The Pumpkin Project

Many years ago, I was out for dinner with friends and found myself intrigued by all the seasonal flavors available on the restaurant’s menu. After ordering my apple, sweet potato soup and pumpkin ravioli I slammed my hand down on the table, sat up, and adamantly declared to the waitress, “I LOVE fall flavors!”

My friends still tease me to this day, but my statement couldn’t have been more true. We’re even in the process of brewing pumpkin beer for our annual Halloween party. As time goes on, it’s evident I’m not the only one whose tastebuds look forward to this time of year. It seems as though every coffee shop has their own version of a pumpkin beverage, and the aisles of the grocery store are filled with the theme. While I’m usually a fairly sensible shopper, I find myself a bit impulsive the moment I see anything labeled with the word, ‘pumpkin’.

Therefore, I’m taking on fall flavors by storm, and will not only be cooking with them, but also seeking them out. I will update you on my journey of the products I find and give you a review of what I can’t wait to eat again.

But I need your help. I can’t possibly be everywhere. Different stores and various states may offer options that I haven’t yet been exposed to (For example, can someone please tell me where I can purchase candy corn Oreos??) So let’s do this together. A group scavenger hunt if you will, on the search for all the cinnamon, nutmeg, orange hued pumpkin goodness you can find. Then, upload a picture and write a brief review so I know what I should taste for myself!

Ready to play along? Submit comments and photos (if available) below, or email me at thatssojenn@gmail.com. If you have any appropriate recipes, let me know as well! I may choose to feature you in an upcoming post!

Product: Limited Edition Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Cheesecake Dessert Cookies.

That’s SO Jenn’s Rating: 3/5

I would probably try just about anything labeled, ‘limited edition.’ What a clever marketing ploy to make us feel a sense of urgency when deciding what to place in our carts. Obviously, I didn’t want to risk missing out on the opportunity to have these in my life so I reached for them upon first glance. I’m only human. Pepperidge Farm has been around for ages so they are certainly no stranger to the world of cookies. As promised, this variety is soft and chewy with dominant flavors of autumn spice. The aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger surely screams pumpkin the moment you tear into the bag. However, I found the cheesecake description to be a bit misleading. To me, they just tasted like super sweet white chocolate chunks. Really, though, even that combo is perfectly acceptable.