Can you smell it? Cool and crisp, fall is in the air with the smell of wood smoke, loamy leaves, and, of course, pumpkin spice. The spice wafts through the air like pollen and it lures us into our favorite Apex cafes, bakeries, grocery stores and candle shops. It’s everywhere. But what is pumpkin spice?
The history of pumpkin spice can be traced back to 1796 to a cookbook called American Cookery by Amelia Simmons. In it she has two recipes for a spiced-filled pumpkin pie, one made with nutmeg and ginger and one made with allspice and ginger. Pumpkin spice doesn’t show up again, commercially, until the 1930s when spice manufacturers blended and marketed Pumpkin Pie Spice, which you can find in any of our Apex grocery stores.
Most blends include cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Or, you can blend your own with this recipe:
As you can see, there is no pumpkin, because it is pumpkin pie spice.
Then why don’t we call it that?
Maybe because it didn’t fit on the label and in the 1960s manufacturers dropped the word pie, because everybody knew it was a blend of spices used for flavoring your pumpkin pie, or whatever else you would like to add a dash of these warm and exotic flavors to. Like… ice cream or cheesecake. How about oatmeal or apple pie? Or butternut squash from the Apex Farmer’s Market? Maybe try it in warm milk or hot chocolate!
Now, fall forward to 2004 and the emergence of the pumpkin spice latte. We all know where that started, and there’s at least one in Apex. Plus, with over 200 million sold, we’ve probably all had one. Interestingly, someone complained that there was no pumpkin in said famous pumpkin (pie) spiced drinks, so in 2015 they added pumpkin purée to their pumpkin spice latte.
If you would like to try it at home, here is another recipe.
First make the pumpkin spice syrup:
That seems like a lot of work, and we’re all busy, so let’s just stop in at our favorite local Apex café, relax, and order one. Better yet, bring a friend and order two!
Learn more about pumpkin spice from these sources:
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/1502/get-ready-for-pumpkin-flavored-everything.html
https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/pumpkin-spice-history
https://athome.starbucks.com/recipe/pumpkin-spice-latte
PUMPKIN SPICE
3 Tbsp ground Cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cardamom (optional)
Mix together and store in an airtight container.
PUMPKIN SPICE SYRUP
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
6 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground nutmeg
4 Tbsp pumpkin purée
Combine sugar and water in saucepan and simmer. Once sugar is dissolved, add cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg and pumpkin purée, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately strain through cheesecloth.
PUMPKIN SPICE
LATTE
1 cup whole milk
1 oz brewed espresso
3 Tbsp homemade pumpkin spice syrup
½ cup whipped cream
1 pinch pumpkin pie spice
(garnish)
Pour a small amount of your pumpkin spice syrup into a mug, followed by hot espresso. Stir together. Fill mug with heated frothed milk until ¾ full, then top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.
