Pumpkin spice mania has swept the nation since the start of the fall season, and local businesses in Richland County have been caught in its wake – just in time for Thanksgiving.
While holiday staples like pumpkin pie or pumpkin rolls have been around for a while, the popularity of the pumpkin flavor has taken off in recent years. Jenna Hickinbotham, manager of What’s 4 Dessert in Mansfield, said this year in particular pumpkin has been incorporated into many of their baked goods.
“You see different flavors becoming popular in different seasons but I feel like pumpkin has really blown up,” said Hickenbotham. “And social media has definitely added to our creativity; like, oh, we can make more things with pumpkin. So people have been more aware of it, too.”
This year, the Lexington Avenue restaurant has offered pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and a pumpkin snickerdoodle, as well as the popular pumpkin spice latte. Hickenbotham said throughout the bakery’s seven-year existence their pies have been very popular around Thanksgiving.
“For Thanksgiving we like to do as much as we can because a lot of people are last minute; life gets so crazy and then it’s like oh, I need dessert for Thanksgiving,” she said. “So we like to be available for people to place last-minute orders. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of our biggest staples that we have a lot of orders for, and Thanksgiving especially with the pies.”
Another Mansfield bakery with a long list of Thanksgiving pie orders is Buckeye Bakery on 4th Street. Owner Chelsi Buck said she starts receiving pumpkin pie orders starting at the end of October and through Christmas.
“This is normally the only season we do pumpkin; it’s the only time it really sells,” said Buck. “In the recent years we’ve come up with more pumpkin stuff that’s become popular, like pumpkin muffins with cream cheese or pumpkin spice donuts with cream cheese. I make a pumpkin spice cupcake with cream cheese filling.”
Pies aren’t the only popular item for Thanksgiving at Buckeye Bakery – Buck said bread is also very popular. On Monday, Buck at 105 dozen buttered rolls in the oven and another 200 dozen rolls on order.
Pumpkin lovers can start the day with their favorite flavor at The Little Brew on Mansfield Avenue in Shelby, where their pumpkin spice lattes are made with homemade ingredients.
“We use pumpkin from the garden and homemade spices,” said Lindsey Schatzinger, who co-owns the coffee shop with her husband Justin. “We do home make all of our spices and syrup so there’s no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. We were on a constant rotation of making pumpkin syrup.”
Also available at The Little Brew are homemade baked goods from Cupcake Revolution‘s baker Renee’ Hopkins, who has also gotten aboard the pumpkin train. Hopkins often incorporates Schatzinger’s homemade ingredients in her own recipes, creating treats like dirty chai cupcakes and even a pumpkin spice latte cupcake. She noted her creativity comes from websites like Pinterest and other food blogs.
“I just make what I like to eat,” said Hopkins. “I like to collaborate. If there’s a cheesecake and pumpkin I like to throw that together. I love to tweak, I have certain tried-and-true recipes that I have but I love to embellish it and change it up.”
Though there is certainly a time of year for pumpkin treats, Hopkins noted she enjoys the flavor year-round.
“Once big places like Starbucks bring out their holiday stuff it’s a crazy explosion, but honestly I’ve been baking pumpkin muffins here since the summer just because I love it,” said Hopkins. “I could eat gingerbread all year long.”
Other bakers mused on why the craving for pumpkin is heightened this time of year. Buck stated its limited availability means it’s extra popular in the fall.
“I think it’s because they only come around once a year,” she said. “We’ve tried to do them at different times, but it is just part of people’s holiday traditions. They’re ready for them when they come in here.”
Hickenbotham agreed, noting many people do not want pumpkin treats until the holidays.
“We talk about it all the time, why do people want pumpkin right now? It really doesn’t make sense,” she said. “I think it’s just the culture that we’ve created this habit of not having these items.”
Some bakers think the craving for all things pumpkin comes from a more emotional, even sentimental place.
“I guess it just helps set the mood for the fall, and it smells so good too, all the spices in there,” said Schatzinger. “I guess it makes you feel warm and fall-ish.”
“I think it hits home for many people because that’s like a coming home, and I think we associate smells, flavors and taste with that warmth of being at grandma’s house,” added Hopkins. “I think it invokes a real strong chord with all of us.”
“I think it hits home for many people because that’s like a coming home, and I think we associate smells, flavors and taste with that warmth of being at grandma’s house,” said Renee Hopkins.
