Pumpkin - What is the Big Deal?

Every fall I get to ask myself the questions...what is the big freaking deal about pumpkins? and Why do people feel the need to add pumpkin to every recipe or baked good in the fall?

There are pumpkin bars, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin breads, pasta with pumpkin cream sauce, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin butter, pumpkin cookies and on and on and on. And then there is this season's must have item, Hershey Pumpkin Kisses, to be added to any and all baked items. Oh, and we cannot forget the staple of the season, pumpkin pie.

Of course, I have never been a fan of anything pumpkin-y, having avoided the pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving since I can remember.

I just don't get it. What is the allure of the orange-y pumpkin-yness of that round vegetable? Could it be the spices usually used with the pumpkin? I know cinnamon is popular, so is nutmeg and allspice.

Again, this may be a part of my lack of pumpkin desire since I am not a real fan of any of those spices. Which leads me to another question that I often ask myself, why do so many people love the cinnamon roll?

But back to the pumpkin, my belief is that pumpkins should be carved and put on porches for decoration with only their seeds (after toasting and salting) being eaten. No need to add it to every culinary creation from the first day of fall until after Thanksgiving.

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