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The origin of pumpkin spice and the most bizarre products that have come out of its rising popularity

The first mention of Pumpkin Spice was discovered in a Washington Post recipe for a Pumpkin Spice Cake in 1936.

PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Editor's note: The above video is from Aug. 24.

With the fall season underway, most people have noticed the pumpkin spice craze popping up all over their local stores and in some instances you'd never expect.

History

While Starbucks is attributed for putting the Pumpkin Spice Latte on the map, allowing it to become the signature drink of autumn, the Chicagoist traced the first reference of a "pumpkin spice" blend to a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cakes posted in The Washington Post back in 1936. 

At that time, recipes still contained actual pumpkin, but in the 1950s a spice company name McCormick combined common spices used in pumpkin pie to create a "pumpkin pie spice," renamed to "pumpkin spice" in the 1960s.  

Pumpkin spice is made up of five simple seasonings that have embedded a cozy, fall reminiscent feeling into our brains. These ingredients are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger.

In 1998, the Morning Call released an article describing a woman drinking Fasig's pumpkin spice coffee at a TJ's Cafe in Schuylkill County, Pa.

In 2003, Starbucks released their Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL), originally almost called "Fall Harvest Latte" in 100 stores in Washington D.C. and Vancouver.

“Nobody knew back then what it would grow to be,” Peter Dukes, director of espresso Americas for Starbucks said. “It’s taken on a life of its own.”   

Within the first decade of the PSL release, more than 200 million drinks were sold.

Since the pumpkin spice frenzy has taken off, some unusual products have been created to meet the pumpkin spice flavoring and scented demands of the fall season.

Bizarre Pumpkin Spice Products

Umami Burger released a Pumpkin Spice Latte Burger in 2014 topped with garlic aioli, tempura kabocha, spiced mascarpone, and a coffee glaze.  

This product is no longer available.

If you're looking for a Halloween gift or a fall snuggle buddy for your home, Build-A-Bear Workshop has an online exclusive pumpkin spice scented bear gift set. Customers can add both a sound and the classic scent of fall, pumpkin spice, for a total of $25.50. 

Amazon has the perfect item for extreme pumpkin spice fans looking to take the pumpkin craze too far this holiday season. Yes, pumpkin spice toilet paper is a thing and is available to scent up your bathroom today for the small price of $6.99.

This product received several 5 star reviews on Amazon, with one reading, "It's actually quite a lovely product, and one I would consider giving to family members as a seasonal gift around Halloween and Thanksgiving. The scent is nice and does not overpower the room. It simply leaves one with the memory of a nice autumn afternoon."

If you're looking to spread a little fall spirit to those not on land, Zoom Bait Company sells pumpkin spice fishing bait, because fish crave it too.

For all the pet lovers out there looking to share the seasonal spirit with their dogs, there's a whole line of pumpkin spice dog products for them to indulge in, including Chewy's pumpkin spice dog cologne spray and Show Season's  pumpkin spice dog shampoo.

Why stop there? Grennies has their own line of pumpkin spice flavored dog treats so your dog can love fall just as much as you.

Upstate Farms has a pumpkin spice flavored milk. According to Instacart, this product is a "creamy blend of fresh, wholesome milk and delicious pumpkin pie flavor [to] deliver a satisfying taste sensation you cannot resist."  

We're all pretty familiar with pumpkin spice cream cheese, but how about pumpkin spice flavored butter for your bagels in the morning?

Lastly, if these previous pumpkin spice products seemed tame to you, would you try a slice of Beemster's pumpkin spice cheese on your cracker? This blend of cheese includes all the essential ingredients you'd find in your typical pumpkin spice flavoring, mixed with Beemster's Gouda cheese. Try at your own risk. 

It's safe to say the pumpkin spice craze isn't going anywhere. 

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