I don't know how I can much follow up Emma's last post with something as banal as what I'm about to review, but I will start by saying that I, too, visited a pumpkin patch this last Friday with friends and had a great time. There was a corn maze (both regular and haunted), carnival rides, petting zoo, pig races, train ride, pumpkin picking, live music and delicious chili-chicken-pulled-pork dinners. Since I was broke enough as-is, I did not pick up a pumpkin (my roommate, Liz, got a small one from the grocery store before we even entered October, so we've got that one and a bowl of candy to keep us cheery).

Because we did not find any pumpkiny treats at Schnepf Farms (out in Queen Creek, Arizona), we stopped on our way home at - brace yourself - Whataburger. I abhor Whataburger. It's one of those fast food chains that is so awful I can't even imagine eating there if I was a totally shit-canned drunk homeless person. Chris, however, is homeless, poor, and usually completely obliterated, so he knows all about this inglorious offence against fast food. We stopped in for seasonal Whataburger "pumpkin pies," which are a lot like the McDonald's apple pies but with pumpkin filling.

No lie - these things are the SHIT. And for $.99, a good deal to boot. While the outside is crispy and fried and makes me want to die of a heart attack just by thinking about it, the filling was not fake and disgusting like I would have expected. It was almost like a pumpkin pureé: not too thick, a rich orange color, not overwhelmed with spices. It was sweet but, like Emma likes to say, a bit "vegetable-y." And burning-lava hot, too!

I really liked this treat. It was well-balanced, cheap, fast and, most importantly, pumpkin! I probably won't stop in Whataburger again any time soon, but I can say that I'm glad I did in this instance.

Edit: Teresa Gubbins over at Pegasus News also loves the Whataburger pumpkin pie! She notes that:

"But it did not fulfill my negative expectations about what a fried pie would be -- i.e., greasy and overly sweet. The crust was firm yet flaky, and seemed to be utterly greaseless (though its cardboard container sported an oily residue, so obviously that impression was deceptive). Also excellent: the filling, which was not just some generic sweetened puree flavored with cinnamon and cloves but was instead noticeably pumpkiny, and not all that sweet."

She also notes that this is probably due to the fact that the first ingredient in this is actually real pumpkin! I don't know why that's surprising, but I guess I figured it would be food starch or another additive. As Gubbins says: "Bravo, Whataburger!"

Cooking Pumpkin

Yesterday was a very exciting day for me, becase it involved trying something totally and completely new. I finally got the time to cook up the sugar pumpkin I got from La Familia Ranch (which I posted a review of a week or so ago) after it had been sitting on my desk just staring at me, begging me to slice into it and unravel the wonderful possibilities of fresh, non-canned pumpkin.

Cooking it was easy enough, cut the top off, scoop out as much of the seeds and stringy guts as possible (save the seeds! For the love of God, save the seeds!) and then cut the entire thing in half. My pumpkin didn't look like much, and I wish I had remembered t document this entire process with pictures, but I was with a friend and I don't think he woul have understood excessive picture-taking, I was already being weird enough yanking out all the guts with my bare hands. Anyways, after you get the pumpkin cleaned out, simply place both halves cut-side down in a large baking tray. The pumpkin will leak some juice, so I'd advise against a cookie sheet to prevent overflow. Stick that in a 375 degree oven for about an hour until tender.

When the pumpkin came out, the shell was a nice, dark orange and a little crispy, but the interior was exactly like a cooked acorn squash, somewhat stringy with some very soft parts. We stuck the baking tray in the freezer to cool it cook, but in the meantime we got to work on the seeds. Rinse them in cold water and remove any of the pumpkin that stuck to them. Coat them lightly (or heavily) in vegetable oil and spread out on a cookie sheet. From here you can do whatever you want, we choose to sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, but I have a feeling cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or even cayenne pepper would be a nice addition. Make sure you get a nice even lyer and put them into an oven at 325 for 25 to 30 minutes. They should have a litle bit more color but not a whole lot.

Even with just salt, these things were amazing, crispy and crunchy and easy to grab a handful and pop into your mouth like popcorn. I'd only had the store-bought pumpkin seeds and I remember the shell being exceptionally hard to chew, so much so that I tended just to snap the shells and eat the seeds like sunflowers, but these bad boys were so easy to eat it was amazing. I wish they had canned seeds that I could roast myself, because I don't think I'd ever get tired of the possible flavor combinations and how easy these were to make.

