The month and a half between Oct. 10 and Dec. 1 has emerged as a 5th unofficial season. That season, of course, is pumpkin season. Whether you attribute this phenomenon to Halloween, Thanksgiving or just to the abundance of pumpkins that grow during the fall, it’s virtually impossible to ignore the autumn squash’s influence on what we eat. Some of these creative, seasonal infusions are well worth waiting ten months for, while others probably just shouldn’t exist at all.
THE GOOD:
Pumpkin Bread
A classic holiday favorite. Whether it’s your mom’s famous recipe or Meijer brand goodness, a warm slice of pumpkin bread can almost make you forget that it’s 0 degrees outside with the wind chill.
Photo by Sarah Comerford
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Closely related to pumpkin bread, the pumpkin spice muffin will show its face in coffee shops and cafes almost ceaselessly during the autumn months. Though not as common as pumpkin bread when it comes to home baking, next time you step into Starbucks do yourself a favor a grab a muffin. It’s all about the simple pleasures/vices/muffins.
THE BAD:
Pumpkin spice coffee
Aren’t there already enough coffee flavors? Walking into a coffee shop can be an overwhelming experience to begin with, and I always end up just going with the house blend anyway. This stuff is way too sweet in my opinion.
Photo courtesy of Starbucks
THE UGLY:
Pumpkin Beer
Don’t even go here. Some things just aren’t meant to be, and pumpkins have no business interfering with the elegant fusion of hops and barely. If pumpkin muffins make you wish the seasonal flavor would be available year round, then pumpkin beer should make you want to wipe the pumpkin off the face of the earth. You just don’t mess with perfection.
Photo courtesy of www.eatingbender.com