Hello there. You have found mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog that shares random food-centric posts. Today, Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are relaxing and researching. Cathy is writing.
According to the calendar, Summer is less than three weeks away from becoming Autumn. The Labor Day weekend is sometimes considered the end of summer, but food-wise, the stone fruits, ears of corn and tomatoes on the vine are still growing and available in the stores.
At some local and mostly chain restaurants, there have been some Summer-only treats which will be slipping off of the menu soon. We enjoy trying the seasonally special treats, enjoying the 'rare' rather than the 'usual'. Here's a small compilation of what was found this year.
Stopping at the oldest operating McDonald's Restaurant, in Downey, which has a museum of McDonald's memorabilia, to try the fried apple pie once a year is a Summer splurge. At any McDonald's, the baked peach pie was a special item this Summer. Not only peaches, but a layer of cream cheese, which cuts the sweetness and adds a richness. A great treat.
Another note- ALL McDonald's have "Filet o Fish Friday" all year (not just during Lent) with reduced prices ($1.50) on those delightful sandwiches on Fridays. It's not advertised but usually the bottom item on the 'Value Menu', or just ask. Website
The Starbucks Window decals this Summer have been concentric circles, symbolizing bubbles. They have been advertising not only adding carbonation to ANY beverage (for a mere fifty cents) but also have had "Fizzio" beverages available in three flavors (root beer, ginger and ginger-lemon). All three flavors are caffeine free, hand made with a combination of syrups and the carbonation and contain cane sugar. The flavor is very close to Vernors Ginger Ale in taste point (not like Canada Dry or Schweppes at all). The root beer- you can almost taste each ingredient, from the cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses and anise to the vanilla. Very different and refreshing on some of our warmer/humid days. Also this summer, the San Diego area Starbucks were 'retrofitted' to display and sell (Starbucks-owned) La Boulange pastries. The stores just North of us began serving La Boulange more than a year ago. Some of the pastries are excellent. The ham and cheese and egg breakfast sandwich on this croissant-like bun is very good and different from the 'artisan' ham and cheese also available. Website
In honor of it's 50th anniversary, Del Taco brought back their 'Classics' this summer, and the **Bun Taco** revived a craving. I remember we purchased both a Bun Taco and a Taco Salad and ate those on the floor of our new home when unpacking from our cross country move…a 'California Meal', we said… Website
A new item available at 85C is a lemon iced tea, which is made with a whole sliced lemon. Ordered without any added sweetener, this is really tasty; both the tea and lemon are standouts. Website
Jack In The Box had a few new items available. The 'croissant donut', made to order was so promising. As you can see, the texture is nothing like the ad. It was pretty much the churro dough fried into another shape, topped with the churro cinnamon sugar topping. Disappointing. The banana sundae though was very nice. A layer of banana puree topped with soft serve, hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry was refreshing. Website
Another cinnamon-sugar flavored dough was at Carls, Jr. The 'cinnamon pull apart' seems to be made of balls formed from biscuit dough (which is very good) rolled in cinamon sugar then baked into a large roundish shape. It tastes like something mom made at home with leftovers. website
Rita's, an East Coast frozen custard-Italian ice franchise has finally made it to San Diego, opening five locations as of this date, with more slated. We've stopped at the Chula Vista location and have tried various daily-made ices as well as custards. So far, a gelati (layers of custard and Italian ice) made with Florida orange ice and vanilla custard is a favorite. The Swedish Fish flavor is really good too. I first found out about Rita's from cc , who has visited here many times since April. Website
Paris Baguette has been having mid-month deals for a while now. The 11th of each month is interesting in that you get a fairly large container of pastry cream when you purchase a baguette. This summer, banana and pineapple pastries were available in a few variations; a change from mango everything I've seen around town. If it were the 12th of the month, pastries and desserts are 20% off. If here on the 13th of the month and purchase $10 of items, two slices of multigrain bread would be the bonus… Website
Waffles are becoming a 'thing' now; I could do a week of posts about waffle sandwiches. Vons grocery store has been selling 'Waffle Donuts' this summer. Kirbie and Mary each wrote a whole post about these waffle shaped, not donut dough-ed items which have been on sale, two for $1. The Mister brought these home…the glaze has the vary-ing flavors, the size was dependent on the glaze, the dough is not waffle, nor is it a doughnut…it confused me. Website 
Tastee Freez, located inside most Weinerschnitzel locations, has had daily specials for almost a year now. Since you never know when that might end, we tend to drop in for a snack. The pink dipped flavor is cotton candy, and it is surpsisingly accurate. The part carmel part chocolate dip is excellent. Mary mentioned the Tastee Freez items in her recent Weinerschnizel post. Website
Northgate Gonzalez Market added a small booth in the center of the 'Deli' section, making Tostilocos and Raspados to order. For $1.99, ice is shaved and topped with your choice of concentrated, fresh toppings (prune, strawberry, pineapple, coconut, apple, jamaica and mango). I chose jamaica and coconut- there were fresh coconut shavings and the jamaica was not too sweet. Another refreshing treat. Website
It's been fun trying some new and limited items. I hope you've had a chance to partake before Autumn choices and coolness sets in.
