Pumpkin Perfection

By Rebecca Vitkus

Junior, English major, Mass Communication minor

Oh, the sweet signs of autumn– cool weather, crisp leaves, and pumpkin-flavored everything.

It seems that fall arrived earlier than expected this year, with Starbucks resurrecting its beloved pumpkin spice latte on the last day of August, but hey – I’m not complaining. I may or may not have had 19 of them (and counting), and it’s not even Halloween yet. Besides the PSL (the drink and I are on a nickname basis now), which celebrated its tenth anniversary this year, Starbucks also offers pumpkin scones, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin bread. Why exactly do we go so crazy for pumpkin delicacies? Is it because we know they’re only here for a limited time? Is it because these fall-flavored pastries help us get over the recent devastating loss of summer? I mean, clearly, Cinderella had no idea what she was doing, because if I were in her glass shoes, I would have demanded that the fairy godmother turn my carriage back into a pumpkin.

We may never know the reason for our fascination with pumpkin treats, but we can be sure of one thing – when considering how to incorporate the festive pumpkin flavor into any kind of food or drink, the possibilities are endless. Put on your stretchy pants, and prepare to dive deep into the depths of pumpkin perfection.

For the caffeine-lovers: Try making a pumpkin chai latte at home. It has the benefit of tasting like autumn, and it will help you stay up all night to study.

For the snack food-lovers: So apparently, pumpkin hummus exists. Not only is it pumpkin-flavored, but it’s also hummus, which means you can eat four servings of it and still convince yourself that it’s part of a healthful diet.

For the pasta-lovers: Yes, there is even pumpkin fettuccine if you’d like to make an actual meal, all pumpkin-themed. It seems pretty simple to make, too.

For the fro-yo-lovers: If you’re too lazy to wander down to Mochi or Red Mango, you can enjoy pumpkin frozen yogurt without having to leave your house.

For the Nutella-lovers: Let’s examine skinny pumpkin Nutella dip – it’s somewhat healthful, it’s pumpkin-flavored, and it has Nutella? Plus, there are only three ingredients. It surely can’t get any better than this.

Embrace the pumpkin craze while you can because it will be gone before you know it, sure to be replaced by the winter-themed gingerbread and peppermint flavors. Until then, I raise my PSL and toast to all things pumpkin.