Oreos 'n Cream

It's been quite awhile since a new review was posted, but yesterday Tasti D-Lited went to New York to see Cyrano de Bergerac in NYC (it was great!)--and, of course, sought down the nearest Tasti D location. (Fun tip: text "Tasti D-Lite" plus the zip code you are in to GOOGL and they'll text back the nearest locations!)

My determination was rewarded with one of the flavors I've most wanted to try: Oreos 'n Cream--incidentally, my favorite ice cream flavor. And I was definitely not disappointed. The flavor is flat-out great. Because Tasti is now a rare treat, I upgraded my usual small cup to a large cup, and certainly could've eaten even more of this flavor. The taste never gets old and is accurate, yet even offers some delicious subtleties you wouldn't find in the ice cream.

This will probably be the only review in December, but we've got ourselves a four-starer.

D-LITEFUL (4 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving



P.S. One month, nine days since the "Closed for the Season" fiasco, and I'm not holding up well without my Tasti. Spring can't come soon enough...

Essay: "Tiramisu Frozen Dessert"

It's been ten days since the only Tasti D-Lite in Connecticut "closed for the season," so posting will continue to be light here at Tasti D-Lited for a bit.

Today, I share with you a piece I wrote about about Tasti D-Lite for an English class last spring. It takes a more negative view of Tasti D than I personally hold, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.


Tiramisu Frozen Dessert
by Sam

One thing is for certain: I love Tasti D-Lite’s tiramisu “frozen dessert.

Nothing beats the feeling you get when you walk into a “Tasti D,” impulsively looking to the back to discover the two flavors of the day, and one of them just perfectly fits your mood. Every day, Tasti D offers four frozen dessert flavors. There is always Dutch Chocolate and French Vanilla, either of which is suitable as a last resort. The real points, however, are won by the other two flavors, which are chosen each day from a list of over 100 innovative flavors plastered on the wall. This lottery feature makes eating frozen dessert not only delicious, but surprising and nerve-racking!

Tasti D frozen dessert is essentially frozen yogurt, but, for legal reasons presumably, cannot be referred to as such. The special formula reduces the caloric and fat content of the frozen dessert to a fraction of your everyday frozen yogurt, making eating at Tasti D not only delicious, surprising, and nerve-racking, but also healthy! And best of all, as its website proudly proclaims, it’s kosher, as well!

Tasti D was started in New York about a decade ago and received instant notoriety (it’s “New York’s favorite dessert!”), and some of the original, more popular stores publish the all-important flavor schedule on a website. To me, though, that’s akin to telling sending a five year old an e-mail on Christmas Eve listing the presents he’s going to receive the next morning. I like to imagine that until the moment I step into the store, the flavors of the day have yet to be decided, and as I push the door open, the frozen dessert gods scan my soul and offer flavors as some sort of karmic redemption. And, today, when I stepped into the only Tasti-D in Connecticut and saw tiramisu in bold letters next to the Dutch Chocolate, I knew I had done something right.

Tiramisu is my (although, I now know, not New York’s) favorite dessert. Nothing matches the unique combination of flavors and textures that a good tiramisu offers. When I visited Rome this summer, I tried 15 different tiramisus and kept a journal, determined to find the best authentic incarnation. I walked up to the counter and happily ordered a large cup of tiramisu ‘dessert’ from the cashier, who looked like a perfect cross of my grandfather and Sanjaya, the androgynous Indian from American Idol. I paid and left a dollar in the tip jar as an offering to the kind frozen dessert gods. You can’t help it—Tasti D makes you religious.

I was nervous as I took the first precious bite of my dessert and slowly realized it was the most perfect ice cream-ish substance I had ever eaten—it beautifully captured the delicate balance of flavors, while offering a new cold and frozen interpretation. A wave of euphoria overcame me as I dug back in. On the second nibble, I noticed a hint of cinnamon and an undertone of egg. I was careful to savor every precious molecule of frozen dessert and let no extraneous thoughts distract me from this little piece of heaven embodied in a tasty treat.

