Although many of us have been indulging in all things pumpkin since late August, October 1st is National Pumpkin Spice Day. Each autumn, store shelves are stocked from floor to ceiling with festive pumpkin goodies to meet the consumer demand for this cult favorite flavor. Having difficulty choosing? Keep reading to see our favorite pumpkin spice products of the season.
Trader Joes Pumpkin Spread
Pair this sweet and savory spread with any of the cheeses on this list or your favorite everyday cheeses (goes exceptionally well with a mature brie!). What we love about this spread is that it is mostly pumpkin and just a little spice, as most other pumpkin spice products are the other way around. You can really taste the pumpkin flavor in this one. It's made in Portugal in small batches with simple ingredients: pumpkin, cane sugar, fruit pectin (for thickening), lemon juice, and ground cinnamon. And, it's only $2.99 for a 9.88 oz jar!!
Your fall cheese boards need these crackers! These super crispy crackers are studded with pumpkin seeds, Thompson raisins, pecans and a dash of cinnamon. They're full of warm and cozy fall flavor. Lesley Stowe suggests pairing them with ricotta, brie, smoked cheddar, prosciutto, bacon jam and balsamic jelly, but they're scrumptious eaten on their own as well. Check out their store locator to find them in a store near you.
Beemster's buttery and creamy Dutch Gouda with pumpkin spices: clove, nutmeg, cinnamon. Beemster suggests pairing their Pumpkin Spice Gouda with sweet-tart and smokey accompaniments. This is a savory cheese, not sweet, so it can be used in all kinds of fall recipes like butternut squash macaroni and cheese or grated over pumpkin tortellini or sweet potato gnocchi. Find a store that carries this #PSC (pumpkin spice cheese) here.
O'Fallon Brewery says Vanilla Pumpkin was created when "[they] decided to add some locally produced cold-pressed Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla to [their] most popular seasonal– O’Fallon Pumpkin. The vanilla adds another layer of flavor to the 'pumpkin pie' theme of this amber ale and balances well with the cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. It tastes like a slice of pumpkin pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on it!" Now who could say no to that? On the nose it is mostly spice but on the palate, dominant pumpkin taste with notes of creamy vanilla. Buy it from Drizly.
Cello's Fontal cheese is smooth and creamy cow's milk cheese with a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. Its buttery flavors are the perfect match for the blend of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and honey that is rubbed onto the surface of this cheese. Its warm flavor is perfect for slicing up with your favorite crackers and cured meats and enjoying on a cool autumn night along with a glass of your favorite fall red wine. Use Cello's store locator to find where their cheeses are sold near you.
Fromager d'Affinois with roasted pumpkin seeds combines all of the creamy goodness of Fromager d'Affinois with crunchy, nutty roasted pumpkin seeds. Fromager d'Affinois double cream cheeses are made using the proprietary ultrafiltration process, which gives them a very soft, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The buttery flavor of this cheese is the perfect base for the nutty roasted pumpkin seeds. Serve Fromager d'Affinois with crusty bread, sparkling wine, nuts or fresh fruit. Through the autumn 2021 season, you can find Fromager d'Affinois Roasted Pumpkin Seeds at Kroger.
A bit of a wild card, SMASHMALLOW crafts gourmet flavored marshmallows with naturally sourced and non-GMO ingredients. These marshmallows feature an orange pumpkin spice flavored layer topped with a creamy, vanilla layer. It's pumpkin pie and whipped cream in marshmallow form! I can smell the pumpkin spice s'mores already. You can find them at your local Target store.
Before you're disgusted, this wine is similar to that of a Chardonnay with light notes of pumpkin--no pumpkin spice involved. It is lightly sweet with buttery notes and a delicate finish. In early fall of 2018, this wine went viral and had pumpkin fans all over the country freaking out over it. It eventually sold out, but now that the hype has died down, you can order a bottle of it on Three Lakes Winery's website.
For a truly festive Pumpkin Spice Day spread, arrange all of these products on a cheese board with your favorite cured meats and enjoy alongside the pumpkin beverages. Cheers!
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