When we think of fall one of the first things that comes to mind is pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice can be found in everything from coffees and baked goods to candles and dog treats. While pumpkin spice is usually dated back to the debut of Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte, which was released in limited numbers in fall 2003, it actually dates way farther back than that.
Pumpkin spice dates back to the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch took control of Spice Islands in the early 17th century, which are now part of Indonesia, and they had access to some spices that could only be found in this area. The Dutch created a blend called speculaaskruiden, which is similar to pumpkin spice, but also has cardamom and sometimes white pepper. Due to the popularity of this spice in desserts, it moved across borders.
By 1791, a similar blend called “mixed spices” showed up in The Practice of Cookery written by Mrs. Frazer whose blend included nutmeg, clove, and “Jamaica pepper”. And by 1796, the spice blend made its way to the New World and appeared in the first known cookbook written by an American, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons. Her blend included mace, nutmeg, and ginger.
McCormick, the world’s largest spice seller, introduced a spice mix branded as “pumpkin pie spice” to America in 1934 with the purpose to flavor pumpkin pie.
While it’s called pumpkin spice, the blend we use today doesn’t actually contain pumpkin—it’s a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. It got it’s named from being used to flavor pumpkin recipes.
