Finding a frozen yogurt place is easy. Finding one that makes its own frozen yogurt fresh every day is not.
Ayelada is one of the few that makes its own frozen yogurt, using regionally sourced dairy and flavors.
“We like to work with local people,” said Jim Cervone, who runs the store with his wife, Lisa. “If we can use local flavors from local sources, then we do that.”
Since they make their own frozen yogurt from scratch, the Cervones only offer four flavors every day — less than what the national chains offer. But, they change them every week to give customers something new to look forward to.
“We always offer the original flavor, which is just dairy milk, yogurt and sugar,” said Lisa. “We also have one machine that has nuts and one that is nut free, for people who have a nut allergy. We’re always mindful of that.”
Ayelada offers some special flavors for the summer months.
“We always do a watermelon … and we have a new one from Saratoga Tea and Honey called Peach Honey, where they infuse their local honey with peaches,” said Lisa.
Unlike the national chains, there are no self-serve stations at Ayelada. Customers purchase their frozen yogurt in four sizes — mini, small, medium and large — and employees assist with toppings. And for those who wish to bring home a supply of frozen yogurt, they can purchase by the hand-packed pint.
Jim Cervone said that by charging by the size, customers save money over what they might spend at a national chain.
“We provide a better product at a lower price point,” said Jim.
Ayelada is located at 1210 Troy Schenectady Road in Latham, next to Starbucks and Innovo Kitchen. Store hours are noon to 9:30 p.m. daily. For more information, call 608-0072 or visit www.ayelada.com.
