Old Spice

From our food editor Verla Burrell-Bordelon:

The entire pumpkin spice craze began in the late-1800s due to a poem by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin twice removed -- at her request).  We wrote about it recently HERE.  The fad took off ever since, and there seems to be no letting up.  We even shared a recent post with some of the most popular pumpkin spice recipes from the kitchens of the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum's snack bar.  The recipes are HERE. 

Some, though, say that the PS-craze has gone too far -- and they point to the many products shown below to show that the world has gone pumpkin-spice crazy!

Below:  Many products now contain pumpkin spice, including Harris' Bed Bug Killer, most major gasolines, Suprep's Bowel Prep Kit for colonoscopies, and various brands of pumpkin pie filler.  Click the images to enlarge.

Of course, every year when the PS-season is over, it feels like an eternity until pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, and other pumpkin spiced products return -- but to those who partake, they all agree that the long wait was worth it, just like Emmett Lee Dickinson wrote in his poem "Renewed Significance a thirsty man attaches" (below on the left).  Who knows -- maybe his poem motivated third cousin Emily to sip a pumpkin spice latte -- but it most certainly did inspire her to pen her poem "Undue Significance a starving man attaches" (below on the right).
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By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
Renewed Significance a thirsty man attaches
To Spice –
Pumpkin – He buys – and therefore – Hopeful –
And therefore – Good –

Partaken – it achieves – indeed –
And proves us
That Spices fly
In the Receipt – It was the Long Wait –
Was Worth it –

By Emily Dickinson:
 
Undue Significance a starving man attaches
To Food –
Far off – He sighs – and therefore – Hopeless –
And therefore – Good –

Partaken – it relieves – indeed –
But proves us
That Spices fly
In the Receipt – It was the Distance –
Was Savory –

Below:  For years Bill O'Reilly railed against the War on Pumpkin Spice Season because many non-spicers refused to acknowledge, recognize, and legitimize the pumpkin spice season in government, media, advertising, and retail.