Its fall and you know what that means… its officially Pumpkin Spice Season! Pumpkin spice seems to evoke a lot of emotions lately. Reactions are a pendulum swing between utter adoration to pure rage as companies everywhere attempt to cash in on the popularity of this trending flavour profile.
Pumpkin Spice is no longer limited to your pie, or Starbucks latte for that matter – you can now find it in every kind of foodstuff imaginable from milk to chips, and protein powder to alcohol. Also, no need to stop there when personal care products such as shampoo, body wash, deodorant, nail polish, cosmetics, toothpaste, and gum can be spiced just as nice. (You may even remember an ad campaign for pumpkin spice condoms, tampons and toilet paper since debunked!) And why not spice up your home as well?
Candles, air fresheners, cleaning products, paint, and decor items are all readily available in various pumpkin spice palettes. Even pet products come in pumpkin spice now, so your furry loved one need not miss out. I’m sure there are other pumpkin spice products we haven’t even heard about yet as this trend shows no sign of slowing down.
So here’s a Pumpkin Spice Kombucha recipe for the hell of it. Call it awesome or shameless self-promotion – I figure its a little bit of both! ‘Tis the season. So if you’re as curious as I was how it would turn out, give it a try and I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp pumpkin purée confiture
- 1 one inch piece of ginger
- pinch of cinnamon
- pinch of cloves
- pinch of nutmeg
- pinch of allspice
- 1 16oz / 500ml bottle of Kombucha
✨ You may substitute the Pumpkin Pie Spice from ➡️ Calgary’s Spice Road ⬅️
Directions for the Pumpkin Purée Confiture:
To make the pumpkin purée confiture, I recommend making from scratch from a fresh pumpkin for a brighter colour. Canned pumpkin will work if you don’t want to go to the effort, but will yield a darker, more brownish colour.
- Slice a small pie/ sugar pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds and stringy flesh. (You can save the seeds to season and roast for a snack if you like.)
- Place cut side down on a roasting sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30- 45 minutes, depending on the size. Its done roasting once you can stick a fork through the flesh.
- Remove and let cool before scooping out the flesh with a spoon.
- Purée pumpkin flesh in a high powered blender or a food processor until smooth.
- You can now use this pumpkin purée for soups, smoothies, baking and more!
- Transfer 1 cup of the purée into a saucepan with 1 cup of sugar.
- Simmer on low heat, stirring constantly, until the purée starts to caramelize.
- Quickly remove from heat, stirring to cool, and transferring to a mason jar.
This confiture may be enjoyed as is, or seasoned with spices and enjoyed just as any jam – on toast, scones, sandwiches, with cheese and crackers, or as a glaze for chicken or pork.
To make the Pumpkin Spice Kombucha:
- Use a funnel to insert spices first into a new flip-top bottle, then the ginger and confiture.
- Top with Kombucha until you reach the shoulders of the bottle, then seal.
- Gently mix in the spices and pumpkin confiture until incorporated with the Kombucha.
- Let sit for 3-7 days to build up some carbonation, then enjoy!
Love it or hate it, you can’t deny Pumpkin Spice is a signature flavour of the season. And for good reason. Pumpkins are so versatile for so many culinary (and decor!) uses. They have a shelf life of several months if stored in a cool dark place. And best of all, they are really good for you! The signature orange colour means they are loaded with beta-carotene – the same antioxidant as carrots – which is converted into Vitamin A and good for eyesight. Pumpkin is also a significant source of potassium for electrolyte balance – even more so, gram for gram than bananas. And let’s talk about the spice – ginger, cinnamon, clove and the rest are also a source of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. They have immune booting anti-bacterial properties and the ‘warming’ nature of the spices is good for circulation, which is ideal for keeping extremities happy while temperatures dip.
So I implore you to indulge in a little Pumpkin Spice love and let the chips (and leaves) fall where they may!
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