Modern Hill Woman

Spicy Season

Love it or hate it, now is pumpkin spice season. Contrary to popular opinion, pumpkin spice doesn’t have actual pumpkin in it. It’s a spice mix featuring cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. We assume the annual pumpkin spice craze has been around about 20 years, thanks mainly to Starbucks. However, the origin of this spice mix actually goes back hundreds of years and can be found in American cookbooks as far back as the 1700s. These spices are very fitting for the “spooky season, “ as they have long been considered an important part of cooking as well as herbalism and magic.  All of the ingredients in pumpkin spice were claimed to repel evil spirits, used in spells, and to  create talismans.                                

Nutmeg was considered an aphrodisiac, and was said to have hallucinatory properties if consumed in large quantities. Large quantities would also induce vomiting and seizures. Humans have been using nutmeg for around 3,500 years. In the 1300s in Europe one pound of nutmeg cost seven fattened oxen, and was more valuable than gold.                                                                      

Cloves have long been used for protection against evil spirits. The Christmastime custom of sticking cloves in an orange or lemon for decoration was originally done as a protection amulet for the home. The scent of cloves is said to improve memory.                        

Ginger was used in a number of remedies to help combat nausea, coughing, and even impotency. The flavor was also well loved, and Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was said to have invented the gingerbread man.                                                              

 Christopher Columbus discovered allspice in the Caribbean while searching for pepper. My husband can never find the pepper either.  Allspice comes from a type of evergreen tree and was used by the Mayans to flavor chocolate. An old American tradition was to put a necklace of allspice berries around a baby’s neck to help them with teething.                                       

Ancient Egyptians used cinnamon in perfumes and also in the mummification process. Cinnamon was one of the herbs and spices used to anoint the Ark of the Covenant.                                                                     Pumpkin spice is some ancient sorcery, a potion heating us up from the inside that may still contain a little magic.