From marshmallows to dog food (yes, dog food), pumpkin spice has taken over the season. It all started with the launch of one seasonal beverage — the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) from Starbucks in 2003. The drink’s cult-like following has evolved, leading to several thousand fans watching an 80-hour livestream of a pumpkin just to see when the latte would be available.
How did we get to this point?
Scientists are attributing this somewhat obsession to the nostalgia of the spices that make up pumpkin spice. While the spice may not have any actual pumpkin, the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice are enough to draw the sentiment. These familiar smells can trigger feelings of comfort associated with fall like eating giant caramel apples or feeling the nip in the air as you trick or treat.
Companies saw an opportunity as crazed fans waited in lines the day before the PSL made its yearly launch and wanted to capitalize on it. And if pumpkin is good in coffee, that means the spice is nice in everything else, right? The daunting list of products released every fall continues to grow each year.
So, what’s next?
When it comes to spices you can use to bring on that fall feeling, you can break down pumpkin spice itself. Classic scents include cinnamon — like what’s found in our cinnamon broom — or the smell of cloves simmering with some cinnamon and apples on those crisp nights. For some added fall flavor, throwing in a pinch of nutmeg or a dash of allspice may add the taste of autumn to your dishes.
Source: www.livescience.com
Pumpkin spice up your life
Check out the lineup of seasonal pumpkin spice products available at Publix.
Publix Aprons Recipe Development Manager Amber Pruett shows us how easy it is to make pumpkin pie spice and add it to any recipe.
She also shows you how it is used as part of two recipes:
