With the Fall season right around the corner as September firmly plants its feet in the ground, we’ll all soon begin to see the debate around pumpkin spice heat up. The vitriol behind the chatter on this seasonal flavor is truly mind-blowing. It’s a spice, people, not something as important as having one’s reproductive rights stripped away. You’d think those of us who love the season and the spice were shoving it down everyone’s throats without their permission. But, I suppose if there are millions of people unwilling to get an FDA approved vaccine to save their life and the lives of those around them, it doesn’t boggle the mind as much to hear the divisiveness of a fall flavor so much anymore. I just had to know why there are such strong feelings on pumpkin spice, but not other seasonal flavors, such as peppermint during December. Of course I did a little research and here is what I discovered….

The first Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks came out in 2003.
Within a decade of the launch of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, the drink became a top seller.
Considered a “feminine” versus “masculine” food craze, some have linked the derision to sexism. Think about it…does anyone have issues with barbeque, IPA, or flaming hot Cheetos. I think not. Because all of those are considered “masculine” foods.
Sixty-six percent (yup that is a majority) use or consume in the US at least one pumpkin spice product during the Fall season.
Both nutmeg and cinnamon caused wars to break out and the Dutch actually traded the island of Manhattan to corner the trade in nutmeg.
The earliest recorded recipe for pumpkin spice was in 1670 when a chef cooked down pumpkin and added butter and spice. Yummy!
Pumpkin spice which is a blend of nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and allspice was invented by McCormick in 1934.
Some articles suggest that the Pumpkin Spice Latte became a symbol of capitalism, pretentiousness, and crazy food fads. People do like to hate on Starbucks.
When first developing the Pumpkin Spice latte, Starbucks company lore says the researchers drank espresso while eating pumpkin pie to nail down the exact flavor desired for Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

Mmmm….Pumpkin Spice Latte, thanks Mom!

So…the next time you’re tempted to make fun of someone who enjoys pumpkin spice, think about what you really have an issue with. If it’s capitalism or pretentiousness, attack that, but leave the flavor alone. You may be inadvertently playing into sexist views of the flavor, including passing along those terrible stereotypical memes of white women in leggings and Uggs sipping their fad flavor for the Fall. I have never once owned a pair of leggings or Uggs and I love Pumpkin Spice Lattes. And…if I want my ass to smell like pumpkin spice, that’s no one else’s business but me and my wife! Just to set the record straight…there is no pumpkin spice tampons or pumpkin spice condoms…those are fake pictures!

Just like with books, it’s personal preference, people. No one makes fun of the mayonnaise ice cream in Scotland, so please leave our Pumpkin Spice Lattes alone! Speaking of books, while I might not have a break out book like the Pumpkin Spice Latte, I’d like to think that maybe someday my unconventional writing will be the fad that leads the Sapphic community. A girl can dream….If you want to check out my books, you know the drill…click the links below. And….don’t forget the sale books from my sister Affinity authors, the fabulous late AC Henley, Fran Heckrotte and Alane Hotchkin with their books: Rapture: Sins of the Sinners and Blackhawk Chronicles: Book One Beginning of the End.