Trick-less Treats. The costumed frivolity of Halloween lasts just one night, but the variety of pumpkin
edibles last for the whole fall season. Oh, and they say it's healthy, but please. We don't need an excuse.
Towerview's staff came together and reviewed some of the orange options in the Durham area.
Pumpkin Whoopee
Foster's
Despite the promising premise-Foster's can't help but make something delicious-this left us underwhelmed. Replacing the classic cake of Whoopee pie is a dry cake with only a hint of pumpkin. No complaints on the better-than-average cream cheese filling, though. Overall, this is a bit more "Pumpkin Whatever" than "Whoopee."
Iced Pumpkin Bread
Whole Foods
One critic sarcastically said, "Dunkin' Donuts does Thanksgiving." That's not so bad, right? Though Whole Foods' pumpkin bread offering pales in comparison to The Refectory's chocolate-chip version-the paragon of pumpkin bread, thankfully offered year-round-you could do far worse. Spicy, homemade-tasting and drizzled with icing (excessively so, some thought) it's a delicious option for midterm fuel.
Post Road Pumpkin Ale
Sam's Quik Shop
Proof that two rights can make a wrong, this pumpkin beer let us down like trick-or-treat apples from the dentist next door. Though this faintly pumpkin-spiced ale doesn't taste like drinking pumpkin juice, it doesn't satisfy as a pure beer either. With a nice aroma and bronze hue, it made a nice first impression but the bland, bitter beer was a major disappointment. If you're jonesing for a real pumpkin beer fix, try the Dogfish Head or Weyerbacher.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
The Refectory
Is it pie? Cheesecake? Pumpkin cheesecake pie? Do we care? Not at all. It's amazing, and that's what matters. Moist spiced pumpkin filling topped with fluffy cream rests on a crumbly ginger crust flecked with pumpkin bits-this is Chrismukkah come early in the Divinity School. It's a hefty slice, and $5.00 a piece, so you might want to share this with a friend. Or screw the calories and food points and keep this pumpkin treat all to yourself. No need to worry about making it on to the "nice" list quite yet.
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