Living Outside The Lines – Crazy About Pumpkin Spice

By, Becky J Miller

Our Gregorian calendar officially marked September 22, 2016, as the first day of fall.  However, to lovers of pumpkin spice anything, fall officially starts whenever Starbucks begins offering its seasonal favorite, Pumpkin Spice Latte.  This year, that anxiously awaited momentous event occurred September 6.

Facetiously referred to as the fall flavor of first world white women, pumpkin spice has infiltrated almost every corner of the food industry.  According to people.com, the flavor can be found in a plethora of products; Caramel Almond Pumpkin Spice Kind Bars, Subway Pumpkin Spice Cookies, Pumpkin Spice Cheerios, Organic Pumpkin Spice Yogurt, Pumpkin & Spice Triscuits, and Krispy Kreme Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts.

But wait, there’s more; Baileys Pumpkin Spice Irish Cream, Pumpkin Spice Nutrigrain Bars, Pumpkin Spice Fruit Wine, Pumpkin Spice Lindor Truffles, Pumpkin Spice Latte Peeps, Sara Lee Pumpkin Cheesecake, Otis Spunkmeyer Iced Pumpkin Mini Loaf Cakes, Pumpkin Beer Chocolate Bars, Harvest Pumpkin Tortilla Chips, Chipotle Pumpkin Salsa, Pumpkin Spiced Mallows, Pumpkin Spice Bagels and Pumpkin Spiced Milk.

And just in case your favorite food hasn’t manifested, don’t give up hope yet.  There’s Pumpkin Spice Pancake Mix, Pumpkin Spice Baking Morsels, Pumpkin Flax Granola, Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese, Pumpkin Stuffed Pretzels, and Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream.  The people.com list, though ridiculously long, is by no means exhaustive.    

So, what do all of the pumpkin spice flavored edibles mean for you?  Well, for lovers of the taste, the season is short; there are maybe two months to consume all of the goodness before it disappears for approximately ten excruciating months. Of course, since most of the items have an extended shelf life, stockpiling is totally permitted.

For those who gag at the thought of pumpkin spice anything, be patient for soon all of the hooplas will end and the next exciting flavor of the season arrives, mint chocolate.  Fear not, for the time of peppermint bark, peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint Oreos and chocolate peppermint cheesecake is right around the corner.

Until Next Time,

Becky J Miller

Warrior Princess