Flavor your fall with spiced drinks
While many people will enjoy the sold-out Smashing Pumpkins show tonight in Atlanta, locals can enjoy pumpkins in another, less expensive way.
“I love pumpkins,” said Brooke Sandefur, a senior from Atlanta. “It’s the ambiance associated with them that I like the most – the beautiful Athens weather, fall football season and all the quirky things surrounding Halloween that pumpkins represent.”
Sandefur said her favorite pumpkin-flavored treat around town is Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte.
“It really is my fall addiction,” she said. “The Pumpkin Spice Latte is the start to my favorite season of the year – I just wish they made it sugar-free.”
For those without need of a java fix, Starbucks carries the Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino sans coffee.
“The Pumpkin Spice Latte is our best seller this time of year,” said Blake Endress, a student at Gainesville State and Starbucks employee. “We also have pumpkin cream cheese muffins that are really good, too.”
Espresso Royale Café gives Starbucks a run for its money with pumpkin spice flavor – and today is $2-latte Wednesday.
Paula Deen’s ‘Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake’
For the cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cake mix, egg and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and butter and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.
“We can use the pumpkin spice syrup to make lattes or mochas, whatever you want,” said Jonathan Warner, a junior from Ringgold who works at ERC. “Our pumpkin bread is really good, too.”
Cups Coffee Café joins the list offering pumpkin spice syrup along with Pumpkin Pie Lattes.
Copper Creek’s Pumpkin Ale gives pumpkin-lovers flavor with a kick.
“Pumpkin Ale should be here within the next week,” said Whit Davenport, a senior from Alpharetta who works at Copper Creek. “It is a reddish amber beer with pumpkin pie character.”
“I have a lot of favorite pumpkin things,” said Alyssa Meyer, a junior from Lawrenceville. “I love candy corn, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread and pumpkin candles.”
Aside from a tasty ingredient, pumpkins represent fall in many different ways.
Leftover seeds can be roasted with a variety of seasonings for a salty snack or to use as ammo against pesky trick-or-treaters.
To add fall ambiance to dorm rooms or apartments, pumpkin candles are a good touch.
“My favorite pumpkin item would have to be pumpkin spice scented candles,” said Melia Morgan, a senior from Statham. “I honestly buy them everywhere, like Kohls or Wal-Mart.”
Whether a pumpkin fan or not, tonight is all about them, and locals have many choices to appease their appetites with a variety of orangey goodness.
“A great pumpkin recipe is Paula Deen’s,” Morgan said. “It’s amazing.”
