“But there are also autumn smells and autumn tastes,” Jack said.
. . .
Warm, soothing cinnamon.
Spicy, sweet nutmeg.
Peppery, fierce ginger . . .
from Pumpkin Spice
by Arie Kaplan
illustrated by Monique Dong
Grosset & Dunlap, 2025
Seems like everywhere and everyone is surrounding us with pumpkin spice. From Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks to Dairy Queen's new Pumpkin Pie Blizzard, we can inundate ourselves from our breakfast jolt of caffeine to a scrumptious dessert after dinner. (Or a midnight snack, anyone?)
My pumpkin muffin fiasco as a "baked good" entry in our County Fair (see last week's post) is perfect this time of year, especially with its cream cheese frosting. The recipe is old. I adapted it from a friend who gave it to me about 50 years ago, and I’m sure it wasn’t new then. They’re delicious, and the only spice in them is cinnamon! Cinnamon goes especially well in dessert recipes. It blends well with other spices, too. But spicing up our coffee and dessert is cinnamon’s recent cup of tea, so to speak.
It is derived from the interior bark of a cinnamon tree, also called the kurundu tree, a native of Sri Lanka, a country with an interesting history of its own. From 1815 to 1948, Sri Lanka fell under British rule and was known as Ceylon, a corruption (or Anglicized form) of its ancient name used in the 6th century BCE, Sihalam.. British rule ended in 1948, but the name Ceylon remained until Queen Elizabeth II was no longer its political head. The newly-independent country became Sri Lanka. The prefix Sri translates to the English word resplendent. The word Lanka is as old as the ancient story of a kidnapped princess, Sita and her rescue. The word Lanka simply means island.
As early as 2000 BCE, merchants traveled the Spice Routes to acquire and exchange cinnamon from Sri Lanka. The primary reason for embarking on these treacherous journeys was the economic advantages of trade. Cinnamon was more valuable than gold. By the 16th century, it was the most profitable spice the Dutch East India Company traded (TimesNowNews). Other spices were traded, too, but none could compare economically with cinnamon.
Traveling and stopping at ports along the Spice Routes also encouraged the trade of ideas, languages, and artistic and scientific skills.
Besides its interesting history and economic value, cinnamon has many medical uses, both ancient and modern. Ancient Egyptians used cinnamon oil in their mummification process. Cinnamic acid is an antibacterial.
It is important to do your own research and consult with your medical professionals, but according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “[c]innamon is one of the most important spices used daily by people all over the world.” The NIH continues, “[i]n addition to being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, lipid-lowering, and cardiovascular-disease-lowering compound, cinnamon has also been reported to have activities against neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.”
Cinnamon can interact with prescription medicine, so be cautious. More than one teaspoon can be harmful, but a dash on a bowl of oatmeal, a cup of Celestial Seasonings’ “Bengal Spice Tea,” or a pumpkin muffin (or two) might be just the thing on a brisk Fall day.
Pumpkin Spice is also called Pumpkin Pie Spice. You might already have a jar in your cupboard, but here’s an easy recipe from allrecipes.com that only takes 5 minutes.
HOME-MADE PUMPKIN SPICE
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
Store in a small, airtight container in a cool, dark place. Properly stored, pumpkin spice will last up to three years.
In case you want to try those delicious pumpkin muffins, here’s that recipe, too.
SHARI’S PUMPKIN MUFFINS (adapted from Kathy’s family's Pumpkin Cake Recipe)
4 eggs
1/2 Cup salad oil
1/2 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 Cups sugar
2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 16-ounce can solid pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix or filling)
1 Cup chopped pecans
Mix all ingredients then beat with mixer until well blended. Ladle evenly into 24 muffin cups. Bake at 350º F for 40-45 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean)
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 stick butter
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup chopped pecans
1 lb confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
Mix well.
NOTE: 1/2 recipe frosts 2 dozen muffins.
NOTE: Muffins and frosting freeze well.
In One Magic Jar by Corey Ann Haydu (Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins, 2021), Rose Alice Anders is called “Little Luck” by her father, famous for his exceptional magic-collecting ability. When Rose manages to collect only one jar of magic on Collection Day, she falls out of her father’s favor, but learns to distinguish what is real, what is magic, and the importance of friends and family. An author’s note includes information and resources about Domestic Violence.
