The pumpkin spice takeover

    Pumpkins, of course, are nothing new. Even pumpkin pies, with their traditional flavors and seasonings, have been around for centuries and have long been associated with Thanksgiving.
    But something in the last decade has changed. Pumpkin spice has moved beyond pies and taken over the entire fall season. Some of the pumpkin spice creations are close enough to the pie to be easily accepted: bread, cakes, cookies.
    On the other end of the spectrum are monstrosities that have people questioning what the world has come to: fettuccine, potato chips, whey protein blend, hummus.
    It goes beyond the edible, too. There are pumpkin spice Halloween costumes, candles, lotion, beard oil, shirts, socks, deodorant — even dog shampoo!
    There seems to be no limit to the things that can be altered to fit the theme, but there does appear to be one rule: Pumpkin spice is meant to be enjoyed exclusively in autumn. Granted, it’s a quite liberal definition of autumn, starting the second September arrives (if not sooner) and lasting until the weather warms up, stores run out of stock or Christmas flavors take over.
    Take Heidi’s Coffee & Bake Shop. Pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice flavors are part of the shop’s offerings year round, but manager Audrey Ault said that customers absolutely buy more pumpkin-flavored drinks at this time of year. The jack-o’-latte, a local take on the national trend, became a popular choice as soon as fall hit. It features a mix of flavors, including pumpkin pie, vanilla and toasted marshmallow.
    Heidi’s sees a similar phenomenon with other seasonal drinks, Ault said. Be it eggnog, gingerbread or peppermint, people tend to stay away from the Christmas flavors throughout the rest of the year.
    Though the pumpkin spice trend may have began with the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, coffee shops offer pumpkin spice everything. Pumpkin drinks can be hot or cold, iced or blended, caffeinated or not. Regardless of a person’s drink preference, they can certainly get in on the pumpkin spice action.

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