“the crown jewel of this pumpkin berserker rage is what’s known as the pumpkin spice latte, an unctuous, pungent, saccharine brown liquid, equal parts dairy and diabetes, served in paper cups and guzzled down by the liters”
“Pumpkin spice is a blend of spices that spice manufacturers sell. Going by the ingredients in The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the spices in pumpkin spice are usually made up of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice, with occasional ingredient variations like cloves.”
“the coffee maker has figured out a brilliant marketing scheme to get people interested — it’s a combination of treating the drink’s debut like a premiere and making the drink scarce by only offering it during a “season.””
“This “season” is a mirage. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are available year-round. But like a McRib, the forced scarcity makes the PSL feel like a fleeting object and something that should be consumed before time expires.”
“there are cultural forces and economic forces too. “Pumpkin became recognized as part of the comfort food trend during the recession in 2008,” Suzy Badaracco, a certified chef who runs a company called Culinary Tides, which forecasts and analyzes food trends, told me.”
“”All of these big companies are looking to mitigate risk. They’re wagering millions of dollars in each product launch,” Sax said, explaining why McCormick’s flavor forecast is seen as helpful.”
“So you may have bought your pumpkin milkshake or your “radiant orchid” shirt from a place like Burger King or the Gap, but really, it’s companies like McCormick’s and Pantone that steered those companies in that direction.”