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Fall is the Perfect Time for a Pumpkin Takeover
October is in full swing and people everywhere are rushing to try anything with the word pumpkin in it from breads to soups. Between 2012 and 2013, retailers noticed a 14% increase in sales of pumpkin related products. With this year’s increase in pumpkin related products, from Jell-O to Oreos, that number is sure to be on the rise again. With the flavors rise in popularity, fall is becoming synonymous with “pumpkin-spice.”
When looking to host your next October event, having a pumpkin themed menu items is a must. While you can stick to the classic staples of pumpkin-inspired foods like pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie, the beloved flavor has so much more to offer. At Village Catering, we can work with you to design a truly unique menu incorporating the seasonal flavor into every course.
As a starter, you can make a pumpkin hummus, a new take on the classic Middle Eastern dip. As a dipping option, we would recommend a cinnamon sugared pita or tortilla chip. Another option would be to make a pumpkin chili, simply by subbing out the tomato paste for a pumpkin puree. A clever serving option for this would be to use a hallowed out miniature pumpkin as the bowl.
For the next course, get more than just the pumpkin flavor involved. A roasted pumpkin salad with pine nuts and baby spinach offers a dish unlike any other salad. If you want to create a pumpkin overload, we can create a pumpkin salad dressing to top it off.
As the main course, we recommend trying cheese raviolis in a pumpkin sauce. The savory pumpkin sauce will act as the perfect substitute to the hearty tomato sauce typically offered with raviolis. To further ramp up the pumpkin spice flavor in the sauce, add a few dashes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and sage.
For dessert, it is a must that you have pumpkin spice lattes, after all they are what got the trend going back when Starbucks first introduced them in 2003. Along with the quintessential lattes, consider offering pumpkin mousse with ginger snaps as a light finish to complete the pumpkin experience.
Of course, if this pumpkin overload is too much for you, we can sprinkle these items throughout the menu and add some variety to it with other offerings from our diverse menu. If you are interested in having your next event catered, give Village Catering a call today!