Weekly Warm-Up: Food Rituals and Pumpkin-Flavored Feelings

It’s that time of year again. Get ready for colorful leaves, crackling fires, and, of course, “pumpkin spice” flavoring. In the U.S., everything edible—from cookies and lattes to ketchup and hummus—has gone seasonal yet again. But how exactly is the favorite fall flavor made? And what makes Americans love it so much? Botanically speaking, pumpkins are actually indistinguishable from some other types of squash. Culturally … Continue reading Weekly Warm-Up: Food Rituals and Pumpkin-Flavored Feelings

Sweet Smell of Vanilla’s Success

BUSINESS Vanilla isn’t plain to product developers. It’s the x-factor in most fragrances, conjuring feelings of craving, warmth and familiarity. Other scent trends come and go, but vanilla shows no sign of waning popularity, fragrance experts say. That is fueling a chase to find new iterations. (Wall Street Journal) Meet a spice buyer from the biggest vanilla dealer in the world—McCormick&Company. Teachers: Scroll all the … Continue reading Sweet Smell of Vanilla’s Success