Each successive bite provided new insight into what made the dessert so powerful. In a trance, I impulsively moved the spoon from the bowl, to my mouth, and back to the bowl. I felt like Moses at the top of the mountain, except I was in the promised land. Somehow I felt sure that when Moses ate his manna, he imagined it tasted like artificial tiramisu frozen dessert. Suffice it to say, I, like Moses, was on top of the world.

Inevitably, however, I felt the heaven in my hand become lighter and lighter as I found myself down to my last few bites. I judiciously selected a portion to cherish, letting it melt in my mouth, the flavor soaking into my taste buds. I closed my eyes and reveled in the high. However, all good things must come to an end, and soon it was unavoidable—I was down to my final bite, and a wave of panic overcame me.

This may be the last bite I will ever have of the best frozen dessert flavor in the world, I realized. After all, assuming an unbiased rotation, I would have to happen upon Tasti D on the lucky one of 50 days to have my tiramisu again. I had three options, I quickly realized

1) continuously buy Tiramisu frozen dessert until, Matilda-style, I will never want it again (suddenly, Tasti D’s business model emerges)

2) check the New York menus every day and take the two-hour train ride the next time they carry my precious tiramisu

3) return to Tasti D every day until they happen to have it again.

As I pondered my three desperate options, I stared at the dollar I put in the tip car and considered reaching in to take it back. What did I do to deserve this? Desperate, nothing seemed out of the realm of possibility—I could steal the tiramisu recipe from behind the counter (where it must be kept), so I could make the concoction every day in my bathtub. Better yet, I could move and live near the Tasti D production plant, forming a relationship with the security guard who would provide me with my daily tiramisu fix. I could start a blog and letter writing campaign to replace chocolate with tiramisu as a standard flavor, creating corny catchphrases about how much I “misu” the flavor every day.

Looking at my bowl, I did the only thing in my power and took that last bite. I felt like Jesus at the Last Supper. And “ice cream” that makes you feel like Jesus at the Last Supper is hardly what I paid for. Tasti D may be delicious, surprising, nerve-racking, healthy, kosher, and religious, but, more than anything, it is heart-breaking, and for that I unequivocally hate Tasti D.

More specifically, I hate Tasti D-Lite’s tiramisu frozen dessert.

Closed for the Season

Yesterday, I experienced one of the most horrible occurrences of my life. It had been four days since my last Tasti fix, and I had the feeling that the flavors of the day were going to be goodies. I thought of all the times this week I was going to go to Tasti, making the most of the time before it got really cold. As I walked down High St., through some sort of Pavlovian conditioning, my mouth began to water, and I got excited. Until I was confronted with one of the greatest shocks of my life.


My local Tasti D. The only Tasti D in the entire state of Connecticut. Covered up. Closed. For the Season. This is a hardship I certainly would wish upon no one. What does "the season" entail? Is it not going to open until March!? Why would they do this? How much could it cost to operate one Tasti location through the long, hard winter? We all need all the happiness we can get come wintertime. And with no warning! Just sprung upon me--as if the teacher didn't announce a pop quiz at the beginning of class, but a pop exam.


So. Alas. I clearly I have no choice in the matter, so there will be little-to-no Tasti the rest of this "season." As for Tasti D-Lited, it will obviously slow down as well. I should be in New York several times this season and will certainly make several Tasti excursions. (Send in reviews of your own, if you're in Tasti range!) I will continue reporting on Tasti news and Pinkberry/rivals news, but that certainly only comes in spurts.

In any case, this is a sad day for all. Let us mourn.

Columbia Pinkberry Report

Our New York correspondent NYC TB sends us a report on a trip to the new Columbia Pinkberry. Note to all: avoid the "shaved ice."

