happy things: trader joe's pumpkin spice coffee

Having flown back from Massachusetts to Seattle a few weeks ago after spending the summer back home, I just missed the seasonal launch of Dunkin' Donuts pumpkin coffee which to me, heralds the beginning of fall as much as red maple leaves and top down drives to Vermont. I'm a New England girl and my love for fall and Dunkin' Donuts pumpkin spice coffee runs deep.

(If you're thinking "Um, you know Starbucks has Pumpkin Lattes now, right?" I know but for me it's simply Dunkin'. Here's an interesting article from the Seattle Times explaining the love New Englander's have for their Dunkin' Donuts versus Seattlites and Starbucks.)

This weekend I was in Trader Joe's and I saw that the flood of TJ's pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavored products had begun. I picked up a few, including Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Coffee. Yesterday (Sunday) as I made brunch, I brewed some of the pumpkin spice coffee in my French press. As the coffee brewed, the kitchen filled with the scent of fall. With just a splash of Trader Joe's vanilla creamer, the coffee had a strong creamy vanilla pumpkin spice flavor. It was similar to the Dunkin' Donuts version and reminded me of all of the reasons that I love fall. This morning, I made an iced coffee with the remainder of the coffee from yesterday but it missed the mark. (I also don't like DD iced pumpkin spice coffee. I think pumpkin spice coffee needs to be enjoyed warm.)

If you're pulling out your fall sweaters and dreaming of crisp days, Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Coffee is a true pumpkin spice flavor and a happy way to start your morning.

Note: Be sure to read the labels well when choosing a pumpkin flavored product. Some are pumpkin flavored, tasting like pumpkin pie but some are pumpkin spice flavored and tastes more like the spices (typically cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice among other flavors) and not at all like pumpkin itself.