After the seeds came out, we pulled out the pumpkin halves and scooped out the rind and piled it into a bowl. Now....what to do with it... We ended up making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Be warned, these do taste like pumpkin, but not the kind we're used to from the can. It's a lot more subtle and a lot more vegetable-tasting, but in my opinion just as good. We probably got about 2-3 cups of pumpkin, and since our recipe only called for 1 cup of the canned stuff, I had plenty left over. I was a bit concerned that the consistency of our pumpkin would be different from the canned stuff and throw off the recipe, but we did a drect substitution and it worked out marvelously.

All-in-all, I couldn't be more pleased with this experiment in pumpkin cookery, it takes a little while but is completely worth it, especially if you have a friend to help. Plus, with the pumpkin shortage and my inability to find canned pumpkin (I did! But that's another story), this is probably your best bet to compensate for the canned stuff.

Woo! Two in a row for Delen!

I should be staggering these, but I can't wait that long. My memory is that of a goldfish. I've been going to a cute coffee shop I discovered (called "The Coffee Shop"), and the other morning I spotted a homemade pumpkin scone or streudel or somesuch delicious-looking nonsense topped with maple icing. Probably a much better version of the fakey pumpkin streudels floating around out there.

I had fully intended to try it when I came back with my girlfriends later that day, but, alas, their pastries had changed! (Testament to their homemade-ness, no doubt). But they had replaced it with something even more interesting: a homemade pumpkin whoopie pie! Now, whoopie pies (along with moon pies, and any other sort of pie-named item that isn't actually a pie) are not something I am familiar with, being from the Northwest. The closest I can imagine is an Oreo Cakester, which I have never been brave enough to consume.

Apparently, however, pumpkin whoopies (I felt like a little kid saying a dirty word when I ordered one) are a pretty popular thing! This one was thin and wide and soft, falling apart in my fingers. As I gather, they are meant to be thick and fluffy, like cake. But it was still amazingly delicious. There was a sort of creamcheese frosting filling that was marshmallow in it's texture. It was surprisingly light and not too filling. It was easy to break off pieces and eat while carrying on a conversation - something I don't imagine would be possible if I had to use two hands to consume it like a hamburger.

Over all, delicious and definitely something I would consider again.

It's a sad fact of life that most pumpkin products out there are rather nutritionally devoid of anything good for me, despite the health benefits of the garden pumpkin itself. I justify eating these things in a) the name of science and b) because it's October! Unfortunately, I know it won't stop until after New Year's has passed.

With that said, I broke down and purchased some Einstein's Pumpkin Bagel Poppers. This is the sort of stuff that I would regularly never eat. Last year, I came to the realization that the Einstein's pumpkin bagel, which was probably my only hope for some "healthy pumpkin snackage," was actually quite bland (and also, that bagels are probably the worst snack item out there).

The poppers, however, did not disappoint, at least flavor-wise. They were coated in pumpkin shmear, which is a pumpkiny cream-cheese frosting. In the picture posted in the window, it clung to the outside of the pumpkin bagel balls as if they had been iced, like miniature birthday cakes. In the 110-degree reality of Arizona, however, they were sticky, sugary messes that I felt embarassed to eat in front of anyone. The corn syrup had puddled at the bottom of the cup and separated from the cream, a bizarre and unappetizing orange slurry.

Despite these issues, the poppers were edible and a bit addictive. I can say that I won't be having them again, but I would recommend them to someone who might enjoy them in a somewhat cooler climate.

This post was due yesterday, actually, but blogspot had some sort of malfunction and wouldn't let me log on, so this post is less of an inspiration and more of an "I better get it done." Luckily, this is perhaps one of the most accessible pumpkin products I've found, meaning that it's not confined just to SLO.