The shaved ice was basically the kitchen sink. And it cost $8. And it was ridiculous. And I think Lili is the only person who has ever ordered it. It was ridonkulous. Pinkberry is always crowded but I think it's just the novelty. It's SO EXPENSIVE too. And I tried getting the medium with three toppings for lunch and I was hungry by 4 and I had lunch at 1. It's good, but not extraordinary in anyway, and definitely doesn't have whatever it is that is so amazing about jamba that is so consistently godly. Maybe the fact that jamba doesn't have this weird mystique and is always fun and happy and would you like a free boost? Pinkberry is good occasionally, but I definitely can't afford to go there every day. I've been getting original with bananas, strawberries, and kiwi, which is a good mixture of different textures as well as mild and strong, sweet and sour tastes. Original is REALLY GOOD with bananas. I'm thinking of getting the medium sometime and just asking for three servings of bananas because they're awesome!

Still too early to tell what effect this Pinkberry will have on the popular Columbia Tasti D in what is the first real Tasti-Berry showdown.

Columbia Pinkberry is Open and Crowded

Last week, the Pinkberry at Columbia University opened after months of anticipation (actually). More than a week later, midday on a Sunday, lines are still consistently out the door, as this Tasti D-Lited exclusive picture confirms. Our Columbia mole NYC TB says the opening of Pinkberry has created a vicious Tasti D-Lite-Pinkberry divide on campus already. It's unclear as of yet how the popular Tasti D-Lite location in Lerner will be affected. NYC TB reports that the primary knock against Pinkberry has been the astounding price, although it doesn't seem to have affected sales as of yet.

We'll continue to follow the first real Tasti-Pinkberry showdown as it develops.

Pinkberry at Columbia Links:

"Pinkberry Takes on Tasti at Columbia" (Tasti D-Lited)
"The line at Pinkberry is out of control" (The Columbia Bwog)
"Waging a War of Fro-Yo with Tasti D" (The Colubmia Spectator, whose office, you will notice in the picture, is right next to Pinkberry)

Chocoleche

After having Chocoleche, I finally decided it was time for a "GeneriChocolate" tag. There are a number of Tasti flavors that just aren't different enough from Dutch Chocolate to warrant a coveted spot on the dispenser. The ubiquity of GeneriChocolate flavors actually gives a fair amount of insight into what makes a good flavor--something interesting and different from the standard Chocolate/Vanilla, but not nothing too crazy that it's just bad. Tasti's at it's best when it weaves this balance correctly with flavors like Tiramisu or Creamsicle. That said, GeneriChocolates are fine--they are certainly delicious--but never warrant more than one or two stars for lack of creativity or X-factor. In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed my Chocoleche, but certainly can't remember how it's taste different from plain old Chocolate.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

90 calories/serving

Creme Brulee

Sometimes it can be easy to confuse how good a flavor is with how accurately it tastes like its intention. I like creme brulee, and Tasti's Creme Brulee tastes very much like real creme brulee. But it doesn't exactly work as a frozen dessert. In short, little needs to be said: it's not horrible, just not particularly good, and tastes just as you would expect it to.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

70 calories/serving

Pumpkin Pie

Spreading the Tasti gospel is one of my greatest sources of joy. Imagine my delight (read: d-lite) when I had the pleasure of introducing a native of Nebraska to the wonders of Tasti D-Lite today. Now imagine her delight (read: d-lite) when one of the flavors of the day was her favorite food--pumpkin pie. Now imagine getting to try a cup of Pumpkin Pie as well yourself, and it's delicious. Now imagine the strong, but not overbearing tastes hitting your tongue. Now imagine wishing that there had been a little bit more richness to the aftertaste.

Thank you.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

70 calories/serving

Peanut Butter

I had been waiting a long time to try a Peanut Butter flavor from Tasti; ever since I read the following snippet from the website's FAQ's:

What is your most popular flavor?

Hands down, anything with peanut butter!

