The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Pumpkin Time!

It’s about this time of year that I start to get a little crazy. I start to get a little obsessive and over-indulgent. This is the time of year I start my annual hunt for all things orange. More specifically, I start looking for and eating every pumpkin-flavored food I can get my hands on.

This year, on the day Starbucks started serving their pumpkin spice latte (also known as the best day of the year), it was 88 degrees in Boston. Not exactly pumpkin-eating weather. But did that stop me from ordering a large steaming hot pumpkin spice latte and sipping it in the sun? Obviously not.

Don’t let the all too short pumpkin-eating season pass you by! Indulge. Just don’t indulge so much you start to turn orange. What? Trust me, it happens.

There is more to pumpkins than pumpkin pie:

Pumpkin Coffee: Of course there’s the classic pumpkin spice latte that almost every coffee shop (worth my business anyway) serves. But lots of coffee shops are also coming up with other pumpkin-flavored drinks. All are worth trying, but if you’re concerned with the calories and fat in a latte, just ask for a regular coffee with a little bit of the pumpkin-flavored syrup. It’s perfect when you just want a cup of coffee with a smidge of flavoring. And it’s usually much cheaper than ordering a latte too.

Pumpkin Fudge: Go to your local specialty candy shop and demand that they make pumpkin fudge if they don’t already. Because, as you can probably guess, pumpkin and chocolate is an amazing combination. My favorite candy store with pumpkin fudge just shut down this year (oh the horror!), which means I’m going to have to go on a major hunt this year.

Pumpkin Beer: Another duh choice. Pumpkin plus beer? I’ll have a 12-pack. My favorites are the Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale and the Southern Tier Imperial Pumpking Ale (tastes like pumpkin pie!). Really want the true pumpkin experience? Pour your chilled pumpkin beer into a mug and rim the mug with cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle some nutmeg on top too!

Pumpkin Pastas: Go online and scour the menus of your local restaurants to try to find which serve pumpkin items. Italian restaurants often add a little pumpkin to their pastas. My favorites include pumpkin ravioli (especially in a creamy sauce with nutmeg and cinnamon) and pumpkin gnocchi.

Pumpkin Butter: Start your day off right. Instead of buttering your morning toast and spreading some jam on top, eat your toast with pumpkin butter. Trader Joe’s carries an awesome one that’s just the perfect consistency and not too overpowering. Eating your pumpkin butter toast while sipping on your pumpkin coffee practically ensures that you’ll have a good day! Pumpkin butter is also fabulous on any carbohydrate-based product and is especially delicious atop pancakes. Bonus points for pumpkin pancakes with pumpkin butter on top!

[yummy photo from www.countryliving.com]