A few days ago (or a few weeks?) we were driving around looking for some late-night food and we happened to just barely catch Jack in the Box before it closed. I personally had never been a fan of the place, but I reluctantly went along with my friends. As is common of most pumpkin finds, this one was completely unexpected. I had no idea ol' Jack had a Pumpkin Pie Milkshake! I didn't expect much from this, considering it was from a fast food place, and not even a chain I liked. It came with a big pile of whipped cream on top and a shiny red cherry. Bing! Bonus points in my book, I'm a sucker for cherries and whipped cream, even though I'll admit, the cherry was a little weird with the pumpkin, but that's just how all their milkshakes come.


The milkshake was fairly thick, not the watered-down stuff you usually get from fast food, and it had all the pumpkin flavor I was looking for. The spices were strong but not overpowering and the pumpkin wasn't artificial or chemically, which I was kind of expecting, since obviously whatever it's made out of is mostly corn syrup. I got the smaller size and that was about perfect, it felt far too fattening for me, and even though it was delicious, it was a bit of a struggle to finish off. It tasted good, but it didn't taste fresh. However, as far as fast-food goes, I'm going to give it an A+, it's the perfect thing to hold over a pumpkin craving at 1 in the morning.

Hello, faithful followers (who are we kidding - we're the only ones who read this, aren't we?). Apologies for letting Emma hog the spotlight this last week - must be all that pumpkin beer I've been drinking!

In truth, I was at a party this last Friday where not one, but two invitees showed up with different pumpkin six-packs! I've been on my girlfriend Jennifer to pick me up a case of this stuff, but she isn't a drinker and doesn't condone my alcoholic tendencies. In any case, the folks in question (Nechama and Brendan) quickly became my heroes for the evening.

Nechama showed up with the infamous Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale. The case and bottle are enticing, with fall colors and a gleefully grinning, pumpkin-headed scarecrow that seems to be a foreshadowing of all the mischief you are about to get into.

Now, perhaps it's because I'm not a beer person, or perhaps this beer really was just rebranded Michelob, but it tasted just like the bottles of Budweiser that I have rejected time and again. I tried to imagine a rich undertone of carmel, and maybe there was an aftertaste of clove, but I passed the bottle off after less than half because it was, to me, just another disgusting bottle of beer.

Brendan showed up later with what I think might have been Shipyard's Pumpkin Lager, but, honestly, I had graduated from beer hours ago and don't much remember it, save for that pungently, repulsively beery flavor.

The next two pumpkin treats were pleasant surprises - the pumpkin gelato from The G-Spot in Scottsdale, which I had last year and which is incredibly, almost unbearably rich. It is smooth, creamy and cool, overwhelmingly pungent and delicious as it melts on your tongue. It's lusciousness tempts you to eat an entire scoop: I was too full to put up a fight.

The second was another frozen delight: Great Pumpkin frozen yogurt from Mojo Yogurt in Tempe. As I approached, I could only imagine that they had created such a concoction. Lo and behold! Without so much as a taste-test, I loaded my cup. Then came the long, arduous decision of toppings. Graham cracker crust was a straightforward decision. Since this was my lunch, and I couldn't imagine the spiraling pile of pastel orange was exactly nutritionally valuable, I threw on some sliced almonds and strawberries.

The yogurt, to me, was one of the best pumpkin treats I've had in a while. Sweet, but not too much so - it tastes like liquefied pumpkin cheesecake, and is just a bit tart. I would have had the same problem as with the gelato had it not been for the refreshing coolness of the strawberries, which tempered the flavor of the yogurt. Pumpkin is delicious, no doubt (we're maintaining a blog about it!), but it's one of those flavors that you can't consume endlessly. At least not in one sitting. ;)

Smashing!

Ok folks, it's time for the big dog. No more messing around with coffee and muffins. I've been holding out on this post only because I've been waiting to get a good picture. Unfortunately, I never have enough self restraint to wait to take a picture before finishing off the entire thing. And that's saying something because I have to order one almost every day, for real. I even got a free pumpkin, that's how committed I am.

Oh, you want to know what I'm talking about? You don't already know exactly what's coming next?

JAMBA JUICE PUMPKIN SMASH

I am not even kidding. The first time I saw a sign for the pumpkin smash was in the airport back home. I was tempted to buy it then but running short on time, and I was convinced they would have it at the one back at school (after all, Jamba was created in SLO) but lo! It was not to be so. I could not find the pumpkin smash anywhere, and when I asked the workers looked beyond puzzled by such an idea as a pumpkin smoothie. I was understandably heartbroken. So it was with great joy that I saw the signs in the window advertising the pumpkin smash on campus.

