A Story About Pumpkin Spice

Two falls ago, I got really into pumpkin. The frenzy started with the “Autumn Crepe” at Meli-Melo (pumpkin gelato with Nutella and whip cream) and grew with Cold Stone’s pumpkin ice cream mixed with Twix. In December, when I was still talking about pumpkin, someone said, “Starbucks has a pumpkin spice latte.”

The next morning, after a holiday shopping expedition, I swung into Starbucks in Westport. I walked up to the counter.
“Do you still have the pumpkin spice latte?”
“Yes, we sure do!”
Me: “YES!”
Him: “Oh, excited are ya?”
Me: “Yes, I’ve been waiting for this day for ages, I’ve never had one!”
Him: “We should have it for a while, at least through the end of the month. Sally, how long are we gonna have the pumpkin spice, a while right, don’t we have a bunch left.”
Sally: “Oh yeah, we usually have it ‘til like, March or April.”
Me: “OK, can I have a tall, skim pumpkin spice latte?”
Him: “With whipped cream, right?”
I hadn’t thought about the whipped cream, so focused was I on the pumpkin, but he sounded psyched about it, so that made my decision: “Yeah, definitely!!!”

He passed the order on to the busy barista, and I saw someone slime a dark, translucent orange-brown elixir in the cup. Oohhhh, ok, I thought, a latte with a mix, I can handle that.

I went to wait in line behind the four other people who were already waiting in the busy Starbucks. It was the first Saturday shopping day in December, so you can imagine how on edge these people were- more than the usual “whose drink’s gonna come out next” tension.

The barista hollered for a caramel cappucino, then my “PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE WITH WHIPPED CREAM!” I stepped forward, trying to hide my excited smile from the shoppers.
“Now, I ordered before you, how is yours ready before mine?” a woman said, smiling, but you could tell she was actually irritated.

I looked her straight in the face and said in a silly, exaggerated, isn’t-it-obvious voice, “It’s the POWER of the pumpkin!”
She laughed, and so did the people behind me. (‘Cause what other explanation is there, really?)

I floated out of the Starbucks, pumpkin spice latte proudly aloft in my hand, feeling like a movie star.

I hurried to my car, smiling hugely now, and got in as fast as I could (it was also damn cold). I took my first sip...

and cackled out loud with delight! It was so good! The pumpkin flavor was SO subtle! The spices, I could vaguely taste the spices, they weren’t overpowering either! The latte flavor came through, too.... it was another perfect pumpkin combination. I took another sip, almost, almost, too excited to appreciate it.

I felt a rush of happiness, and I threw the car in reverse to make the space available to another impatient shopper. Their stress didn’t fluster me. Taking more sips, anything could have come my way, and it wouldn’t have bothered me, ‘cause I was under the influence of pumpkin.

If you are even the slightest bit of a pumpkin fan, I can unreservedly recommend this latte. Now, I’m not sure if I’d be in the mood for a pumpkin spice latte at 7 am (you can’t abuse the pumpkin, or overdo it), every single morning (maybe, maybe, you never know!!!) but for a 3pm pick-me-up, it is fantastic!

Now, my next steps:
1) find out what the pumpkin elixir is, and if it’s for sale
2) go online and investigate other pumpkin products (I think I friend of mine once made pumpkin ravioli, with an elixir from Trader Joe’s)
3) someone mentioned pumpkin oatmeal- I’m not sure if they meant that it exists or were suggesting that I create my own pumpkin mix, or what.

These next steps will be careful steps, because pumpkin is very dear to me.