Pumpkin Spice : Yay or Nay?

 

Pumpkin Spice! Everyone’s favorite fall spice, or is it not?

I enjoy pumpkin spice! I enjoy putting it in pie, baking with it, and I enjoy making kompot with it. However, I have noticed that I am not a huge fan of it in drinks. While I do drink the refrigerated Starbucks Frappuccino, pumpkin spice is not my favorite.

When ordering from a coffee shop, I would much rather go for the Chai lattes. But why is that? I went on the hunt to see exactly what was in pumpkin spice. Apparently, it is a blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, at least most of the time. Now, if you look at chai, it often includes spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, star anise, and cardamom.  As you can see, some spices are in both, and those I really like. However, looking back at the pumpkin spice, I found the culprit that is most likely causing my dislike for pumpkin spice, and that, my dears, would be nutmeg ( and a little bit the allspice, because it has a similar flavor to a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg)

Yes, I am not a fan of nutmeg. Nutmeg for me can also make or break an eggnog. Some companies put way too much nutmeg into their eggnog, and it was a fine balance to find the right amount when we made our own eggnog before.

What do you guys think? Are you a fan of pumpkin spice? If not, has this little breakdown of spices helped you figure out why you don’t like it? And if you do like it in your drink, what is your favorite part of it?