How did pumpkin spice become the flavor of fall? (2024)

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Why did pumpkin become a common food and flavor in the fall? ›

"When [colonial farmers] couldn't manage to produce wheat or cabbage or any of the foods that they were used to having, they could often substitute the very prolific pumpkin because it grew like a weed," she added. Essentially, the pumpkin became associated with an old-fashioned way of making a living off the land.

Eventually, the first official recipe for pumpkin spice surfaced in 1796 when a woman named Amelia Simmons created the recipe and released it in the first American cookbook calling it "Pumpkin Pie Spice."

Mid-August means "Augtober," and the embrace of pumpkin spice, an autumnal flavor that many of us fall for even before the end of summer.

"Fall flavors like pumpkin spice evoke strong reactions because they tap into nostalgia and the brain's reward system," he said, similar to the way a person turns to comfort foods. The nature of autumn, with the shrinking days and colder temperatures, helps drive these feelings of nostalgia and comfort, Johnson said.

Pumpkins and corn because they are common and abundant fall crops from way back. Gourds and squash including pumpkins were among the first crops the natives taught settlers to cultivate. They've been huge symbolic items for the entire holiday season since - from jack o lanterns to pumpkin pie.

Vines die back and leaves shrivel at the end of the growing season. The fruits change from green to yellow to sunset orange. Cut pumpkins from the vine when the rind is firm; leave several inches of stem attached to the fruit to avoid rot.

Pumpkin spice (a.k.a. pumpkin pie spice) is an aromatic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Sometimes allspice is included. You can buy the spice blend at the store or use ingredients you already have on hand to make DIY pumpkin spice.

Well, you may be surprised that there is no pumpkin in the pumpkin spice flavor. According to Food and Wine, pumpkin spice is the seasoning that can flavor pumpkin pie. This seasoning blend usually consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. This spice blend has been around for a very long time.

In 1675 the first recipe to call for the mix of pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon known today as pumpkin spice was used. The four spices can also be combined with ginger and all spice depending on where you live. A company known to prepackage these spices in a handy shaker started doing so in the late 1930's.

For many, that flavor is probably pumpkin spice. However, pumpkin spice is a blend of classic fall spices that deserve their time in the spotlight, too. We'll explore 10 other classic, comforting autumn flavors below that can get you into the fall spirit, no pumpkin needed.

What spices taste like fall? ›

Autumn brings about the warmth of savory vegetable soup, the richness of caramel, and the sweet-tang of apples. It's also a time for the crunch of pecans. Perhaps the very best autumn flavor is the sweet and spicy goodness of pumpkin bread! All of these flavors bring about warm memories, as well.

The big boom of pumpkin spice truly came in the 1990s with the launch of the PSL. A little coffee shop named Starbucks launched the PSL, hesitantly, and initiated the pumpkin spice craze. The latte became the talk of the town with customers everywhere patiently awaiting the fall season just for their coveted PSL.

Pumpkin spice, also known as pumpkin pie spice, is a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Some pumpkin spice mixes might leave out a spice or two, but most consist of at least two or three of the spices listed above.

With a lavender garnish. The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation of Chicago in the 90s conducted a study to see which scent men found the most alluring. The study found that the men's favorite scent was pumpkin, and when mixed with lavender they were even more thrilled by the scent.

With pumpkins linked to holidays such as Thanksgiving and Halloween, there is a psychological theory called “reactance,” that affects us. Reactance theory, explained by The Conversation, is the strong inclination to act on limited time offers like seasonal pumpkin spice flavors.

When Irish immigrants came to America, they brought their traditions and discovered something new - pumpkins! While this orange gourd lacked the bone white color of turnips, it was easy to carve and cast a beautiful orange glow when lit, making it perfect for Jack-O-Lanterns in a new home.

Some think it relates way back to our colony days where pumpkins were one of the only crops the settlers could sustain and so, subconsciously, pumpkin reminds us of our roots. Others believe that the seasonal appeal of the pumpkin-flavor is what creates the allure. Either way, the pumpkin spice craze is here to stay.

Considered a symbol of protection

In addition to its origins in folklore, pumpkins were also believed to ward off evil spirits. Carved pumpkins with lit candles inside were placed on doorsteps to protect homes from wandering spirits on All Hallows' Eve, creating a tradition that persists to this day.