It’s Pumpkin Spice Season, So What are Those Famous Fall Spices?

Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash

As the mercury begins to drop and fall approaches, you will undoubtedly begin to see coffee shops begin to advertise pumpkin spice drinks. This food trend caught on earlier this century and has become an autumn fixture throughout the world.

Pumpkin, a squash cultivar that originated in the Americas, is one of the main components of this flavor that has become so popular. It’s sweet and rich and simply tastes “like fall.” But, let’s not forget that the word “spice” comes after the first word in the phrase. Many people don’t even know which spices are the ones that pair so well with pumpkin.

The spices used in this flavoring are essentially the same ones used in pumpkin pies and in pumpkin bread. The first, and heaviest component, is cinammon. Pumpkin spice is usually composed of approximately 50% cinnamon, lending it the one spice flavor you might associate with pumpkin.

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Another key ingredient in pumpkin spice is ginger. This spice a spicy and slightly wooden flavor that adds complexity and brings down the sweetness of pumpkin spice.

There are two more spices missing, so what are they? Those spices, carried in small quantities, are cloves and nutmeg. Cloves and intensity to the mix, while nutmeg is the secret, underrated ingredient that just ties everything together!

Don’t you just love pumpkin spice?

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