Walking down the grocery aisles the other day was an explosion of pumpkin flavored products, everything from cereal to coffee to cookies, and muffins.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte’ was invented by Starbucks at the headquarters in Seattle in early spring of 2003. Members of the team were searching for a new flavored coffee for the fall. A forkful of pumpkin pie was followed by a sip of hot espresso, the goal was to find which flavors of the pie best complemented the coffee. The team refined the recipe, handcrafted with espresso, pumpkin pie sauce, steamed milk and a dash of pumpkin pie topping on the whipped cream. In the fall of 2003, the pumpkin spice latte’ was tested in Washington D.C. and Vancouver, Canada. It was an instant winner. Dunkin Donuts introduced its pumpkin flavor swirl for coffee in 2007.
With pumpkins linked to everything fall, there is a psychological theory called “reactance” that affects us. Reactance Theory is the strong inclination to act on limited time offers like seasonal pumpkin spice flavors. Waiting until fall for the pumpkin spice latte season is like waiting for an award. Industries have profited from this growing psychological enticement and have made pumpkin spice flavors a social and nostalgic situation for us. Unfortunately, due to its seasonal shelf life, none of the pumpkin spice flavoring is freshly made and companies have to rely on factory made artificial flavors.
With the demand for pumpkins growing, the smell of pumpkin spice can trigger you to imagine fall leaves, warm blankets, and positive memories fluttering through your mind. Pumpkin flavoring is associated with popular fall activities like football games and trick or treating. We’re savoring the essence of autumn itself.
According to WebMd, eating pumpkins in the fall is beneficial to our health. As we head indoors on the increasingly cooler days, we tend to attract some pesky germs. Pumpkins are rich in vitamin C, A, and E, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium, and beta-carotene. Consuming pumpkin may help manage immune related diseases, reduce how often you fall sick, and help you recover faster from infections.
Pumpkin seeds are a natural source of tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes sleep. The nutrients in pumpkin seeds can also positively affect stress, anxiety, sleep duration, and quality.
After Thanksgiving every year I give some of our pumpkins to our chickens to enjoy, the others are thrown in the garden. The seeds from the decomposing pumpkins from last year produced several very healthy vines this summer with beautiful heirloom varieties. On the morning I had chosen to harvest my pumpkins, I found vines strewn around violently with my pumpkins in pieces. It was obvious that the neighborhood raccoon family had been partying with my crop. My chickens eagerly accepted the leftovers.
Regardless of whether you love it or you hate it, there is no ignoring pumpkin spice season when it comes around. With the cooler weather and the start of the NFL season, I plan to add a little pumpkin spice to my coffee in the mornings, homemade of course.
Contributor Kate Emery General is a retired chef/restaurant owner who was born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. Kate loves her grandchildren, knitting and watercolor painting. Kate and her husband, Matt, are longtime residents of Cambridge’s West End, where they enjoy swimming and bicycling.
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