It's hard to imagine exactly what Peanut Butter would taste like in D-Lite form--but once you taste the first spoonful, everything makes sense. And I don't just mean in terms of why it's the most popular flavor. Life makes sense for that one, precious fleeting moment. Peanut Butter is one of those flavors of which you just can't get enough. And one of those flavors of which I just can't say enough. Welcome, to the "Favorite Flavors" list on the left toolbar, Peanut Butter!

D-LITEFUL (4 of 4 stars)

90 calories/serving

End note: Peanut Butter flavors left to try: Peanut Butter Cup, Peanut Butter Fudge, Peanut Butter Marble, Peanut Butter Mounds, Peanut Butter Cake, and, most intriguing: Peanut Butter Dream and Peanut Butter 'n Jelly (!?).

Mud Pie

Google defines Mud Pie as "a mass of mud that a child has molded into the shape of a pie," but this does not seem to be the angle Tasti was going for. Rather, they intended to emulate a Mississippi Mud Pie which is a "chocolate-based dessert pie that possibly originated in Mississippi." I like that the entire name of the dessert hinges on its state of origin, yet nobody really knows for sure if it actually was invented there. In any case, I offer you this history/linguistic lesson because there is little to say about Mud Pie. It's definitely in the same category as Chocolate Pudding or Chocolate Mousse, as flavors that are good but just don't go the extra distance. There's nothing memorable or surprising about them particularly, as they are slight variations on Dutch Chocolate. But, certainly nothing to complain about--chocolate is chocolate, and Tasti D is Tasti D.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Pinkberry Takes on Tasti at Columbia

A new Pinkberry store is opening practically on-campus at Columbia University, challenging the ever-tenuous balance of on-campus frozen yogurt options. The current "yogurt" of choice, of course, is Tasti D-Lite ("New York's Favorite Dessert," natch), with the most populated branch located actually inside a CU building. Tasti D-Lited New York Correspondent "NYC TB" reports widespread curiosity for the Tasti rip-off/trend of the week, but we're willing to bet we'll get back to a Tasti equilibrium soon. This is the first real test as to what extent Pinkberry actually poses a threat.

Columbia' Bwog is covering the news, and NYC TB will be reporting directly to us as the first real Tasti-Pinkberry showdown hits its climax.

Peach Melba

Props to Tasti for the originality of its Peach Melba flavor both as an entity (I had never heard of Peach Melba) and a flavor (quite different than any flavor I've had before except perhaps the delicious Creamsicle). Tasti's fruiter flavors are always refreshing and surprisingly flavorful. Like Creamsicle, Peach Melba has an orange/pink tinge to it (you can't tell from the picture though--cool lighting, eh?), which is always a nice break from the white/brown motif. If I had tried Peach Melba before Creamsicle, it probably would have reached four star status, but it's slightly worse than my beloved 'Sicle, so we'll knock it down a notch.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Banana Pudding

I've always wondered what the distinction between Tasti's various banana flavors are--how do they distinguish between Banana, Banana Pudding, Bananas Foster, and Banana Crunch? After trying Banana Pudding today, I hope the answer is--they don't. Lord knows I'm a sucker for banana desserts, but Banana Pudding is exactly what it should be: subtly, yet deliciously and creamily flavored. It's the type of flavor that makes you (and indeed I did) go back for more. I feel bad having 66% of my four-star flavors being banana based, but so it shall be. Let's just hope I discover a new D-Liteful flavor before 'Banana Crunch' fills my local dispenser.

D-LITEFUL (4 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Pistachio

My dedication to Tasti D-Lited only goes so far, I'm afraid. Confronted with the already-reviewed, already-loved Milky Weigh and a not-yet-reviewed, lime-green-colored Pistachio on a depressing and rainy day, I had to go with my taste buds. But, I did 'sample' Pistachio to review for y'all. All together now: "Thanks, Sam!" I'm alternatively happy and sad to report that the flavor tastes and looks much like a cold, frozen, mashed pistachio. I'm not sure the review needs to go on any further--either this sounds appealing to you, or it doesn't. And to me: it doesn't. Hey! At least it's in the lowest calorie group!

