Did you notice that pumpkin season arrived in early September this year?
It’s kind of like Christmas. Each year, holiday merchandise blankets store shelves a tad earlier. I don’t welcome Christmas decor too early, but I admittedly love seeing pumpkin products in September.
By early October, you can find pumpkin-flavored doughnuts, lattes, cookies, oatmeal and many other novelties. The list grows larger every year.
Just last week, I spent an hour at Trader Joe’s browsing its selection of pumpkin waffles, pasta, breakfast bars and other treats.
If you’re like me and have a passion for pumpkin, then you must try these five pumpkin picks. Keep in mind these are seasonal items. Quantities are limited and available only for a short time.
Pumpkin Tortilla Soup, The Stockpot, 700 19th St. (also available at the Norfolk location)
Most of us associate pumpkin dishes with something sweet, but it can be a great sidekick when it’s added to a savory meal.
The Stockpot makes a flavorful fall soup with a tomato base and pureed pumpkin. Their vegan pumpkin tortilla soup is a tasty bowl full of carrots, onions, red bell pepper, chipotle, cilantro and fall spices topped with fried tortillas. The Mexican-inspired soup with a pumpkin twist is perfect for a cool fall day.
Pumpkin ice cream, Blue Cow Ice Cream Co., 2817 Shore Drive
If you close your eyes when eating this ice cream, you’ll think you had a piece of frozen pumpkin pie. It tastes just like homemade pumpkin pie, but it’s really cold and creamy and best served in a waffle cone.
The ice cream is handmade in small batches and uses 100% natural pumpkin puree. It has just enough spices to add depth to the flavor, but pumpkin is still the star of this ice cream cone.
Pumpkin cinnamon roll, My Vegan Sweet Tooth, 3916 Virginia Beach Blvd.
This is a pumpkin version of the classic cinnamon roll. Fresh pumpkin puree and spices are mixed into the dough. The hefty-sized roll is then smothered with cream cheese frosting and a cinnamon dusting. This vegan treat is egg-, nut- and dairy-free. It’s best served warm.
Pumpkin pecan fudge, Forbes Candies, several locations in Virginia Beach and Norfolk
Forbes Candies has been making small-batch, homemade fudge locally in Virginia Beach since 1930. The pumpkin fudge is a seasonal treat that’s loaded with fresh pecans and pumpkin flavor.
This would be a great hostess gift for a Halloween party or a wonderful dessert sliced into mini squares adorned with Halloween toothpicks.
Pumpkin cream cheese, The Bagel Baker, 1340 North Great Neck Road
Have you tried homemade pumpkin cream cheese smeared on a bagel? Bagel Baker whips cream cheese, pureed pumpkin and spices to create their version of pumpkin pie cheesecake on a bagel. I can’t think of a better breakfast treat.
Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net