By Steffen Klenk
With the return of fall comes cooler weather, football, Halloween, and jack-o-lanterns. Even pumpkin pies are hitting store shelves once again. Pumpkins are such a major part of the season that there’s a tradition of consuming anything pumpkin! How did this tradition start?
Back in January 2003, Starbucks developed a pumpkin spice latte drink. This came after the success of seasonal cold-weather drinks like the eggnog latte and peppermint mocha. Between 2003 and 2015, the iconic beverage had been sold more than 200 million times.
From that day forward, a new trend swept the globe. Every year, pumpkin spice items hit store shelves across the country in many forms. Researchers from the Institute of Food Technologists suggest people associate pumpkin flavor with the nostalgia that comes from the holidays and being with family.
Starbucks, among other corporations, has created a flavor that tastes and smells exactly like fall and Halloween every single time you order it. Here’s an interesting fact: in its original inception, the pumpkin spice latte did not have any pumpkin in its recipe! The average mix of pumpkin pie spice contains nearly 340 flavor compounds, while most pumpkin spice lattes contain only 10% of natural blends.
With a unique blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice, it’s no surprise that pumpkin has an aromatic flavor guaranteed to transport you into the season. I’d like to offer up several pumpkin food recipes you can try with friends or relatives.
Pumpkin soup is a simple, satisfying meal to go with any cool day. For this recipe, you’ll need four small pumpkins, 15 ounces of pumpkin puree, 11 ounces of butternut squash puree, 2 cups of chicken broth, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ tsp of nutmeg, ½ tsp of pepper, 12 ounces of evaporated milk and ¼ cup of sour cream. Slice the top of the pumpkins and scoop out the seeds (you will use the pumpkins later for presentation). Combine the pumpkin puree, broth, squash and seasonings, and stir. Add evaporated milk and let simmer for 15 minutes. Once completed, pour the mixture directly into the small pumpkins and garnish with sour cream and cinnamon.
If you’re looking for a tasty snack the entire family will love, try making roasted pumpkin seeds. Take 1 ½ cups of raw whole pumpkin seeds, 2 teaspoons of melted butter and a pinch of salt. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees, toss all ingredients into a bowl and mix together. Spread the seeds onto a baking sheet and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown, stirring on occasion. Cool and serve. This delicious, healthy snack is only 83 calories per serving.
These are just a few examples of things you can do with pumpkins. If you’re looking for more inspiration, look up recipes for pumpkin cheesecake. You can also find easy recipes for pumpkin muffins. Enjoy!
Steffen Klenk is a photographer and multimedia journalist who enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life. You may contact Steffen at shorelocalsteffen@gmail.com.
