Saturday, October 6, 2012

Over Spicing Outselves

October is known for its’ fall harvest - namely pumpkins. Every store and fast food joint along with coffee shop features some kind of homage to this seasonal gourd. The problem is are we overdosing on it?Or more specifically the spices that go into making a pumpkin pie

No offense. I like pumpkin - preferably in soup.It's also good for you., rich in beta carotenes as well with vitamins. However when everyone from Dunkin Donuts to Starbucks features a pumpkin something, It's not thegourd though. It's the many spices that go into it, namely nutmeg, allspice ginger and cinnamon. Each one is fragrant and flavorful on its' own in a drink, Combined together and its just becomes too much - a sort of liquid gingerbread complete with addition of a mound of whipped cream and caramel drizzlings. There's nothing wrong with just cinnamon dusting the top of a foamy cappuccino, Add more and and the average coffee becomes an Indian spicy chai.

The same is true of some baked goods this season as well,.There's nothing wrong with an old fashioned spice cake. Yet some companies feel it's the season to make everything pumpkin-y and super spicy. That means loading up cookies and cakes along with doughnuts and muffins with those same spices along with a bright orange tint for to emphasize the gourd-y goodness of  it all.Cinnamon along with allspice , ginger and nutmeg can be excellent if used moderately even blended together. However some places over saturate their doughs with it,creating a slightly overpowering treat.If they want to stick with the fall theme, then maybe try either a cinnamon or nutmeg based recipe or just decorate with iced on brown and gold leaves or again even a pumpkin drawn on top in icing./

It's the season to enjoy the harvest. However most places go overboard with worshipping pumpkin to the point of oversaturation. Enough is enough! Maybe its' time to turn the attention over to that other fall fave , the apple

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