I honestly don’t think that many of us come to this blog to read about fast food items. Do we really want to hear about this? Give me the privately owned hole in the water find any day rather than the big corporate giant that serves terrible food and is only interested in the bottom line and not the health of its customers.
The peach pie sounds good Cathy! I enjoy reading all matters relating to food. Keep up the great work!
Hi Cathy, I love Rita’s and am glad that I tried that Starbucks Fizzio. What a great compilation. I really enjoy your eclectic posts.
Happy Labor Day, ‘Rachel’ (or is it ‘b’ or ‘JL’?). I’m sorry you haven’t noticed at some point in the last nine years that each of us has written about chain restaurants and there is a link to ‘Chains’ in our ‘Categories’ column on the left. I thought a composite post on a holiday would be kind of fun, interesting and my way of ‘COMC’. Feel free to just ignore the blog when you see my heading paragraph, highlighted in green. (You could spend that time fixing your Facebook privacy settings).
Thanks Dennis, peach is probably my favorite flavor and fruit.
Thanks, cc. Rita’s is so good; can’t wait until ours opens- it’ll be walking distance.
Rita’s is my guilty pleasure and my all time favorite is Florida orange with vanilla custard misto! Makes me very happy!
I absolutely love Rita’s, and the outlets near me (MD) have been closing left and right. I guess it makes more sense for them to expand into warm climates where they can be open year round. Here in the mid-atlantic, they open somewhere between late march and early may, and close somewhere between late September and mid-October. My favorite ice flavor is black cherry (SO GOOD) and it’s especially good with the chocolate custard in a Gelati. All the locations near me (which is basically one remaining, but it was as many as 4 just 2 years ago) will allow you to call ahead and if the flavor you want isn’t on the menu, they’ll make it for you with a couple hours advance notice. Something to keep in mind for the future. Btw, they usually feature cranberry in the early fall. It’s delicious. Keep an eye on the menu for it.
Hi Keena! I did have one misto that way and it was a perfect ‘Creamsicle’ in one bite. Thinking the custard is so good on its own and the Florida orange is good on its own so that’s why we order a gelati; eat the layers separately.
Hello h (from Maryland!). I grew up in Detroit and all of the soft serve/frozen custard places used to board up right after Labor Day then open around Memorial Day…people out here don’t know how lucky they are. Thanks for the flavor tips; cranberry sounds great, and I never considered it an ice flavor.
Hi Cathy, The black cherry ice is one of the few (that I’ve had) with pieces of real fruit in it. I suppose that’s why I’m so fond of it. The cranberry is a co-marketing effort with Ocean Spray, so the flavor is very authentic. I can’t remember if there’s real blended fruit in it or not.
I’m originally from FL, so moving north came with culture shock, and ice cream places closing for the winter was part of that. I get it for the stand-alone, walk-up places, but it’s surprising that people wouldn’t still get ice cream from a mini-mall/strip center. People still do eat ice cream in the winter ð
Very fun post. I had no idea that they don’t fry the apple pie at McDonald’s anymore? And so amazing that the cronut went from a creation by Dominique Ansel to Jack in the Box, kind of going thru everything in between in the process. Sadly I still am not sold on croissant donuts.
Lastly the Swedish Fish flavor sounds quite scary I think that is one of my least favorite candies on earth. I cannot imagine what it would taste like in custard form. Haha.
Hi again, h. Can’t wait to try those-and each flavor of ice they make; they were training inside ‘my’ location yesterday, and said it will open next week. In Detroit, even the Baskin Robbins stores closed in the Winter. ð
Thanks, J.S.; the McD’s fried pie has been gone for years now…and the ability to get one in Downey is a great reason for the drive (though if you want a fried pie in Lemon Grove, Charley’s Famous Burgers does fry theirs, and will blend two into an ice cream shake if you are feeling decadent). The JitB croissant donuts just aren’t, but Paris Baguette does sell a few with various fillings which are nice; again, one a year should suffice. The Swedish Fish is an ice flavor and sort of cherry-strawberry-raspberry, or ‘red’ as I call it.