-—Be curious! (and use common scents--like cinnamon)
. . .
Warm, soothing cinnamon.
Spicy, sweet nutmeg.
Peppery, fierce ginger . . .
from Pumpkin Spice
by Arie Kaplan
illustrated by Monique Dong
Grosset & Dunlap, 2025
Seems like everywhere and everyone is surrounding us with pumpkin spice. From Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks to Dairy Queen's new Pumpkin Pie Blizzard, we can inundate ourselves from our breakfast jolt of caffeine to a scrumptious dessert after dinner. (Or a midnight snack, anyone?)
My pumpkin muffin fiasco as a "baked good" entry in our County Fair (see last week's post) is perfect this time of year, especially with its cream cheese frosting. The recipe is old. I adapted it from a friend who gave it to me about 50 years ago, and I’m sure it wasn’t new then. They’re delicious, and the only spice in them is cinnamon! Cinnamon goes especially well in dessert recipes. It blends well with other spices, too. But spicing up our coffee and dessert is cinnamon’s recent cup of tea, so to speak.
It is derived from the interior bark of a cinnamon tree, also called the kurundu tree, a native of Sri Lanka, a country with an interesting history of its own. From 1815 to 1948, Sri Lanka fell under British rule and was known as Ceylon, a corruption (or Anglicized form) of its ancient name used in the 6th century BCE, Sihalam.. British rule ended in 1948, but the name Ceylon remained until Queen Elizabeth II was no longer its political head. The newly-independent country became Sri Lanka. The prefix Sri translates to the English word resplendent. The word Lanka is as old as the ancient story of a kidnapped princess, Sita and her rescue. The word Lanka simply means island.
As early as 2000 BCE, merchants traveled the Spice Routes to acquire and exchange cinnamon from Sri Lanka. The primary reason for embarking on these treacherous journeys was the economic advantages of trade. Cinnamon was more valuable than gold. By the 16th century, it was the most profitable spice the Dutch East India Company traded (TimesNowNews). Other spices were traded, too, but none could compare economically with cinnamon.
Traveling and stopping at ports along the Spice Routes also encouraged the trade of ideas, languages, and artistic and scientific skills.
Besides its interesting history and economic value, cinnamon has many medical uses, both ancient and modern. Ancient Egyptians used cinnamon oil in their mummification process. Cinnamic acid is an antibacterial.
It is important to do your own research and consult with your medical professionals, but according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “[c]innamon is one of the most important spices used daily by people all over the world.” The NIH continues, “[i]n addition to being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, lipid-lowering, and cardiovascular-disease-lowering compound, cinnamon has also been reported to have activities against neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.”
Cinnamon can interact with prescription medicine, so be cautious. More than one teaspoon can be harmful, but a dash on a bowl of oatmeal, a cup of Celestial Seasonings’ “Bengal Spice Tea,” or a pumpkin muffin (or two) might be just the thing on a brisk Fall day.
Pumpkin Spice is also called Pumpkin Pie Spice. You might already have a jar in your cupboard, but here’s an easy recipe from allrecipes.com that only takes 5 minutes.
HOME-MADE PUMPKIN SPICE
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
Store in a small, airtight container in a cool, dark place. Properly stored, pumpkin spice will last up to three years.
In case you want to try those delicious pumpkin muffins, here’s that recipe, too.
SHARI’S PUMPKIN MUFFINS (adapted from Kathy’s family's Pumpkin Cake Recipe)
4 eggs
1/2 Cup salad oil
1/2 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 Cups sugar
2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 16-ounce can solid pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix or filling)
1 Cup chopped pecans
Mix all ingredients then beat with mixer until well blended. Ladle evenly into 24 muffin cups. Bake at 350º F for 40-45 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean)
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 stick butter
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup chopped pecans
1 lb confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
Mix well.
NOTE: 1/2 recipe frosts 2 dozen muffins.
NOTE: Muffins and frosting freeze well.
In One Magic Jar by Corey Ann Haydu (Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins, 2021), Rose Alice Anders is called “Little Luck” by her father, famous for his exceptional magic-collecting ability. When Rose manages to collect only one jar of magic on Collection Day, she falls out of her father’s favor, but learns to distinguish what is real, what is magic, and the importance of friends and family. An author’s note includes information and resources about Domestic Violence.
-—Be curious! (and use common scents--like cinnamon)
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