Pumpkin Spice
Tis the season for Pumpkin Spice! But wait – what exactly is pumpkin spice?
Originally it was called pumpkin pie spice and was a combination of 4-9 spices used when making pumpkin pie. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves are the most common spices in the mix. There are recipes in a cookbook reprinted from 1798 that gave two choices of spice combinations for “pompkin” pie.
In the 1930s spice companies started selling mixtures enabling consumers to buy one mix instead of several individual spices. One company sold a mix of nine spices while another company’s mix, still available today, uses four spices.
Then, several decades ago the pumpkin spice taste and/or aroma was added to just about anything and everything you could think of. Candles, wax warmers, coffee, candy, you name it and you can buy it with a pumpkin spice taste or smell.
The spices that make up pumpkin spice mix are considered “warming” spices. How appropriate that these spices are used extensively during the fall season when the temperatures fall in the Northern Hemisphere. Consuming these spices warms us up inside and the aroma of this mix of spices warms us emotionally, as we anticipate the holiday season to come.
Last year in October I participated in a Seven Day Samhain/Halloween Challenge. That is when The Spice Family was created. Using digital tools I drew pumpkins with different features, such as their stems and lips, in able to distinguish one pumpkin family member from another. I introduced different ones each day as an individual, pairs, siblings, parents, entire family, pets and finally pumpkin pies!
What a fun challenge that was. This year I have been entering some of those images in contests on Fine Art America. With each image I add to a contest, I remember how much I enjoyed the challenge of creating The Spice Family.
Order your Pumpkin Spice Latte if that’s your thing or put a pumpkin spice wax cube in your warmer. Meanwhile, I’ll use essential oils in my diffusers that will provide the pumpkin pie, apple cobbler, holiday aroma and I’ll enjoy allowing that smell to warm me up as the outside temperatures cool down.
To view a larger image of The Spice Siblings and read a short description, Click here:
