King Pumpkin

Mr. Pumpkin didn’t have it so good back in the day. We carved him, smashed him, made pumpkin pie out of him. We watched It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. That was pretty much it. Fast forward to 2018, and Mr. Pumpkin is king. Pumpkin-infused-everything heralds the season. Have you seen how many pumpkin spice memes there are out there these days?

Jokes aside, perhaps San Diegans, because of our balmy weather, need to remind ourselves of the year-closing season by surrounding ourselves with pumpkins. This East Coast gal, having grown up with windy days and fall leaves, certainly loves autumn and all reminders of it. So as soon as pumpkins appear in stores, I buy a half dozen or so to decorate the front porch, mantle, and kitchen window. Last week, I made it my mission to see what else is out there in Pumpkinland. My girls came through for me.

“Trader Joe’s has a tasty Pumpkin Honey Roasted Ravioli,” offered Nancy. ($3.49 for 9 ounces.) “Tossed in butter with an arugula salad on the side, delish.”

“The Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is tasty,” replied Paula. “It’s sort of a lighter experience than some of the pumpkin breads.” ($2.50)

“Pumpkin muffins freshly baked at Sprouts are tasty,” Sarah offered. ($1.19 each or $3.29 for a 4-pack.) “With a cup of coffee, just the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.”

I was shocked to hear this from Sarah, who is known far and wide (or at least in our circle of friends) as the baker of these most delicious chocolate chip pumpkin loaf ever. “For my pumpkin breads,” she added, “I always use canned Libby Pure Pumpkin.” ($3.19 for a 15-ounce can at Smart & Final.)

“Grocery Outlet Bargain Market is selling Talenti Pumpkin Pie gelato, which is tasty,” answered Sam. “We are gelato fans.” ($4.99 for one quart.)

“Bath & Body Works has a Pumpkin Enzyme Gel Moisturizer which is luxuriously creamy,” said Meg. “It’s light, not greasy, leaves my hands soft and has a light sweet aroma.” ($16.50 for 8 ounces.)

“I picked up Philosophy Pumpkin Icing Shower Gel at Macy’s last week,” said Theresa. “A delightful scent, a nice holiday soap to get you in the mood.” ($18 for 16 ounces.)

“Over at Cost Plus, they are selling a Wildly Delicious Maple Pumpkin Butter,” stated Jill. ($5.99 for 6.26 ounces) “A dollop on plain yogurt or toast is a real treat. I am a fan of pumpkin bisque, which they also carry.” ($6.99 for a quart jar.)

“And Cost Plus also has Melville Pumpkin Spice Coffee spoons,” she added. (6-pack for $6.99.) “Coffee shop pumpkin spice drinks are often overpoweringly sweet for me, so I like these spoons. I can make my own pumpkin spice drinks at home for guests.”

“I like to change up hand soaps and candles to go with the season,” offered Cathy. “I bought Mrs. Meyer’s Pumpkin Scented Hand Soap from Target last week.” ($3.99 for 12.5 ounces.) “And at Kohls, they had a few different pumpkin scented candles. I took home the Vanilla Pumpkin Latte candle ,which burns up to 30 hours ($5.99 for the 5-ounce candle), and a Tri-Pour Pumpkin Spice six-inch pillar candle ,which burns up to 60 hours.” ($7.99 for the 19.4 ounce candle.)

“Bed, Bath & Beyond is selling a SpaRoom Pumpkin Spice Essential Oil Amber ($9.99 for 10 ml), which diffused into a room and creates a nice autumny feel,” noted Grace.

“We drink a lot of Kefir, usually blueberry or strawberry flavor” offered Marie, “but last week I picked up a Lifeway Pumpkin Spice Kefir to surprise the kids at breakfast.” ($3.99 for 32 ounces at Sprouts.) “My kids also like the Noosa brand yogurts, so when I saw a pumpkin kind, I snatched it right up.” ($2.49 for 8 ounces) “And for myself, I grabbed an Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask. Pumpkin has brightening and smoothing properties and is supposedly is anti-aging. Every little bit helps,” she laughed. ($15.49 for 1.7 ounces at Sprouts.)