It’s Great Pumpkin Time! Indulge in Fall Infused Dishes

By: Toni Cunningham | September 20, 2013
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The most surefire way to know fall has arrived is by looking at the hands of coffee drinkers—if they’re clutching a hot, pumpkin-flavored beverage with a hint of spice, ‘tis the season.

While a pumpkin coffee will keep you warm, a pumpkin dessert will keep you happy. There’s really nothing better than a cool day and a piece of pumpkin pie, except maybe the dollop of whipped cream that stands upon it.

Should you be looking for a pumpkin-flavored confection to satisfy your sweet tooth, don’t walk, run, to the following Metro Detroit establishments:

Astoria Pastry Shop, with locations in Royal Oak and Detroit, is one of my favorite places on the planet. They have desserts that will leave you in a sugar coma for days. In the pumpkin department, they have a pumpkin muffin (what better way to start your day?), a pumpkin roll (why have a plain one when you can go pumpkin?) and pumpkin spice cheesecake (this is self explanatory).

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Traffic Jam & Snug, 511 W. Canfield St., Detroit, serves a seasonal dessert that can be defined in one word: perfection. The restaurant’s pumpkin tiramisu is made with the usual ladyfingers, mascarpone, chocolate and espresso—but it also includes pumpkin. Since tiramisu is my favorite dessert in existence, this is a dream come true.

Iridescence, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit, has a great view and even better pumpkin desserts. The “finishing touches” include a luscious pumpkin custard, served with vanilla bean mousse and maple walnut ice cream, as well as a pumpkin mascarpone cheesecake with maple walnut ice cream and caramel. Who cares about gambling, I’ll skip straight to the dessert, thank you.

Achatz Pies, with several Metro Detroit locations, has countless varieties of pie, but only three that really matter: Traditional Pumpkin, Pumpkin Crumb and Shelly’s Pumpkin Praline. The Pumpkin Crumb is topped with a crumble containing pure butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and oats. It’s so good, in fact, it won the Blue Ribbon at the National Pie Competition. Shelly’s Pumpkin Praline includes a layer of vanilla cheesecake and is topped with pecan streusel.

It goes without saying that nothing pairs better with the above desserts than a pumpkin flavored coffee, like a Pumpkin Pie Latte from Ann Arbor’s Great Lakes Chocolate & Coffee Co.

Now, if you’re one of those “healthy” people who have to eat dinner before indulging in sugar, now is the perfect time to channel your inner chef. Keep the “all-things-pumpkin” theme rolling by whipping up one of the following meals:

You’ll of course want to pair your meal with a pumpkin beer. If you’re still craving pumpkin after all of that, well, there’s nothing more I can do to help you.

Enjoy the flavors of the season while they last!

 

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