6 Fall Flavors That Are Way Less Basic Than Pumpkin Spice
With fall rapidly approaching, pumpkin spice is invading coffee shops, grocery store shelves and our minds.
As delicious as pumpkin spice may be, it's a little overplayed at this point. If you'd like to add more refined flavors to your fall palate, try the options below.
Ginger
Gingerbread may immediately make you think of the holiday season, but this spicy root is just as good when the weather is just starting to get chilly. Its sharp, pungent flavor is great for cold days—particularly when you're trying to fight a back-to-school cold. Ginger tea is good for the sinuses and the soul.
Apple and Spice
Before pumpkin spice ruled fall, apple spice was the name of the game. It's tough to beat the combination of apples and cinnamon, whether it's in the quintessential autumn apple pie or swirling in a steaming mug of apple cider. Best of all, you can bite right into a crisp apple. Pumpkins are a different story altogether.
Maple
The colorful, falling leaves of autumn are pretty much synonymous with maple trees and, of course, maple syrup. This sweet flavor pairs well with other sugary treats, whether it's a pancake or ice cream, as well as salty-savory foods like bacon or breakfast sausages. Maple drinks are also in vogue this year, so get sipping.
Butternut Squash
Obviously, pumpkins aren't the only gourds that are totally in season in the fall. Squash may not lend itself to trendy Starbucks drinks, but any savory foods that incorporate pumpkin can be made even better with butternut squash. Whether it's soup, ravioli or stews, you should never underestimate the tastiness of fall squash.
Chai
Autumn is the season of spice, and chai tea mixes the fiery aromas of cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and pepper into one glorious beverage. The tea is the perfect complement to fall weather with the toastiness of the tea and the heat of the spices warming you to the very core.
Cranberry
If the thought of cranberries immediately evokes the image of a barrel-shaped blob of gel from a can, it's time for you to reconsider them. Dried cranberries add tart sweetness to anything from turkey sandwiches to trail mix, and a homemade cranberry sauce pairs beautifully with a surprising number of simple poultry-and-potatoes dishes. Even those perfectly round slices from a can are delectable.
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