Passionate About Pumpkins in Boston

Oh the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte. We wait for this year round and are joyous when it is finally released mid-September. Even when we’re still experiencing 85 degree summery weather, if the pumpkin spice latte is available, I will indulge.

I hear that they also make a really delicious pumpkin spice frappuccino. But we better save that for special occasions.

Peet’s also offers a pumpkin spice latte, but I prefer to drink their coffee black, with just a bit of pumpkin spice syrup mixed in. I love Peet’s coffee and it’s even better with just a little bit of pumpkin flavoring.

Oh, Polcari’s. How I love you for making it possible for me to brew my very own pumpkin spice coffee right from my kitchen. While I love having my coffee served to me, I promise you there is nothing better than an apartment smelling of pumpkin spice coffee on a chilly autumn morning.

I’m pretty sure this is what heaven smells like and I cannot wait to get back to Polcari’s to purchase my stock of coffee for this fall.

The Sunset Bar and Grill seriously has at least 15 pumpkin beers at this time of year. You should go and try them all. Yes, they’re all pumpkin flavored, but they all taste just a little bit different. Ask to sample them. The bartenders at Sunset are usually pretty generous and will let you sample what you want. I recommend the pumpkin pie-like tasting Souther Tier Imperial Pumpking Ale and the Shipyard Pumkinhead Ale. But really, you should try them all and decide for yourself.

Trader Joe’s seems to be just as obsessed with pumpkins as I am. And luckily I live right down the street from one and can stock up whenever I so desire. I’m excited to see what other pumpkin treats they offer this year (as if I could love Trader Joe’s any more than I already do!), but am so far looking forward to their pumpkin butter, pumkin puree, and pumpkin beer. Everything is priced so fabulously too!

If aren’t brewing your own pumpkin spice coffee in your home but still want your house to smell like pumpkins, take a little visit to Yankee Candle. They carry a couple different options of pumpkin-smelling candles and I think they’re all amazing. And, as if they can read my mind, they have now created a pumpkin/vanilla cupcake candle. My two favorite things in the world in one candle?? I am just a little bit excited about this!

I walked into Salumeria Italiana with no pumpkins on my mind. And then I spotted it. A package of pumpkin gnocchi. An Italian delicacy infused with my favorite food in the world? I obviously had to buy it and eat it immediately. You should too. But try to cook up a little cream sauce and sprinkle some cinnamon and nutmeg on top.

Everything on the menu at Giacomo’s is going to sound amazing to you. Seriously, you might have trouble ordering the pumpkin ravioli because every single thing is making your mouth water. But you really should order it because it is one decision you will not regret.

While I love a good bagel with cream cheese, a warm bagel smothered in pumpkin cream cheese is taking breakfast to a whole new level. Bruegger’s Bagels has an amazing pumpkin cream cheese (that can be used to make an equally amazing pumpkin cheese cake). It totally kicks up a plain bagel and makes a cinnamon sugar bagel the best thing on Earth.

Christina’s is supposed to have the best ice cream in the entire Boston-area, so it’s a given that their pumpkin ice cream would be absolutely amazing. I don’t care that it’s starting to get chilly outside; it’s always warm enough for pumpkin ice cream!