Pumpkin Spice and the Modern World

Wars have been fought over it, fortunes made and lost from it, empires risen and fallen over it, entire continents discovered seeking it, and people killed and enslaved to protect a treasure once considered to be more valuable than gold. Now sold seasonally with whipped cream.

Special thanks to James Powell

Check out our new shop for fun The History Guy merchandise:

This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images from the Public Domain or licensed from iStock are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar:

All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.

Find The History Guy at:

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. If you like history too, this is the channel for you.

Awesome The History Guy merchandise is available at:

Script by THG

#history #thehistoryguy #Pumkinspice

[vinnynj]

This sort of topic is beyond fascinating for me yet for some reason in my head I keep hearing, "Whoever controls the Spice controls the universe!"

[shimozu]

Honestly I'm jealous of anywhere that August seems like fall. Fall starts when summer heat ends, which isn't until mid October.

[carguybikeguy]

I remember my mother having a kettle on top of the wood stove; letting out a dull whistle. Used it for spicy festive drinks all winter. I smell it still

[Nicksonian]

It’s STILL SUMMER!!! Being an old guy who never started school before Labor Day, I refuse to accept that the fall season starts in August. I work in a local garden center and was crestfallen when I came in yesterday to see HALLOWEEN decorations going up. We don’t even have mums yet! Certainly no real pumpkins yet. I’ll have to see if we have any pumpkin spice gifts. Ugh. I’m not even ready for football.

[rdhunkins]

"Free throat punch if you order pumpkin spice ribs." Why do I find that extremely funny?😂

[lauragraham]

I miss when we had to wait until late September for any pumpkin spice products to emerge. It's killed the seasonal joy of it all. I wait until then to enjoy it.

[gibbonsr]

Some may or may not like pumpkin spice latte but everyone loves pumpkin spice History Guy.

[sallycormier]

Autumn is my favorite season and the older I get the less I tolerate summer’s heat and humidity. So for me Pumpkin Spice heralds the end of my least favorite season and much anticipated cooler weather is on its way. Even though summer encroaches on autumn in my neck of the woods, PS gives me hope that cool crisp days will one day be here.

[quiestinliteris]

It's great as a savory spice blend. I make pumpkin soup that's about a pound of baked, mashed pumpkin boiled in bone broth with a chopped medium onion and a handful of garlic cloves, seasoned with "pumpkin spice", white pepper, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Once the vegetables are soft, blend until smooth, add about a half cup of heavy cream, and serve topped with pepitas.
It also makes a really good pasta sauce.

[jacquelineandersen]

Spring in August in Australia. Here in Townsville it's still the dry season. Love pumpkin and love THG.

[constipatedinsincity]

The aroma that brings back memories of my misspent youth, is the aroma of a comic books from the 1960's an older!

[charlesjessie]

Its August, we're still enjoying honeydew and watermelon.

[carlmontney]

The only group I could see that would think August is the beginning of fall are retailers who are greedy for the buck and want to get their stuff on the shelves.

[robertweldon]

When I think of "Pumpkin Spice", it reminds me of 3 things;
1 sitting in my moms kitchen while she made pumpkin pie, and anticipating eating as much as possible.
2. a man I knew while serving in the Navy and his wife's sweet potato pie, which rivaled my mom's pumpkin
3. waiting for and trying to find "pumpkin spice" flavored ice cream, at that certain time of year.
I've never heard of "pumpkin spice" flavored pork or Spam. It might be worth a try, sometime.

[mirandigriffin]

When the weather is crisp and cool is when I will accept the spice

[johngregg]

Speaking of scarcity as driving demand, one day when my son was 6, he saw Skittles in a vending machine.
"Dad", he beseeched, "we have to get them. They're limited edition Skittles"

[poncho]

August is way too early! But what a masterful work of taking a topic that from its subject seems esoteric or dull and making it one of your best and most amusing lessons yet. PS- I’m a big fan of both the channel, and of pumpkin spice. Maybe for October you should become The Nutmeg Guy. 😂

[nacoran]

A seasonal product I like... Sierra Mist Cranberry as the soda in a float (with vanilla ice cream).

[janicestevenson]

UNFAIR. Mr History Guy! Fall is my favorite time of the year, since I was a very small girl. You took me right back there and now I want to get to the store and start making it all come true. It is like everything else, we sadly do not appreciate something until it is gone, or very hard to get hold of. I was very sad to find out that it is attached so such a violent time, but I am still going to use it! You took me right back to the first Thanksgiving I can remember. I live by Lansing, Michigan so we had our first snow on Thanksgiving - I was six. I remember sitting by the back door catching snow on my face and the smell wafting through the tightly closed back door. My Mother was a wonderful cook and I got to go right back there, thanks to you!

[jasonkilgore]

I’m not one who likes it in my drinks. But I do like it in my pumpkin pie. I find things being seasonal great gives you something to look forward to.