NASTI (1 of 4 stars)

70 calories/serving

Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate Pudding is in the same category as Chocolate Mousse--a decent flavor, but too similar to Dutch Chocolate to be worth making. It tastes kind of like if you put good pudding in the freezer for an hour or two, which isn't a compliment or an insult really, just a fact. On my Chocolate Pudding trip, I was able to introduce my family to Tasti D, which was certainly a delight (Tasti D-Lited 'delight/d-lite' pun #2)--pictured here, my younger brother looks enviously at my Pudding.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

90 calories/serving

Chocolate Macaroon

I like chocolate, I like macaroons, and I like chocolate macaroons, but I did not particularly like this Tasti flavor. Somehow the dry, bread-y taste of macaroon only works with macaroon texture. Putting that flavor (with accurate aftertaste) into frozen dessert form is not-too-appetizing. I'll never criticize Tasti D-Lite for how innovative its flavors are, but this one is a clear miss.

NASTI (1 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Apple Pie

Apple Pie has more kick to it than any other flavor I've ever tried at Tasti. It doesn't quite taste like Apple Pie (especially since it's cold, not warm), but I think it's probably the closest approximation you could get in frozen form. It really has an interesting and unique taste, even though, of course, it's still vanilla-colored. (Why is it that Creamsicle is the only one with its own hue?) In any case, Apple Pie is certainly hard to describe, but definitely worth trying, which is always a good combination.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Toasted Almond Fudge

I'm definitely not the target market for Toasted Almond Fudge--as I don't really love the taste or connotation of any of three words--but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor does taste a little bit like a pine cone (or what I imagine a pine cone to taste like), but, once you get beyond that, it is pretty good. Additionally, my almond-loving companion (that is, in fact, her defining characteristic) informed me that it was a delicious flavor indeed, so to each his own.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Creamsicle

As is almost the case, the Tasti gods present the best flavors on the most worthy of days. After suffering through a horrible history section, I ran to Tasti for a pick-me-up, and it certainly delivered. Creamsicle is unlike any Tasti D-Like flavor I've ever consumed--a completely different family of flavor and, most surprisingly, a different color! Creamsicle defies the chocolate-or-vanilla-colored tendency and is a friendly pink! The flavor is fruitier and more refreshing (and delicious) than many Tasti flavors and would be perfect at any time of day. It's such a delight to know that Tasti still has surprises up its sleeve for even the most devout fans.

D-LITEFUL (4 of 4 stars)

70 calories/serving

Chocolate Mousse

There are some Tasti flavors that just aren't worth making--they're just too similar to the generic and ubiquitous Dutch Chocolate and French Vanilla. Chocolate Mousse is clearly one of these flavors--it has a good, sturdy taste, but not one that is too distinctive or memorable. Sometimes when Tasti emulates foods that are similar in texture to frozen yogurt, the flavor somehow falls short. Chocolate Mousse kind of looks and feels like real chocolate mousse, but is just a little worse. In short, disappointment abound.

NASTI (1 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Yalie Goes on Tasti D-iet

Freshman Christine Kwon recently documented her three-day Tasti-only experiment for the Yale Herald. The research was allegedly to "explore the social and gastronomic aspects of a dieting phenomenon; that [she] wanted to answer an essential question: What is Tasti and why does it matter?" The dieting phenomenon in question, apparently, is women who eat almost entirely on Tasti D-Lite and iced coffee. Nice. Unfortunately, the experiment provided little clarity:

The past few days have raised more questions than provided answers. The actual secrets of Tasti remain as elusive as ever. All I know is that it is “not frozen yogurt, because it does not contain any yogurt, nor is it ice cream, because it does not contain a significant amount of cream.”

