Pumpkin Spice

It's hard to believe, but my pumpkin obsession started at Starbucks. "A delicious blend of pumpkin and traditional fall spice flavors combined with our signature espresso and freshly steamed milk, and topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices." Yeah, that's the one... I've had others, but there's nothing like a full-on pumpkin spice latte with whole milk and whipped cream. (Of course, since I hit 30 and my metabolism slowed down, I've come to also enjoy it with skim milk and no whipped creme, but it's definitely not the same.)

Pumpkin Spice Coffees That Keep Me Going:
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
Dunkin' Donuts Pumpkin Latte
Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice - K-Cups
General Foods International Cafe Francias Pumpkin Spice (yummy)
Bucks County Coffee Company Pumpkin Spice

And a few things that make coffee taste even better:
International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer (In pint and quart sizes!)
Coffee-Mate Pumpkin Spice Creamer

One of the downsides of living in New Jersey is the fact that it's one of only twelve states without a Krispy Kreme. In fact, the nearest Krispy Kreme is an 84.05 mile ride from my house! Of course, that drive is worth it in the fall thanks to their amazing Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughtnut. Sure, it may be 22% of your daily recommended allowance of fat calories, but what a doughnut!

Dunkin' Donuts also has a Pumpkin Spice Donut in the mix during the fall, but it doesn't have quite the sugar rush of the Krispy Kreme.

Not only does the fall bring us one of the greatest excuses for beer consumption on a weekly basis in the form of NFL Sundays, but it also brings us an array of pumpkin-flavored ales to make those Sunday afternoons in front of the TV that much better!

Years ago, it seemed like there were only a handful of breweries making pumpkin-flavored beer, but it's really taken off over the past couple of years. In fact, most of the good liquor stores near me now stock anywhere from 5 - 10 different kinds with some of the specialty stores topping 15 or 20. Here's a few of my best bets:

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale - Hands down, my favorite. I buy a case of this every year before it sells out.
Tun Tavern - If you're near Atlantic City between September and January, make sure you step outside of the casinos and hit the Tun Tavern for their amazing pumpkin ale. Unlike the blackjack tables, this one's always a winner.
Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale - Ended up buying a case of this two years ago when Shipyard was sold out everywhere. Not quite as smooth, but not a bad second choice.