In a post or two ago I mentioned it was time for pumpkin spice. It gets earlier and earlier, just like Christmas, but once it hits there isn't anything in the world that isn't flavored pumpkin spice. Coffee, ice cream, pasta, pasta sauces, candy, dips, if you cook with mixes, cereal, syrups, muffins, cookies, ravioli, they are all flavored pumpkin spice, frosting on donuts, donuts themselves....I could go on and on and on because pumpkin spice flavored things go on and on and on.
Truly, it's about enough to drive you crazy if you aren't in love with the flavor. The spices are all the 'cozy' flavors of fall so the marketing people went a little crazy with it. No, they went a lot crazy.
After my first mention of it Australia Jenny asked, "what's pumpkin spice?" Oh, to live in HER world! If you don't know, it's a mix of mostly cinnamon, with nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves. You can buy it or make your own adding more of what you like but the spice that carries all the others is cinnamon. And why would you make it yourself? It flavors absolutely everything. Everything. Once I was in Trader Joe's and it was EVERYWHERE. I had to leave. There wasn't anything NOT flavored pumpkin spice. I drove by the oil change store here in town and their sign out front says something like "pumpkin spice oil changes!" I laugh because that's just about it.
It started out as a spice blend for pumpkin pies, which is another predominant thing this time of year. Or maybe it's supposed to just mimic the taste of pumpkin pie and the marketing people went off the edge of the cliff. I don't like pumpkin pie. It's a texture thing but I'm sure it's delicious....if I ate it. Who needs the pie when you can get that flavor in anything and everything?
I had to take a photo of this magazine cover. Look at that. One hundred and two recipes for pumpkin something and they ALL feature pumpkin spice.
Soon everything will be flavored peppermint. But I like peppermint.
I love pumpkin pie but that doesn't mean I want to eat it in everything for 3 months. The one seasonal flavor that doesn't tempt me is eggnog. My husband loves it and stocks up in the freezer so he can have it for months, , , but not me.
ReplyDeletei like pumpkin bread...period....all the rest can disappear as far as i'm concerned...what retailers will do to make a buck!
ReplyDeletePumpkin itself isn't very flavorful, which makes me laugh every time I see it everywhere. And then I just go around saying "it's cinnamon you idiots" but usually I'm just talking to myself. I'd rather have apple pie (good lord that has cinnamon in it...) and one "pumpkin spice" donut a year from the local orchard and I'm good. Banana bread is better (no cinnamon there) and unless I'm trying to get a dog to eat more fiber (pumpkin is good for that), I will pass on anything pumpkin. I'll probably be excommunicated tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried pumpkin pie, but I love it baked or in a soup! Seems a bit over the top to have it in everything!
ReplyDeleteMy sister in law I’m travelling with now was born in the US and she makes pumpkin pie. I don’t mind it . But I do like pumpkin scones but they have no spice!! But still no pumpkin spice here.
ReplyDeleteTrader Joe's is on my list of places to visit soon. I have to drive upstate to go to one, but people rave about it.
ReplyDelete