Making the case for pumpkin spice

Wait, wait – don’t turn away! Even if you are not someone who lines up for the first day of pumpkin spice lattes at a big chain coffee shop, please listen to Becky Krystal on why you shouldn’t discount the ubiquitous flavor of autumn. Over the years the label on this spice blend was foreshortened from ‘pumpkin pie spice’ to just ‘pumpkin spice’, making the name a source of confusion because so many people assume there is actually pumpkin in every snack or beverage containing the phrase. Most often there isn’t, and if you deconstruct pumpkin spice – or better yet, make it for yourself – you will be reminded of why it became popular in the first place.

According to research by folks at The Washington Post, the original pumpkin pie spice blend can be traced to a 1936 recipe for pumpkin spice cake. Over the years manufacturers created a blend of the individual spices used in this and similar goods, a helpful shortcut for busy bakers. As the blend became more common, food companies took shortcuts, leading to a situation where the blend is “often no longer recognizable or even good,” according to Krystal. She recommends creating your own custom blend that you can use when you need it. Doing this combines convenience with a flavor you can tweak to suit your own palate. The warming spices, which include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, are familiar on their own, but transcend their individual attributes when combined.

The EYB Library has over 260 online ‘pumpkin spice’ recipes. Here are a few standouts:

• Alex Guarnaschelli’s pumpkin spice sweet potato wedges from Food Network Magazine
• Pumpkin spice ice cream from Joy The Baker Homemade Decadence
• Pumpkin spice latte from The Wicked Baker (pictured)
• Pumpkin spice babka filling from Jew-ish: A Cookbook
• Pecan pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies from Bon Appétit Magazine