Today I went to the store for the specific goal of buying something, anything, fall like.  It’s been a terribly hot summer here in Washington state.  On top of the heat we’ve suffered a severely  scary wildfire season and smoke has been thick for majority of the past six or so weeks.  I heard a Starbucks is bringing back the Pumpkin Spice Latte early this year, and it got me thinking that I ought to bring fall into my life sooner than usual as well.

Typically I race to purchase autumn scented candles on and never before September 1st.  It’s not actually the season of happiness yet, but it’s within the month and it feels right.  But I can’t wait this year so into into my local grocery store I went searching.  I checked every aisle and end cap for something-ANYTHING-with a theme of fall.  Nothing, nada, no sign of even back-to-school goods.  My last effort was to see if they had any canned pumpkin in stock, which is often hard to find outside of the November December months round these parts.  But I scored. I payed for my glorious orange can and I headed home.

I had planned on making a pie with my prize can of pumpkin, but I got to thinking I really wanted a pumpkin spice latte.  Being as they aren’t yet available at Starbucks and Starbucks is not my favorite coffee in the first place I wondered if I could create a sauce and make a drink with my home espresso machine.

So I dabbled and did it, I really feel proud of my recipe so much that I am sharing it.  If you like pumpkin spice lattes you should give a shot too.  Here you go:

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Throw all that in a small sauce pan and simmer until it slightly thickens.  Make sure to stir often. Pour into a container to store in the fridge.  I’m guessing it’ll keep a week or so, but don’t hold me to that and give yourself food poisoning and blame me.

It’s not gorgeous.  And my kitchen table is full of peaches and canning jars so I had to take this pic on the floor.  Meet my kitchen tile!

If you are clueless has to how to use the syrup, here’s a few ideas.

I’d say about an ounce is a good serving size for an 8 ounce cup of coffee. Try it in drip coffee with or without cream.  I put an ounce in a latte and it was like a gourmet version of the Starbucks drink.  I also made my daughter a hot “cocoa” using this instead of chocolate.  I’m anxious to try it with butter on pancakes or waffles.

There’s my coffee.  My early taste of fall.  My reason to ignore the temperatures, which never seem to drop below 90.  My reminder that September is coming.  Twelve days folks.