Pumpkin Spice Season ....2023

[Alistair]

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[rareboy]

 

[rareboy]

 

[rareboy]

 

[Alistair]

 

[NotHardUp1]

You find a proper sized drill bit and leave it out in the sun for a while. That's what I've heard anyway. I've never actually tried it.

It seems like the bit would get awfully hot, aside from the damage it could do from the sharps.

Sounds seedy.

 

[NotHardUp1]

^This idea somehow repulses me. But part of that is just the Spam, which I don't recall ever liking and which is tied in my memory to a bad part of my life (which, of course, is my issue, not an issue of Spam). Indeed, one part of me thinks: maybe this actually makes the Spam more endurable.

It isn't truly very far off Spam's normal profile when you think about it. Spam is short for Spiced Ham, which presumably is marketing jingoilsm for "canned ham with offal ground up, with spiced added to cover the taste, like sausage."

One of the classic spices for ham is cloves, also in pumpkin spice curries. Add to that the fact that canned ham is likely sugar curred or sweetened, and you're already approaching a familiar flavor for Spam-ites.

As little as we like Spam today, it was a godsend for the sailors, who often had little choice beyond dried meat back in the day.

My mother was disposed to buying it, either out of convenience, habit, poverty, or all three, so we had it too often when I was a kid. Ultimately, it has such high salt as to be a hazard, but it is much more palatable fried as thin slices and put on a sandwich with mayo. I've not had to eat any in decades.

 

[NotHardUp1]

As a kid I thought cinnamon occurred naturally in pumpkin because every time I ate it in a pie or pudding it tasted cinnamony and I dislike cinnamon.

That is how I feel about mincemeat. It always smells dreamy, but I don't like getting burned by the surfeit of cloves. I need to try to make my own. Everything else in it is really appealing.

I really like pumpkin butter, which could easily have the cinnamon removed and substitute a spice you do like, lightly treated. The recipe I use has orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin puree. To your point about earthiness, the citrus is a very nice complement to the earthy taste and doesn't cover it up. I like pumpkin eough to enjoy it several ways.

Considering how economical it is per pound, it's kind of surprising that no enterprising food whiz hasn't figured out how to trun it into a healthier steak fries or similar. Mental note: experiment with this when you retire. Could be a restaurant boon.

 

[Kahaih]

I've always used nutmeg in pumpkin pie and custard. I don't recall using cinnamon. If I did, it would have been very little -- I don't like cinnamon, it's too hot and overbearing.

I think with the eggs nutmeg gives the custard more of an eggnog flavour.

 

[HoodedRat]

Believe it or not, I have never had anything with pumpkin spice before - not even accidentally.

Same here. I've never had pumpkin spice flavoured anything. Now I'm beginning to wonder if I'm missing out.

 

[Alistair]

I really like pumpkin butter, which could easily have the cinnamon removed and substitute a spice you do like, lightly treated. The recipe I use has orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin puree. To your point about earthiness, the citrus is a very nice complement to the earthy taste and doesn't cover it up. I like pumpkin eough to enjoy it several ways.

Have you ever put pumpkin butter on french toast? It gets all melty and even better when you add some maple syrup

 

[Kahaih]

Same here. I've never had pumpkin spice flavoured anything. Now I'm beginning to wonder if I'm missing out.

I doubt we're missing much. It all has to do with sugar/sweets that don't appeal to me.

Then there is the likelihood that it's not even the same taste/flavour from one product to the next --- like artificial banana or strawberry. LOL

The rum sounds interesting, but only remotely. I don't drink.

 

[rareboy]

Pumpkin soup is the the bomb.

Here is a classic recipe that is similar to what we make. We use heavy cream most often.

Pumpkin Soup

Classic Pumpkin soup - plop 5 ingredients into a pot, cook until tender, whizz up, eat and be happy.

www.recipetineats.com

I thought I would share since you will note that pumpkin spice can be quite varied.

