Last Sunday my friends and I went to breakfast at the Perkins that recently opened on City Avenue. If you're a breakfast food fanatic like myself, deciding between a stack of blueberry pancakes or a cheesy omelette can be overwhelming enough. But since we're in America, and it's later than the first of September, the menu had a whole other genre of breakfast entrees to choose from: Pumpkin Spice. It featured items like pumpkin spice pancakes, french toast, and the thing that started it all, the pumpkin spice latte.
Other restaurants and cafes have followed the trend of pumpkin-izing everything and anything possible. While I love pumpkin spice as much as the next girl, it seems all together too early to be excited about these fall-themed foods and beverages. How can it be time for pumpkin spice when it's still unbearably hot when walking to class? It should be a rule that pumpkin flavored items can't be sold until it's cool enough to rock a flannel with boots and our Instagram feeds our flooded with pictures of fallen leaves and fireplaces.
It can certainly become overwhelming to see pumpkin spice flavored items begin to make their way to the menu and the shelves of grocery stores. It's a reminder that the school year is headed into full swing and the simplicity of summer is behind us for now. But the season of pumpkin spice has it's perks: what better way to catch up with your friends than over a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks? Pumpkin spice is not only delicious, but cozy and comforting. I am definitely an unapologetic lover of these cozy pumpkin spice products, including pumpkin spice latte, muffins, pancakes, and of course traditional pumpkin pie. Pumpkin spice can even be a wonderful addition to your morning bowl of oatmeal or cup of coffee. But how much pumpkin is too much?
While the traditional pumpkin spice flavored things are a delicious treat, some places are trying way to hard to fit pumpkin into their products. Certain things just are NOT meant to be pumpkin flavored. Personally, I think the pumpkin flavored Hershey Kisses are just an insult to not only the flavor pumpkin, but the chocolate kisses themselves. The combination of the two just leaves an awful taste in your mouth, kind of like incense and burnt toast. I would not recommend that anyone try these unless they're prepared to brush their teeth immediately afterwards.
Some other bizarre pumpkin spice flavored items that i'm not too keen on trying include, pumpkin spice M&Ms, Pringles, Oreos, gum, and even mac and cheese. Theres a fine line between what is acceptable as pumpkin flavored and what is just plain gross, and these things definitely cross the line. If you swear by pumpkin spice enough to consume these things, you should probably just start injecting it directly into your bloodstream because you're probably addicted.
Within the past few years, alcohol companies have jumped on the bandwagon of pumpkin spice, bringing the term white girl wasted to a whole new level. Now, I have yet to try this product, but I've heard very mixed things about it. Some people love it, and others hate it. I guess this one is more of a personal preference, depending on how much you love pumpkin spice and how daring you're willing to get with your mixed drinks.
Overall, pumpkin spice season can be a refreshing and exciting way to get ourselves into the fall mood. It's delicious and gives an aura of coziness and comfort. If you're like me and think it tends to be overdone, stick to the traditional things. If you're daring enough to try the pumpkin spice Pringles, kudos to you. I'll be over here playing it safe with my basic, yet delicious, pumpkin spice latte.