PUMPKIN SPICE: THE MAIN CHARACTER
The temperature starts dropping, nights turn darker, cozy blankets become an accessory, fireplaces start crackling, the color of leaves rapidly change, and the aroma of pumpkin spice fills the air – that's when you know fall has officially arrived.
When people think of fall flavors, they automatically think of pumpkin spice, the famous seasonal latte we patiently wait for every coffee shop to release during this time of year. However, pumpkin spice lattes aren’t all there is when it comes to this fall flavor profile, so what exactly is pumpkin spice, and where does come from?
ALL ABOUT THE SEASONINGS
For starters, pumpkin spice is a combination of those delicious warm spices that we all reach for in our fall and holiday baking. These spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger – that's it! All these spices originating from different parts of the world collide together to make a seasonal blend that we all know and love.
HISTORY BEHIND PUMPKIN SPICE
Now that we know what pumpkin spice consists of, where did it originate? The origin of pumpkin spice dates back to the Dutch East India Company. The ingredients that make up pumpkin spice—cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice—are native to Southeast Asian islands. This spice was discovered on a few island groups as well as ancient pottery shards in Indonesia. On Pulau Ay, one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia - also known as the Spice Islands - archaeologists found ancient nutmeg residue on ceramic pottery shards they estimated to be 3,500 years old. A desire for spice is part of what drove European seafaring and contact with the Americas. The Dutch then took control of the Spice Islands in the early-17th century. The Spice Islands inspired many to mix spices and create their own unique flavors. The Dutch crafted a blend named Speculaaskruiden; it is similar to pumpkin spice but has cardamom and occasionally white pepper. The Dutch’s new spice became so popular in Netherland desserts that its makeup spread across borders.
The earliest-known pumpkin spice relates to a British recipe from 1675; during this time, it was called pumpion pye. This original spice blend featured pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. The combination of both the British spice blend and pumpkin being prominent in the Americas led to the beautiful thing we know as pumpkin pie spice. Today, it is thanks to the spice company McCormick for officially branding and giving pumpkin pie spice its name; now, it's the blend we still use to this day for all things pumpkin.
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