Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice
BY JOE MAFFA '21
Ahh autumn… everyone’s favorite season. Look around! Hoodies, sweatpants, beanies, maybe the occasional scarf? Fiery, vibrant foliage littering streets and backyards alike. And in the air, crisp, chilly, crunchy gusts of wind? Take a whiff and—what’s that?—the icing on the cake, the scent of autumn: fresh, cozy, pumpkin spice!
You’ve heard of it — how could you not? Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spice candles, pumpkin spice this, pumpkin spice that. But no matter how ubiquitous the pumpkin spice season is, I know you have wondered—at least once—what is pumpkin spice, and how do you use it? What’s the point? Don’t worry, I won’t tell! Instead, let me take you on a tour through the world of pumpkin spice; stick around to learn everything there is to know about the seasonal seasoning, and who knows, you may even be inspired to try out some treats afterwards!
First things first: what is pumpkin spice? Interestingly enough, pumpkin spice really has nothing to do with pumpkin. In fact, it’s just a blend of warm, sweet, autumnal spices. The traditional blend consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves and is responsible for the flavors that provoke daydreams of apple picking, warm tea sippin’, and fuzzy fleece weather. And once you look past its deceiving name, you’ll see that there are quite a few uses beyond the cliché ones.
The spices shouldn’t be consumed raw (hello Cinnamon Challenge?), but there are a multitude of ways to incorporate it into your autumnal meals. Some of you experienced bakers probably know that this mix creates the spiciness in traditional fall treats, such as zucchini bread, apple pie, and carrot cake, among many other delectables. But its use extends beyond merely desserts as well! The Kitchn recommends mixing it into nuts, popcorn, pancakes, waffles, crepes, pasta, and, perhaps the most compelling, roasted vegetables! I don’t know about y’all, but to me, one of the best parts of autumnal cuisine is the seasonal social acceptance of roasting veggies (YUM!).
Now I guess we can talk about the elephant in the room, the actual pumpkin-related uses of pumpkin spice. While the dark horses, pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, shouldn’t be overlooked, it would be hard to ignore the pumpkin spice latte—it’s frankly inescapable, and the cafés know! What started as a seasonal offering at a local Seattle coffee shop in 2003 has since become a harbinger of a new season for more than just the coffee industry. Regardless of what the weather decides, the PSL comes earlier and earlier every year (August 25 this year!), marking the beginning of the fall season for restaurants, seasonal decorations, and, perhaps most interestingly, clothing stores!
In the past few years, the PSL and the “basic white girl” have become completely intertwined. Perhaps the first thing that came to your mind when opening up this article was not a coffee drink, but instead yoga pants, Uggs, and Patagonia. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but it begs the question: why is that the case? Something that we may take for granted in the Acton-Boxborough community is the fact that Starbucks is a luxury—not everyone can spend over $5 on a frivolous drink. Likewise, many of the symbols that one may associate with the PSL are also a consequence of an economic privilege that not everyone is afforded. So while it may seem excessive, perhaps the drink really speaks to the picture that Starbucks paints of society.
Now, with all the pumpkin spice tea (gossip, not drink) out of the way, I figured I’d take this opportunity to give my reviews of some pumpkin treats before the infamous season slips away!
To all my pumpkin spice noobs out there, I hope I helped alleviate some of the embarrassment you may have experienced by being confused during these seasonal times. And to all my pumpkin spice pros, I hope I was able to point you toward some interesting ventures into the deep depths of pumpkin spice land. But whether you came in an amateur pumpkin wanderer or a seasoned pumpkin connoisseur, I hope we can all agree on one thing: pumpkin season HAS to stop encroaching on our summer!
You’ve heard of it — how could you not? Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spice candles, pumpkin spice this, pumpkin spice that. But no matter how ubiquitous the pumpkin spice season is, I know you have wondered—at least once—what is pumpkin spice, and how do you use it? What’s the point? Don’t worry, I won’t tell! Instead, let me take you on a tour through the world of pumpkin spice; stick around to learn everything there is to know about the seasonal seasoning, and who knows, you may even be inspired to try out some treats afterwards!
