It’s official: Fall is sweeping in!
Thus, we’ve hit that time of year where everyone goes absolutely nuts over one specialty coffee drink. You guessed it, THE pumpkin spiced latte.
Now, love it or hate it, pumpkin spice is the unofficial taste of the fall season. It mixes well with fall harvests, acts as a perfect topper for warm pumpkin pies, and even looks like the sparkling dust on the fall leaves. But, to adequately prepare for one of the coziest seasons of the year, let’s calm down and ask some hard-hitting questions here like: What is pumpkin spice!? Where did it come from? And is it all sugar and spice and everything nice?
So, let’s dive in and do some research to expand past that “basic” knowledge on pumpkin spice!
I. What is pumpkin spice?
Pumpkin spice actually doesn’t contain pumpkin. I know, WHAT?! Rather, pumpkin spice is a mixture of spices that pair well WITH pumpkin. This blend normally contains 5 simple spices: ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. Together, these flavors melt together to compliment pumpkin and ultimately create a flavor that is reminiscent of warm pumpkin pie.
II. The history of pumpkin spice
The first appearance of the spice mixture appeared in a 1796 cookbook by Amelia Simmons called American Cookery. Here, she first referenced the spice mix as “pomkin” and added it to many of her stewed recipes.
It was only until 1936 when the term “pumpkin spice” was recorded in the Washington Post’s recipe of pumpkin spice cakes. The full title of their article was “Spice Cake Of Pumpkin Newest Dish: Delicacy Tempting to All Appetites and Easy to Prepare. Ideal Dessert for Family Dinner, Healthful for Children” which mixed the spice flavors and actual pumpkin together to create the flavor combo we know and enjoy today.
Finally, this market grew even more in the 1950s when the McCormick company started branding and selling “pumpkin pie spice” by the bottle. This title was later shortened in the 1960s to just “pumpkin spice”. Although the mix didn’t include any pumpkin, the spice combination’s popularization really skyrocketed from the convenient bottling of these fall flavors. From here, people would begin sprinkling it on everything from apple ciders to sweet potatoes.
III. When did pumpkin spice hit the coffee charts!?
The role of Starbucks is pretty prominent. In 2003, a Starbuck’s development group was tasked to come up with a seasonal drink equally as popular as the eggnog latte and the peppermint mocha. After taste testing pumpkin pie while sipping coffee, the flavor combination was formed, and Starbucks assembled their first ever Pumpkin spiced latte. All it took was “pumpkin spice sauce with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg – handcrafted with espresso and steamed milk – and topped off with whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin pie topping” (Starbucks.com). You can guess the course of events from here. In the fall of 2003, the lattes were released as a test in 100 stores. The drink’s flavor was acclaimed by many. Now, the rest is history. The project manager, Peter Dukes, reflects that “Nobody knew back then what it would grow to be,” and that now pumpkin spiced lattes have “taken on a life of its own” (Starbucks.com)
IV. How much $ is in this industry?
Just like everything else, this is an industry. Starbucks reported that in 2017 they had sold 350 million pumpkin spiced lattes. If we estimate the lattes to cost about $4 each, that would mean they would have made $1.4 billion since their release in 2003. But here’s the kicker: that’s just Starbucks. There are so many other food items that capitalize on this spice too! Here’s a little infographic that sums up the division of profits among the different products. https://infogram.com/pumpkin-spice-v1-1ho16v371z874nq
V. What other pumpkin spiced products are available aside from lattes?
Oh boy, where do I begin? This is probably where the trend goes overboard. The short answer would be pumpkin spice can be found in just about anything. But, here are some of the top products people go nuts over when it comes to pumpkin spice:
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Pumpkin spice Cheerios
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Pumpkin spice quaker oats
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Pumpkin spice pop tarts
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Pumpkin spice swirled bread
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Pumpkin spice teas
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Pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls
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Pumpkin spice drizzled kettle corn
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Pumpkin spice lotions
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Pumpkin spice candles
VI. Why is it so popular?
No one knows for sure, but a few theories on this one:
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It’s a seasonal drink with a limited time frame of availability. Look, I only took Economics for one semester, but even in that short time, I learned there is some physiological effect that increases an item’s value if it’s a scarce or time sensitive option. Just look at Mcdonald’s shamrock shakes, peppermint mochas, and the unicorn frappuccino as other examples.
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Pumpkin is a part of American history. Get this. I did a little research. It turns out pumpkin is one of the oldest domesticated plants in the new world. This crop was originally used by native americans and highly valued for its transportability and storage capacities. Later, when colonists came to the new world, they attempted to plant european seeds…and some failed. Thus, native americans introduced the European colonists to pumpkins to help fill their food gap. Pumpkins helped sustain the community. Is this what really motivates people to like pumpkin spiced lattes? Probably not. But, it is still interesting to notice the nostalgia behind the American classic fall flavor.
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Smells like home. There’s actually some psychology behind this. It is thought that half the nostalgia associated with pumpkin spice comes from memories triggered by the smell. Imagine: Ginger, allspice, cinnamon, warmth… feels kinda like home or a good memory. Of course, this is a great marketing score for companies. They love to appeal to an emotional side of customers in advertising. Even if pumpkin spice wasn’t the smell of your household, there might still be something about that combination of spices that lets your mind drift back into a memory.
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Pumpkin spice doesn’t stop at just the lattes. It’s in everything. This flavor combination has infiltrated the entire market! Imagine: pumpkin spiced Moon Pies, pumpkin spiced kale chips, pumpkin spiced beer, and even pumpkin spiced dog treats. You name it! It’s everywhere, which may contribute to why some get annoyed by its popularity. But love it or hate it, it exists. Don’t be surprised if you find a pumpkin spice toothpaste one day.
VII. Am I basic for reading this?
It’s hard to write an entire essay on pumpkin spice/ pumpkin spiced lattes without talking about it’s associated meanings. Pumpkin spiced lattes, due to their popularity, have an unfortunate association that their consumers are “basic”. What does being “basic” mean exactly? Well, I suppose it just means you’ve got the privilege to enjoy the same things that everyone else is enjoying and that you have hopped on the trendy bandwagon. A lot of people wonder: is this a bad thing? And why does “basic-ness” have such a negative connotation? Personally, I don’t think it has to. A coffee drink does not define you as a person. You like what you like. If it happens to be trendy, fine! So sit, have a chat, and don’t worry about what others think as you sip your pumpkin spiced latte. Also, if it makes you feel better: after reading this article, I guarantee you’ll be beyond “basic” with your extensive knowledge on pumpkin spice.
So, there you have it! The history of pumpkin spice all wrapped into one post. Whether you feel that pumpkin spice is a ritualistic commencement of fall or just one major eye roll, thank you for reading this fun run down!
References:
https://www.familytreemagazine.com/premium/brief-history-everything-pumpkin-spice/
https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2014/starbucks-first-pumpkin-spice-latte/
https://chicagoist.com/2014/10/31/pumpkin_spice_rise_and_fall_of_an_a.php
http://www.fullbooks.com/American-Cookery.html
https://www.almanac.com/news/natural-health-home-tips/great-pumpkin
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-do-we-pumpkin-spice-so-much-science-behind-psl-ncna815071