It’s the time of the year, Starbucks and most of the other coffee places have come out with their fall menu. The traditional Pumpkin Spice latte is once again back on the menu. At this point it has become a staple of the autumn season. Not only does Starbucks implement it in various menu items, but other retailers are stocking shelves with pumpkin spice flavored items. Cereals, creamers, yoghurts, bread, popcorn and so much more. There’s no end to the imagination, its almost like you can add it to anything.
What is pumpkin spice?
Think of all the warm and fuzzy spices you have in your cabinet. Pumpkin spice is basically all of those combined. A simple combination of five spices, that brings happiness to peoples life’s.
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Allspice
- Ginger
- Cloves
The blend does not consist of equal amount of each spice. Its formulated with a mix of ratios to create a balanced, warming flavor. The main spice is cinnamon, with other spices like ginger, nutmeg, and cloves used in smaller quantities. Below is the typical ratio to master the true flavor.
- 4 parts ground cinnamon
- 3 parts ground ginger
- 1 part ground nutmeg
- ½ part ground cloves
- ½ part ground allspice
Who came up with the spice combination and name?
The spices were used in the traditional Pumpkin Pie recipe dating back to 1796 from the first American cookbook, “American Cookery”.
In 1934, McCormick released their own four-spice version (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice) and coined the term “Pumpkin Pie Spice”.
The Pumpkin Spice we know today came from Starbucks PSL drink which made debut in 2003 as a big hit. Technically Starbucks is the OG for modern day Pumpkin Spice.
Next time you get yourself something pumpkin spiced you can thank the mermaid in the back of your mind.
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