Perhaps one thing I love almost as much as pumpkin is a good smoothie, I'm a little bit of a Jamba nut, and I was psyched beyond belief for this. Thankfully, they did not disappoint. This has become the standard by which I measure all things pumpkin. It is cool and creamy, but with a very fine texture like real pumpkin. And the taste! Don't even get my started. Ok, fine, I'm starting. The spices are exactly like pumpkin pie, cinnamon and nutmeg, everything you could want, but the best part is that it actually tastes like pumpkin. And not fake pumpkin, or how people think pumpkin should taste. It's fresh and vibrant and actually stronger than the spices, but not in an overpowering way, everything is in perfect balance, the cool taste of vanilla ice cream, the fresh, slightly vegetable taste of the pumpkin, and that familiar pumpkin pie flavoring.

There are, however, some negatives, none of them having to do with the smoothie so much as Jamba Juice. First, an original size will set you back a little over $5, even a sixteen is $4 something. In addition, this thing has about all the nutritional value of drinking a piece of pie, I think the smallest has somewhere in the high 300 range. Of course, I would gladly spend an extra half-hour at the gym in order to enjoy this every day, but it's mainly the impact on my wallet the prevents me from buying this on a daily basis. I am truly afraid for the day that this goes out of season, I might cry a little.... On the inside, of course.

But really, buy this drink. If you like pumpkin, pumpkin pie, or are just a fan of delicious flavor. It's a unique texture for those that aren't used to it, but it is not in any way unpleasant or detracting. So do it, now. And let me have some, I'm kind of going broke here.

Cheesecake and Scones

I'm back! And I bring wonderful food this time. Well, technically I bring you reviews of food, but lets not split hairs.

A few days ago I found a pleasant surprise in the grocery store on our campus: a pumpkin cheesecake! The Father's Table Petite Pumpkin Cheesecake, to be exact. I thought this was some off-brand that only our campus carried, but a little bit of research showed that The Father's Table has a whole line of cheesecakes, but I don't know if they're available in all grocery stores or just online. (Sorry for the writing on the label, I had to make sure my roommates didn't get to it before I did!)

Now, let's not be mistaken, this thing is petite, it's about an inch and a half tall and a couple inches smaller around than your standard cheesecake. That being said, it was the perfect size for me and my roommates to just get a sample. The filling itself had a taste very similar to pumpkin pie, though the texture was of course more like a cheesecake, pleasant but surprising if you're not expecting it (and why wouldn't you? But that's the response I got from other people). Like most things pumpkin, the taste here focuses on the spices and less on the pumpkin, but in this case it's a fair balance that didn't leave me disappointed. The crust was standard graham-cracker fare, crumbly and delicious. It might have just been my imagination, but I could have sworn I tasted a bit of pumpkin in the crust, too, which was a nice touch.

I wasn't expecting much from this little cheesecake, in fact, I expected it to be chemically and bland, but I'd certainly buy it again to satisfy a pumpkin or a cheesecake craving.

On another note, I did in fact stumble back into Peet's after biking back from a workout leaving me cold, wet, and in desperate need of hot chocolate (even I couldn't muster up the will to waste money on a pumpkin or chai drink). They happened to have a few pumpkin maple scones left in the case and I figured, in the name of science, I had to do it. I hope none of you got your hopes up for this. The scone was blah, exceptionally blah. No spice, no pumpkin, I actually can't recall what it tasted like at all, and I just finished eating it not a half hour ago. The only good part was the thin layer of maple frosting on top. In fact, I'd actually go back just for the frosting, it was flavorful and smooth, but pumpkin it was not. I might buy it again in a pinch, because it didn't taste bad, it just didn't taste like pumpkin, or anything other than frosting.

At least they got the hot chocolate right.

There really is far too much pumpkin goodness to be found around town these days, so much so that it takes real restraint to not post everything I've found all on one day. I figure I should pace myself since I'm sure at some point things will start to taper off. Right now I've got a sticky note on my desk with two things that need reviewing, plus probably four or five more that I know so well I don't need notes to remember how they taste. So rest assured, there's plenty to come.