The article's worth checking out. Christine's final conclusion:

I can see the appeal. There’s something perversely comforting about the idea of consuming something so synthetic. I don’t think anyone but someone who has actually stepped on the scale every morning on a Tasti D-Lite diet will understand. Even if a portion of Tasti has more calories than advertised, the “light” feeling that one gets is completely authentic, albeit mixed half-and-half with hysteria. If only for the experience of feeling that lovely, empty yet satisfying sensation alone, the whole thing was worth it. I still don’t know what’s in Tasti D-Lite, and no one probably ever will. Maybe this is the kind of thing we should just take at face value and just blindly accept. Maybe we’re all better off that way.

Samoa Cookie

Having never eaten an actual "Samoa Cookie," I cannot speak to the validity of Tasti's concoction, but I would say that, whatever exactly Samoa is, it tastes pretty good. This is one of the thicker, richer Tasti flavors, which can be an asset or a detriment depending on your mood. It also has a strong, chocolatey aftertaste, so overall it certainly has a strong personality, perhaps befitting of the citizens of Samoa (?).

Also, enjoy Tasti D-Lited's first ever video production--expect more in the future!

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Angel Food Cake

Flavor accuracy is one of the hallmarks of the Tasti D-Lite platform--they take the most complex flavors and perfectly transform the tastes into frozen dessert form. That's what makes Angel Food Cake so surprising. It has a fairly strong flavor, but it is hardly reminiscent of Angel Food Cake. Rather, as my astute companion pointed out, it tastes exactly like coconut--to the point where I wonder if they accidentally mixed up the labels. Either way, Angel Food Cake is a fairly refreshing and light flavor and would be an easy 3 stars if not for the coconut issue.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Kahlua 'n Cream

It is a mystery how exactly the list of Tasti flavors are determined, but somehow a flavor as obscure as Kahlua 'n Cream made it to the list (which is a kind of good thing, I think). Either way, as exciting as the obscure flavor may be, the taste itself isn't accurate or incredible. The flavor tastes kind of good, but is indescribable: it doesn't taste like Kahlua, cream, or Kahlua and Cream.

In unrelated, I punched the last hole of my frequency card today, which is always exciting. Free frozen dessert!

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Tasti Raises Calorie Estimates Across the Board

It appears last night the folks over at corporate updated the "Products" section of the Tasti website, which lists every available flavor. The old site had an ugly old-fashioned table separated in groups by calories/ounce, while now the site features the image shown at all Tasti locations separated in groups by calories/serving (sections of both are attached to this post).

While visually the change is a good one, it is interesting to note that the calorie estimates for every flavor have been raised, which is troubling given the presumption that it is a scientifically measured number. Plus, low calories are obviously one of Tasti's biggest selling points.

For example, the old site listed Banana in the first category with 14-15 calories/ounce, meaning the 4-ounce small (making one serving) would be 56-60 calories. The new site still lists Banana in the first category, but with 70 calories/serving. Other flavors have an even bigger jump: Angel Food Cake moves from 56-60 calories/serving to 80 calories/serving.

While the caloric numbers are still low, it is worrisome that the estimates are still fluctuating so much (with little public acknowledgment), especially when the calorie numbers are a point of constant scrutiny and controversy ("Fewer Calories Than Ice Cream, But More Than You Think" - New York Times).

All past entries have been updated with the new caloric statistics.

Banana Fudge

I'm a firm believer that the Tasti D gods select the daily flavors as some kind of karmic redemption for the rest of your day. Case-in-point: after having a miserable morning and afternoon, the Tasti D deities rewarded me with one of the best flavors around. Thank you, as always.

Banana Fudge is definitely a flavor not to be missed. It has one of the most distinctive, accurate, and delicious tastes--I could eat Banana Fudge frozen dessert quite often and never tire of it. Banana Fudge is everything Tasti is meant to be and certainly brightens even the cloudiest days.