First things first: what is pumpkin spice? Interestingly enough, pumpkin spice really has nothing to do with pumpkin. In fact, it’s just a blend of warm, sweet, autumnal spices. The traditional blend consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves and is responsible for the flavors that provoke daydreams of apple picking, warm tea sippin’, and fuzzy fleece weather. And once you look past its deceiving name, you’ll see that there are quite a few uses beyond the cliché ones.
The spices shouldn’t be consumed raw (hello Cinnamon Challenge?), but there are a multitude of ways to incorporate it into your autumnal meals. Some of you experienced bakers probably know that this mix creates the spiciness in traditional fall treats, such as zucchini bread, apple pie, and carrot cake, among many other delectables. But its use extends beyond merely desserts as well! The Kitchn recommends mixing it into nuts, popcorn, pancakes, waffles, crepes, pasta, and, perhaps the most compelling, roasted vegetables! I don’t know about y’all, but to me, one of the best parts of autumnal cuisine is the seasonal social acceptance of roasting veggies (YUM!).
Now I guess we can talk about the elephant in the room, the actual pumpkin-related uses of pumpkin spice. While the dark horses, pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, shouldn’t be overlooked, it would be hard to ignore the pumpkin spice latte—it’s frankly inescapable, and the cafés know! What started as a seasonal offering at a local Seattle coffee shop in 2003 has since become a harbinger of a new season for more than just the coffee industry. Regardless of what the weather decides, the PSL comes earlier and earlier every year (August 25 this year!), marking the beginning of the fall season for restaurants, seasonal decorations, and, perhaps most interestingly, clothing stores!
In the past few years, the PSL and the “basic white girl” have become completely intertwined. Perhaps the first thing that came to your mind when opening up this article was not a coffee drink, but instead yoga pants, Uggs, and Patagonia. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but it begs the question: why is that the case? Something that we may take for granted in the Acton-Boxborough community is the fact that Starbucks is a luxury—not everyone can spend over $5 on a frivolous drink. Likewise, many of the symbols that one may associate with the PSL are also a consequence of an economic privilege that not everyone is afforded. So while it may seem excessive, perhaps the drink really speaks to the picture that Starbucks paints of society.
Now, with all the pumpkin spice tea (gossip, not drink) out of the way, I figured I’d take this opportunity to give my reviews of some pumpkin treats before the infamous season slips away!
- Starbucks PSL — Sure, it may be a little cliché at this point, but the OG PSL is undeniably good. Rich, sweet, and that whipped cream? Can’t beat it. 15/10
- Dunkin’ PSL — Coffee for dessert? It’s pretty sweet, and pretty tasty! A lot to handle, though, I would get half syrup if I do it again. 8/10
- Acton Coffee House PSL — Spiciest latte out there! The pumpkin flavor is much more subtle than your mainstream cafe, but what is sacrificed in sweetness is made up for in depth! 8.5/10
- Dunkin’ Pumpkin Munchkins — Cute, quick, sweet, GREAT! The true hero of ol’ time advisory. 8.8/10
- NYT Brown Butter Bourbon Pumpkin Bread — My favorite recipe this season! Has a little bit of alcohol so potentially omit if you want to preserve your childhood innocence. 9.5/10
- Kimball’s Pumpkin Ice Cream — Super creamy and great, non-fake, pumpkin flavor. Unfortunately out of season at this point. :( 8/10
To all my pumpkin spice noobs out there, I hope I helped alleviate some of the embarrassment you may have experienced by being confused during these seasonal times. And to all my pumpkin spice pros, I hope I was able to point you toward some interesting ventures into the deep depths of pumpkin spice land. But whether you came in an amateur pumpkin wanderer or a seasoned pumpkin connoisseur, I hope we can all agree on one thing: pumpkin season HAS to stop encroaching on our summer!