But first, let's do something just a little different. Obviously we all love treats and the delicious flavor of pumpkin, but what about finding a pumpkin to call your very own? After last year's horrible failure at finding a pumpkin patch around SLO, I was determined to be more successful this October. This last weekend, my friend and I both joined up in the hunt for a decent patch and I stumbled across La Familia Ranch. Unfortunately, the place has no website and the directions to finding it merely say "Los Osos Valley Road," which, as most SLO natives know, is about as descriptive as saying Cal Poly is "in California." So it was a bit of an adventure, but it's located about 5 miles North of where LOVR meets Foothill, on your left. We almost missed it because we were looking on the wrong side. It says it's open from 9-dusk, 7 days a week, so you can get yourself a pumpkin most any time.

The actual place was a lot smaller than I'm used to, the pumpkin patches in Oregon are huge, and there are a ton of them. It didn't have any food for sale, no pumpkin butter, jams, or any other produce, just pumpkin, gourds, and corn. The had a little shack set up as a jail for kids, a small corn maze, and a trail lined with fake dead body parts through the woods. While cute, none of the attractions were worth going back for.

When I went there was no u-pick pumpkins, but I'm not sure if this is true for the entire season. They did have plenty of pumpkins though, each individually marked with the price, which was quite helpful. They had a good variety of shapes and sizes and most are under 3 dollars, which is an incredible deal, there were definitely some good-looking pumpkins for 1.50 (like the one I got). Perhaps the most impressive thing was that they had real pie pumpkins (also called sugar pumpkins), that are quite a bit more pricey for their smaller size, but I had to grab one to cook up later, since I'd never done it before. I'll be sure to let you know how it tastes, but the price of it makes me less inclined to go back and buy more when the canned is more convenient.

Overall, La Familia is cute, and it does deliver on the pumpkins, but not much else. However, it's probably your best bet for finding good pumpkins around SLO, I know there's a bigger one in Avila, but that's a bit of a drive and rumor has that it's crowded and maybe a bit over-priced. If you're looking for something to carve or cook, this is definitely the place for you.

Hello, again!

I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Phoenix Public Market this morning, where I bumped into a nice fellow purveying his home-made cheesecakes. Sidling up I shouted subtly, "PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE!" Lo and behold, he produced a sample from beneath his little table that was delicious. When I got to discussing how I share a pumpkin-based blog with my sister, he gave me the rest of the samples, which I distributed to my friends. I plan on ordering a whole one from him soon (as well as a sweet roasted garlic cheesecake - how bizarre!).

After the market, we visited Tammie Co. Cakes, which featured a pumpkin syrup that I asked be put in their iced chai. The boy I was with thought this sounded disgusting, but we all agreed that it was, in fact, delicious if not terribly sweet. It too was almost white, but the flavor was there - perhaps enhanced by the fact that chai is also spice-based. My roommate Liz got, later in the day, a pumpkin spice chai from Tea Infusion, which was similarly sweet and also good. Two weeks ago I had their unsweetened black tea, which was decidedly lacking in flavor, even after I loaded up on sweetener. They also feature an enormous pumpkin streudel that I will eventually try.

On the list of other items to try: Jamba Pumpkin Smash, Odwalla Pumpkin Spice, Dunkin' Donuts pumpkin donut, latté and muffin and all that other pumpkiny goodness.

Peet Not

While my unfortunate sister is stuck in Arizona, my base of operations is the great state of California, more specifically, Cal Poly. On campus we have only a few chain restaurants, fortunately enough they are all in on the pumpkin goodness. Unfortunately for me, that means spending far too much money, but it's really a necessity if I'm expected to become a master on all things pumpkin.

For today, let's focus on the on place that has always been a disappointment: Peet's Coffee and Tea.



I know there are plenty of die-hard Peet's fans out there, but I'm certain they only enjoy it for the fact that it's not the evil corporation Starbucks (the rest of whose products should show up here in due time). Also, I might be a little biased by the fact that I really don't care for the taste of coffee.

