LEFT: A tasty two-layer pumpkin spice cake from Tartelette; ABOVE: Quaff Ashton Brewing’s Pumpkin Ale at Patty’s and Quinn’s pubs in OOS; RIGHT: Monster Mash, an 8% Double IPA is on sale at the Main Farmers’ Market.

Pumpkin spice and everything’s nice: seasonal products hit local shelves

JILL WHERRETT

*This ghoulish pumpkin-shaped cookie from Yummy Cookies is at the Main Farmers’ Market.*

It’s that time of year again: before the calendar had even flipped to September and the leaves started to turn, pumpkin spice was popping up everywhere. While you may not want to start your day with a bowl of Pumpkin Spice Cheerios or snack on an Apple Pie à la Mode Oreo, an abundance of delicious fall flavoured indulgences can be found at neighbourhood vendors.

If sugary treats are your thing, there’s no shortage of pumpkin and apple delights to try.

Tartelette Bakery makes a tasty pumpkin spice cake with two layers of moist, lightly seasoned cake separated by a creamy filling and topped with cake crumble, pepitas and a tiny pumpkin. Other autumn selections include rich pumpkin spice cheesecake crowned by a swirl of cinnamon-dusted whipped cream and a sprinkle of pepitas, and apple cinnamon scones.

At The Green Door, you can sample vegan pumpkin pie (made with local organic pumpkins and maple syrup) as well as gluten-free pumpkin cake, squares and pumpkin seed cookies – or pre-order desserts for indulging at home.

Over on Bank Street, Life of Pie is baking pumpkin pecan and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, apple maple walnut crisp and classic pumpkin pies, amongst other fall fare. Come Hallowe’en, cute and scary cookies will appear on the counter. At Trillium Bakery, you can pick up pumpkin pies and tarts, and order iced sugar cookies in the shape of pumpkins and maple leaves or seasonally decorated cakes and cupcakes for Thanksgiving or Hallowe’en.

At the Main Street Farmers Market (every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until October 25), Hall’s Apple Market offers a wide selection of seasonal fruit pies and squares, as well as apple cider doughnuts. At the Yummy Cookies stall you’ll find an assortment of autumnal options, including pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, vegan pumpkin cookies, pumpkin loaf with cream cheese frosting and ghoulish pumpkin-shaped cookies. Seeking a dose of super-sweet nostalgia? Both Barkley’s Apple Orchard and Hall’s Apple Market have pretty jewel-like candy apples for sale.

And for beverages, there’s a lot more to sip on than the ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte.

At Patty’s Pub or Quinn’s Ale House you can order a seasonal Ashton Brewing Company Pumpkin Ale (or pick up a four-pack to go), an unfiltered beer flavoured with pumpkin puree and spices, available until the end of October. Ashton also makes a slightly sweet hard apple cider, another great pick for the harvest season.

At the Main Street Farmers Market, Hall’s Apple Market sells their own hard cider, including the crisp High & Dry and sweeter Oh So Sweet, as well as fresh-pressed non-alcohol cider. A few stalls away, Dominion City’s beer selection includes their seasonal Monster Mash, a double IPA with a spooky 8% alcohol and, according to the brewery’s description, flavours of orange sorbet, tropical Skittles, pineapple gummy bears and sweet red grapefruit.

For flavoured tea and coffee fans, Happy Goat’s fall menu offers cinnamon toast latte infused with maple and cinnamon spice, spiced orange shaken espresso and more. Tartelette also has a slew of autumnal drinks, including caramel apple crisp matcha, iced pumpkin cream chai, cardamon latte and cinnamon honey latte.