D-LITEFUL (4 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Snicker

Snicker (one of Tasti's worst attempts at avoiding copyright infringement) is one of those flavors that reminds you how amazing Tasti D can be--not because it's that good (although it's not bad at all), but because it backs so much distinct flavor into a low-calorie, uniformly colored frozen yogurt-esque substance. Tasti D knows what Snickers tastes like better than Mars does. I'd rather eat Tasti's interpretation than an actual Snickers bar. Snicker isn't quite four stars--it matches, rather than improves upon, the imitated flavor--but it's one of those flavors you have to go back later in the day to try again.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

90 calories/serving

Tres Leches

Tres Leches has the distinct honor of being the hardest Tasti flavor to pronounce ("Can I have a small cup of... tress.... leckx.... please....?"), but its taste is worth the embarrassment. Tres has a subtle flavor, but a sustaining and sweet one, making the snack light but refreshing. In fact, Tres is one of the few Tasti flavors which becomes more pronounced as you eat.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Rice Pudding

When you really think about the idea of a rice pudding frozen dessert, it's none-too-surprising that Tasti's rice pudding leaves much to be desired. It takes kind of like you'd expect: decent, but bland and kind of nondescript. It would fit in nicely with the diet of a teething toddler or a spunky granny with weak taste buds.

NASTI (1 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Chocolate Chip Mint

For the sake of full disclosure, I am not a big fan of mint flavors--I know that puts me in the minority. Thus it's hard for me to be an objective judge of Tasti's mint offerings. Personally, choco chip mint left much to be desired: the incredibly potent mint taste overshadowed any supposed "chocolate chip" influence. To double-check, I brought a mint lover along for the ride, and he assured me I had made the right judg-mint.

NASTI (1 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Cake Batter

The recent surge in popularity of "batters" as an ice cream flavor is quite perplexing--brownie batter and cake batter are shoppe staples at this point, either neither really makes any sense intuitively or logically. Why cake "batter" is more appealing than "cake" is a mystery, but, in any case, the taste that is now associated with "cake batter" is a pretty good one. Tasti D captures the taste pretty well, although it certainly does not exceed expectations. Tasti D-Lite is best when it excels at unusual flavors, and its standard ones are often just average, as is the case with cake batter.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Milky "Weigh"

I've always been amused by Tasti D's awkward re-spellings and re-wordings to avoid copyright infringements: Honey Nut "O's" Tasti Musketeers, and the like. Yet another quirk to cherish, I guess. Of the copyright-fearing flavors, Milky "Weigh" is one of the best--the taste is accurate and sustained throughout. Also, there's a bonus for the accurate color--the flavor looks just like the fluffy inside of the candy bar.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

90 calories/serving

Five Things You Didn't Know About Tasti D

As I count down the days until I return into Tasti D range (less than a month at this point!), I must appease my Tasti cravings by looking at their stone age website (c'mon Tasti folks--Pinkberry has their own catchy song on its site; I think you can afford something that doesn't look like it's for a non-profit community outreach program). My other Tasti D substitute has been Coldstone banana ice cream with blueberries--it's delicious, but hardly approaches Tasti's Fudge Banana.

In any case, five things you probably didn't know about Tasti D-Lite that can be found on its website:

1. It's Kosher!
2. In the first quarter of 2008, Tasti D is launching a franchise program to reach its vision of Tasti D as a national ("and even international") business. Trippy!
3. Tasti D was created by a "food technologist"--disappointing, if you ask me.
4. "Tasti D-Lite is a dairy-based frozen dessert; it is not frozen yogurt, because it does not contain any yogurt, nor is it ice cream, because it does not contain a significant amount of cream."
5. The most popular Tasti flavor? "Anything with peanut butter," which is shocking to me because I always find the peanut butter flavors to be too strong and slightly nauseating.

Dutch Chocolate and French Vanilla

As the only two staples of the Tasti D menu, ordering Dutch Chocolate and/or French Vanilla is only acceptable on one's first visit. Thereafter, ordering either is akin to only wearing plain white T-shirts or only speaking in three-word noun+verb+object sentences. Both flavors are pretty good, but nothing to write home about--the flavor not nearly nuanced enough to sustain throughout an entire cup or cone.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

Both 80 calories/serving