As you start to decide on your last-minute Halloween costume and anxiously await reuniting with your home friends Thanksgiving weekend, it’s evident that it officially is that time of year again: time to shed the tiny summer sundresses and replace it with cozy sweaters, to savor the last of the mild weather before winter rolls around, and most of all, to get into the festive fall mood by enjoying some pumpkin-flavored treats. Here are some goodies that we can all look forward to:
1) Pumpkin bread/muffins/pie/anything chock-full of carbs
This variety of pumpkin food is by far the most obvious but what you can do with it is without bounds. Though they are available to purchase pre-made throughout St. Louis, making these goodies from scratch with your friends and then eating them while watching Halloweentown or a cheesy Thanksgiving-themed ABC made-for-tv movie is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Bonus: take the leftovers and dish them out to some of your neighbors to make their day.
2) Pumpkin coffee
Anyone who’s been to Whispers lately has been forced to rethink their choice of a chai latte or green tea after reading the sign stating that they’re now offering pumpkin lattes. What’s better than a cup of aromatic pumpkin-y goodness that’ll keep your hands toasty on your walk to class? Grab this to reward yourself for a solid few hours of studying or if you’re at the Loop, try Starbuck’s new Pumpkin Spice Latte to compare the two.
3) Pumpkin ice cream
If you’re feeling up for a little adventure, head to Ted Drewes and order their “Great Pumpkin”: a mix of vanilla custard, fresh pumpkin pie, and whipped cream. Despite the weather starting to get chilly, a craving for ice cream or frozen custard never truly subsides. This frozen treat puts a new twist on a classic and will surely be Instagram-able and worth bragging about to your friends.
4) Pumpkin beer
There’s an eternal search for flavored alcohol that actually tastes delicious, and pumpkin ale does the job. Schlafly Beer, located in St. Louis, has a line of Pumpkin Ale that also features hints of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. To really get in the Halloween mood, why not try playing a group game of flip cup or slap cup using this delicious beer?
5) Pumpkin bagel
A pumpkin-flavored bagel topped with cinnamon Dutch-apple topping smothered in a coat of pumpkin cream cheese: every pumpkin/bagel lover’s dream breakfast. Easy for WashU students, this is the exact combo Einstein’s sells. Though incredibly rich and potentially overwhelming to one who is newer to the wide array of pumpkin-flavored food, this bagel is something you must try at least once.