Made to Order | Eva's Treats a trip
I saw a sign not too long ago saying "Keep Calm and FroYo On," which put me in the mood for frozen yogurt.
Although yogurt has been eaten for several thousand years, Dannon made the product accessible beginning its production in the 1930s. We all love ice cream, but with some turning to yogurt for a slightly healthier option, it gained popularity in the 1980s. We know trends come back around every 30 years or so and now the tart, lower fat — but tasty — frozen yogurt has again surged to record levels of fans.
The city of Ashland has one establishment dedicated totally to frozen yogurt. It comes with more toppings than you can imagine.
Eva's Treats, 601 Claremont Avenue, near Ashland University, opened its doors in July 2013 and has grown tremendously with both fans and employees. Now, 20 people (seven are family) are making sure those precious toppings are filled to the gills and kept tidy in this immaculately kept establishment.
The kitchen, dining area and bathrooms were spotless and organized for great service. Nancy and Douglas Pauly are the owners and provide perfect hospitality to the frozen yogurt lovers of the area. Chef Andrea and I have been to many establishments serving yogurt, but none so warm and inviting as Eva's Treats.
As long as Andrea can remember, the building was a Redwing boot store. After a massive remodel, six top-of-the-line yogurt machines kicking out 12 flavors — plus twists — people are getting their sweet fix in comfort. Nancy uses three independent yogurt vendors in Dole, Dannon and Sugar Creek-Honey Hill. She searches out for the best, in-season fruits like raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, plus around 25 dry toppings.
We watched as others chose pretzels, Captain Crunch-style cereal, Ashland University jimmies, and even Skittles. We loved the nut section with crushed peanuts, pecans, Spanish peanuts and brittle nut bits. If you're in the mood for candy, try the Reese's pieces, Snickers, Andes Mints, or mini M&Ms.
The process of actually getting the yogurt is simple, what is hard is choosing what yogurt to mix with what toppings. I found Eva's to be unique from other places, as they have the handy cup dividers allowing up to four quadrants of deliciousness with any number of toppings, fruit, or sauces. Other unique items include push pops of frozen yogurt in the case. They also showcase doggie treats of yogurt and homemade biscuits made locally.
Once you determine your cup size, it costs 49 cents per ounce for whatever creative chilly masterpiece you compose.
We started with little sample cups. By far, I loved the white custard over any other flavor. The chocolate was a close second with a rich chocolaty finish. Peanut butter had a perfect companion. Adding pomegranate produced a PB & J simulation. The pPomegranate was tart, but had a beautiful flavor and also went well with an orange sorbet. The flavors change often and Nancy tries to couple cold tandems for the ultimate swirl.
They have added our favorite granola "Crazy Monkey" and are about to start with our local Archway cookie crumbles for toppings. Our favorite combination was the peanut butter yogurt with peanut butter sauce, Reese's pieces, chocolate chip cookie dough, and crusted peanuts. What will your favorite creation be?
Eva's Treats is available for special events, birthdays, sports teams and more. They are open weekdays from noon to 9:30 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday until 10 p.m. For information, specials call 419-496-0880 or find them on Facebook at Eva's Treats.