We're entering the season of plaid scarves, warm blankets and hot coffee. If there's one ingredient that epitomises the autumn months, it's the sweet flavours of pumpkin. Here are our picks of the restaurants, bakeries and shops around town making use of this versatile ingredient at this time of year. By Sally Gao and Sarah Moran
RECOMMENDED: Find out where to spend a perfect autumn day in Hong Kong, cosy up with a cup of hot chocolate or take advantage of the cool weather and go hiking.
Known as the queen of fall beverages in the US, the pumpkin spice latte is back in Hong Kong again for all our inner basic bitches. It’s a must-try drink that combines a full-bodied, aromatic espresso with steamed milk, as well as flavour notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Enjoy it topped with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon on top.
There’s no end-of-year staple quite like a hot bowl of pumpkin soup. Tallore, a Wan Chai-based eatery, serves an inspired twist on this nourishing classic, containing maple-roasted veggies, toasted pumpkin seeds and a spiced crème fraiche. There’s nothing you’ll crave more as the temperature drops.
If dessert is on your mind and the reason for your hunger pangs, head straight to Burger Circus. Every autumn, this burger joint in Soho makes its special classic all-American Pumpkin Pie, and hungry folks rush to gobble it up before the season ends. This festive slice ($58) is rich and creamy, balanced by a flaky crust and topped with a swirl of fluffy whipped cream. Talk about comfort food.
Not all pumpkin dishes have to be a guilty high-calorie pleasure. Using silken tofu in lieu of the usual heavy cream and butter to recreate the smooth richness of the original pumpkin pie, The Cakery’s refined-sugar Vegan Pumpkin Pie puts a low-calorie spin on our much-loved seasonal treat. Serve this on your dinner table and watch as your guests mutter nothing but ‘mmmm’ and ‘ooooohhhh’, and have no qualms reaching for a second helping.
Start your day with a pumpkin spice latte, end it with a pumpkin cocktail, just as the old saying goes (we’re pretty sure that’s a saying). Kinship is offering a pumpkin sour as part of its Friendsgiving family menu. This festive twist on the classic whiskey sour adds pumpkin cordial, sour orange juice and a garnish of anise to Wild Turkey 101 bourbon whiskey and Cynar.
What started as an in-house joke of Jolly Pumpkin Brewery not brewing pumpkin beers, turned into the team putting their heads together to come up with No.1 Pumpkin Ale. Packed with real pumpkins, hints of spice and a gentle kiss of cocoa, this pumpkin beer tastes like liquid pumpkin pie. It's also 5.9% so you don't need a lot to keep you nice and cosy through the holiday season. Imported from the U.S., this seasonal drink is available online at the HK Brew Craft store.
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