Last year, I remember going to Peet's as soon as October rolled around and they had about the same number of pumpkin-y options as Starbucks, including a pumpkin spice latte, a pumpkin Freddo, pumpkin muffin, and pumpkin scone. I went out of my way to try each of these and every last one of them was a disappointment. I'd go into detail but I didn't take a very distinct mental note, but I certainly didn't go back again that year, especially when Jamba Juice and Einstein's Bagels were right across the street.

However, about two days ago I was getting back from the gym pretty late at night and I was craving something to help put back all the calories I had just burned off. Since Peet's was the only place open, I decided to give them another chance. Since it was late they didn't have their muffins or scones, but I did order a pumpkin spice Freddo with extra milk instead of coffee. I had high hopes for this, but as soon as I saw it I knew things hadn't changed. First off, the drink was almost white. I don't think it's too much to ask for something pumpkin-flavored to at least have some sort of orange tint, it really adds to the whole experience. But if the drink didn't look like it had pumpkin in it, it sure didn't taste any better. If I hadn't seen them pumping the flavored syrup into the cup I would have sworn they just left it out. The highlight of the thing was the pile of whipped cream, after that it would have been best to just throw it away. Last year when I tried the same thing, I remember it having too much of a coffee taste, and I'd almost rather have that back.

All-in-all, it might be a struggle to go back and try to find a muffin or scone.

Coming soon: Jamba Juice Pumpkin Smash (!), Einstein's Pumpkin Bagel, and more Starbucks

We love pumpkin, yes we do! We love pumpkin, how 'bout you?
Hello, dear readers! My name is Delen, and I'm the older of the sisters (although not by much, and certainly not the wiser). I can't quite remember when my pumpkin obsession first began, but I do know that it has not only grown, but is quite viciously contagious! My roommate and best friends now not only feed my hunger, but participate in it as well!

So, to start off the festivities, the goods!


The first pumpkin product I came across this year were these Pumpkin Spice Hershey's Kisses. Now, I'm a super-healthy, organic-food addict, but being that it's Halloween and that these babies were two bucks a pop, there's no way I could say no. The foil is an enticing metallic orange with brown swirls, conjuring images of fall leaves dancing on the breeze.

Inside, the kisses are a pale orange with an offwhite center. The taste is strong, of nutmeg and cinnamon and, of course, sugar. These kisses melt far more rapidly than the traditional milk chocolate kind (this is a problem in Arizona - we failed in getting our second bag home in time). I love to eat a handful at a time, popping them into my mouth and flattening them with my tongue, letting the flavors intermingle. So addicting. There is also a candy corn flavor that my roommate purchase but which I have not been allowed to sample. ):

The next pump-tastic delicacy I had the chance to sample was a pumpkin seed cake from Los Sombreros, which is responsible for the best local Mexican food in all of Scottsdale. It was spongey and incredibly dense, topped with just the right amount of dulce de leche, and had a flavor akin to tira misu. Throughout, there were whole and halved toasted pumpkin seeds, which made for a delightful textural contrast, satisfying little crunches and a nice, nutty flavor.


Of course, the mother of all holiday pumpkin treats, I have been waiting until the weather cools off to have my traditional Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latté. Yesterday, while not particularly cool, was a special occassion: my roommate and I were out seeing a special screening of the movie Fresh! at a local farmer's market, and we walked around the corner to a Starbucks in our down time. She ordered the craziest, most delicious concoction I've ever seen: she asked the barista to make a Italian soda from the pumpkin spice syrup. The barista happily obliged, mixing the pumpkin and vanilla syrups, half-and-half and seltzer together for an insanely tasty treat!

The latté, which I had made with soy milk, was, of course, delicious. I don't think there's much more to be said about something warm, creamy, not too sweet, flavored with all the right spices, a touch of vanilla and some slowly melting whipped cream on top. Be sure to get your hands on one, folks! And, until next time, keep it pumpkin!

We'll See How This Goes

So, pretty much my sister and I are major fans of everything pumpkin-flavored or having to do with pumpkin. Since October is just a few weeks in, there's plenty of good pumpkin products hitting the grocery shelves and popping up as seasonal items in restaurants everywhere. What better way to chronicle our findings for the world? Hopefully we'll weed out the good, the bad, and the disgusting, but honestly, it's most likely worth it to go find your own pumpkin treats to ensure that stores keep stocking them year after year and this precious vegetable doesn't go unnoticed in the cooking world.