Pumpkin spice wars: The violent history behind your favorite Starbucks latte

[IronLionZion]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/08/27/pumpkin-spice-wars-violent-history-behind-your-favorite-fall-starbucks-latte/?wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1



Pumpkin-spice latte season is starting even earlier this year, with the famous drink spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves pouring into Starbucks coffee shops Tuesday.

But underneath those fuzzy-sweater vibes, the spices in “the PSL” have a dark history. Particularly nutmeg. It’s a story of war, genocide and slavery.

The variety of nutmeg we’re familiar with is native to the Banda Islands in what is now Indonesia. In the Middle Ages, the Bandanese became rich trading the spice — plus mace, which comes from the same plant, and cloves, which also grew there, according to Atlas Obscura. Nutmeg made it to the lips of Chinese and Malay elites, and to Europeans via Arab traders, who kept the location of the source secret.

All that changed in 1511, when Portuguese explorer António de Abreu became the first European to land on the Banda Islands, according to food historian Michael Krondl. Portugal, which was absorbed into the Spanish empire in 1568, had a foothold in the nutmeg trade for nearly 100 years, but the Bandanese resisted their efforts to gain more control.

The Dutch showed up in 1599, and everything got gruesome soon afterward. They seized the islands, built a fort and informed the Bandanese they were no longer allowed to trade with anyone else, according to historian Vincent C. Loth. The Bandanese signed contracts agreeing to the arrangement, though it is unclear if they understood what they were agreeing to, Loth wrote. They ignored the contracts anyway, continuing to trade with whomever they always had, plus a new partner on the scene — the English.

Good Morning DUers! Start your day off with some liberal guilt.

Then feel slightly better knowing there doesn't appear to be any nutmeg in it. It must be artificial flavorings since I don't see cinnamon, ginger, cloves, or allspice either. They even started using pumpkin puree and juice after some online shaming.

Ingredients
Milk, Pumpkin Spice Sauce [Sugar, Condensed Skim Milk, Pumpkin Puree, Contains 2% Or Less Of Fruit And Vegetable Juice For Color, Natural Flavors, Annatto, Salt, Potassium Sorbate], Brewed Espresso.
https://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/pumpkin-spice-latte?size=183888&milk=67&whip=NA

[yardwork]

1. U.S. history is a "story of war, genocide, and slavery."

The author of this article doesn't seem to know that.

[IronLionZion]

2. Many of her articles share the theme of human suffering to get us nice things

https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/gillian-brockell/

[yardwork]

6. It's a global phenomenon.

[TeamPooka]

11. Imperialism, capitalism, and consumerism are not victimless ideologies.

[Ms. Toad]

3. Natural flavors cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. n/t

Not sure why you would jump to artificial flavors (not an ingredient) when natural flavors are an ingredient, and describe the spices.

[IronLionZion]

18. Flavors can mean anything.

If the spices aren't listed then it must be in very tiny amounts.

[Bettie]

19. Or they use liquid

extracts rather than dry spices which can impart flavor without getting clumped up.

When I bake, I use spices in some things and extracts in others.

Plus, cloves and nutmeg can really overwhelm in anything but small amounts.

[Ms. Toad]

21. Correct - they can.

But the point is that artificial flavors is not an ingredient. Natural flavors are. If you're tasting cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves (the three primary pumpkin spice flavors), they are natural - not artificial.

And - think about baking a pumpkin pie from scratch. Aside from cinnamon, the amount of spices you would put in a cup would be very small. (Cinnamon might be as much as 1/4 tsp. The others would be more like a few grains.)

[IronLionZion]

22. That's a good point. Starbucks used to use natural AND artificial ingredients

like caramel coloring, salt, preservatives, etc. They have since reformulated to remove the artificial ingredients and add pumpkin puree instead. People liked the taste of the artificial ingredients but were concerned the chemicals might be harmful.

https://foodbabe.com/starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte/

[Farmer-Rick]

4. Thanks for the reminder

Back when even supporters of Obama thought "free" trade, (globalization, supply side or trickle down economics or whatever you want to call it, ) was a good thing, they claimed it would bring nations togeather. Everyone would be interdependent and we would all be one happy family.

But throughout history, trade was a major cause of war and enslavement. History proves globalization and "free" trade is just an excuse for rich men to get richer and prey on the weak and vunerable.The only difference is that now we do it quicker.

[yardwork]

7. The alternatives are even worse. Nationalism leads to war.

Trade generally results in peaceful interactions.

[Farmer-Rick]

15. But not unregulated "free" trade

Look at the wars and enslavement as a result of the spice trade, opium wars and the wholesale concentration camps from sugar, cotton and coffee trade. Look at the potatoe famine in Ireland for how trade destroys. More wars have been fought over trade then over religion, though frequently they were used to hide one or the other.

And Why should trade be free when people aren't? When you can't ever make enough money to cover a serious medical issue, unless you have insurance, that is not freedom for people. But is freedom for trade.

But in reality there is no such thing as "free" trade. You can Not have trade without some form of government to provide protected markets so people can trade without being robbed, or courts to enforce contracts or laws to prevent wholesale fraud.

There are not only 2 choices, free trade or Nationalism. There are many possibilities between those 2 extremes. But don't fall into the capitalist trap of thinking trade will bring peaceful coexistence. It never has before, why should it now?

[Coventina]

5. Ugh. I hate pumpkin-spice ANYTHING!

[Bettie]

20. Me too

but I make a great pumpkin pie...no nutmeg...I don't like the taste of it.

[JCMach1]

8. We all live on top of a big pyramid of murder

[blugbox]

9. At a glance, I thought the title was "Pumpkin Space Wars"

And I assumed it was making fun of tRump's recent space command unveiling.

I'm just gonna go with that.

[Sapient Donkey]

10. No guilt from me... I HAAATE PUMPKIN SPICE!!!

Seriously. Hate. It.

[Skidmore]

12. Give me

a slice of pumpkin pie next to my mug of coffee, not in it.

[0rganism]

13. so no worries over the coffee beans or the milk, but we can guilt about the spices?

ok then, sounds like fun for someone

[IronLionZion]

17. You can guilt about whatever you want

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. There is no ethical consumption under capitalism.

[Ilsa]

16. Too much emphasis on pumpkin when the only

reason they add pumpkin puree is so they can list it. Pumpkin isn't very flavorful at all. It's the sugar, spices, coffee, and milk that give it flavor.