight, just to enjoy the conversation of a friend or to regain my sanity after hours of attempted studying.

In DC there is Tangy Sweet. That’s it. Rachelle and I tried it out over the weekend, and it wasn’t bad by any means, but the plain frozen yogurt was a little too sweet, and the fruit tasted like it had been packaged in syrup. And it was beyond strange eating frozen yogurt indoors to avoid the risk of frostbite. And it was expensive. What ever happened to the 30 cents an ounce joint? Yes, I know I’m a bit of a frozen yogurt snob, but I grew up alongside Golden Spoon … which probably doesn’t mean anything to most people in DC.

It makes sense that frozen yogurt would be more popular in Southern California -- our coldest winter morning is a balmy day in DC -- but I didn’t imagine that my favorite dessert would be this scarce. My sentiments might be comparable to the melancholy echoed in all the Southerners over the dearth of real sweet tea. Or perhaps the desperation experienced by many of us from California to find authentic Mexican food. I’m sure that every person here has his or her particular food of interest that is currently not being satiated. I don’t think I ever understood before now how much food plays into a person’s culture, as well as how drastically different regional cultures are within the United States.

It would be so easy to spend my time here in DC complaining about the few food items that I’m "dying" without. But the truth is that as much as I miss frozen yogurt, real Mexican food and In N Out, it doesn’t at all overcome my excitement to sample bits and pieces of the other diverse cultures at hand here. I am still surprised when I see three Ethiopian restaurants on the same block here and all of the Mexican restaurants that also serve Salvadorian food. Back home I don’t have the option of eating Portuguese food at Nando’s Peri-Peri or trying ethnic food from a country I’ve never even heard of. DC also saved me from making a horrendous judgment about Thai food. My only experience with it in California had been unpleasant, but eating at the Old Siam in Eastern Market and Kanlaya in Chinatown convinced me that Thai has to be one of my favorite types of food. I’m vulnerable to colorful, spicy, flavorful food, and Thai food has completely stolen my heart and my taste buds.

All to say, DC is a melting pot – and an amazingly delicious one at that – and I plan on taking advantage of new experiences. A few favorite items might have been overlooked out here, but I can go a few months without good fro yo. Besides, frozen yogurt is so much more complete after a day at the beach. Until then, I plan on trying the best ethnic foods that DC has to offer, or at least as many as I can in the next few months … especially the ones that are nice to the good ol’ wallet.