• Curried pumpkin soup – stir in a touch of curry powder once you blitz it, add little by little
• Thai red curry – start by sautéing 2 tbsp red curry paste in 1/2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes until really fragrant, then proceed with recipe ie add liquids and pumpkin etc. Then instead of using cream, use coconut cream. Garnish with coriander/cilantro. SO GOOD!
• Ginger– saute 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger in 1/2 tbsp oil or butter, then proceed with recipe.
• Lightly Spiced – stir in 1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander and smoked paprika.
• Turmeric – 1 1/2 tsp each ground turmeric, coriander and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Bon appetite.

 

[Peloso]

That is how I feel about mincemeat. It always smells dreamy, but I don't like getting burned by the surfeit of cloves. I need to try to make my own. Everything else in it is really appealing.

I really like pumpkin butter, which could easily have the cinnamon removed and substitute a spice you do like, lightly treated. The recipe I use has orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin puree. To your point about earthiness, the citrus is a very nice complement to the earthy taste and doesn't cover it up. I like pumpkin eough to enjoy it several ways.

Considering how economical it is per pound, it's kind of surprising that no enterprising food whiz hasn't figured out how to trun it into a healthier steak fries or similar. Mental note: experiment with this when you retire. Could be a restaurant boon.

I. Hate. Cloves. They repel me. Smoke from clove cigarettes gives me an instant headache. It may be an allergy.

Pumpkin has an optimally healthy ratio of beta and alpha carotene, and it's packed with flavonoids. All the processing it goes through for pies and puddings and, god forbid, bar food, is sure to compromise some of that. I use pumpkin puree in smoothies. The flavor is strong and hard to kill because it doesn't mix well with other fruits.

 

[me203]

It isn't truly very far off Spam's normal profile when you think about it. Spam is short for Spiced Ham, which presumably is marketing jingoilsm for "canned ham with offal ground up, with spiced added to cover the taste, like sausage."

I wonder about that. I spent some time on the official web site, and they say it has 6 ingredients. Spice isn't mentioned. And they, themselves, say in the FAQ section about the name: "The real answer is known by only a small circle of former Hormel Foods executives. And probably Nostradamus."

I wonder if it couldn't have been a name that occurred out of no where that somehow seemed right--unique, but rhymed with ham.

As little as we like Spam today, it was a godsend for the sailors, who often had little choice beyond dried meat back in the day.

Although when new, it might have been better, because meat in general was probably better back then. I don't think factory farmed crap dominated the market i 1937.

 

[me203]

Interesting pumpkin soup gets mentioned... I saw a recipe yestereday I might try. Although it suggested canned pumpkin (obviously plain pumpkin, not a prepared pie filling), which appeals to my general laziness. I was thinking canned pumpkin might be on sale just before Thanksgiving, which would appeal to my general cheapness.

 

[fredroy]

I've read the history at the Hormel site. I forget what they said. My impression has always been Spam is the parts of the ham that doesn't fit in the cans of canned hams. Trimmings. Then ground and canned. I've never had a bit of gristle with the pure pork Spam.

The other flavors? They are a Pork and Chicken mix and that stuff has an odd texture. With a bit of gristle once in a while. But I suppose that's to be expected when one tosses a whole chicken into the meat grinder.

 

[rareboy]

Interesting pumpkin soup gets mentioned... I saw a recipe yestereday I might try. Although it suggested canned pumpkin (obviously plain pumpkin, not a prepared pie filling), which appeals to my general laziness. I was thinking canned pumpkin might be on sale just before Thanksgiving, which would appeal to my general cheapness.

Fresh is the best, but if you get the right brand it should be okay. The problem with canned pumpkin is that most of them end up with stabilizers that change the taste of the pumpkin.

 

[rareboy]

 

[me203]

^I remember hearing of a tightwad trick to stocking beer for a party. Two supplies: good beer and cheap beer. After a while, people have drunk enough of the good beer that they might not notice that the cheap beer isn't good. Perhaps this would be a way of using up an accidental purchase of pumpkin beer?