As a twentysomething woman who spews words for a living, I've done my fair share of writing about, thinking about, and generally being "basic." And so here I am, on the brink of September, breathing in pumpkin-spiced air and pooping maple, overwhelmed not by the sheer volume of fall-flavored products, but by the flack that comes with them.
And I have had enough. Not only is it pointless to classify the pumpkin (and all its iterations), a food that embodies a quarter of the whole year as basic, but it's also ... incorrect. And let me tell you — in my very basic opinion — why.
Firstly, pumpkin is versatile. It is warm and inviting and sweet and savory and healthy if you want it to be and PRETTY. You know what else is all of those things? Chocolate. Avocado. Zucchini. Tomatoes. Some of life's best (and most ubiquitous) things! I don't see y'all out in the streets with pitchforks yelling about how avocado season shouldn't start as soon as possible. Nor are you out complaining about how the latest chocolate-centric Insta trend has officially Gone Too Far.
And because you've chosen not to shame the tomato lovers, the zucchini freaks, the people who love things other than pumpkin, they're totally cool about leaning into their faves. How often do you see someone captioning their gorgeous picture of fall-fresh tomatoes "Ahahah I know it's so basic, but I just couldn't resist! I loveeeee the fall, #basic #basicAF #sorrynotsorry #butreallysorry 🤗🙄😳?" You have never seen that! You most certainly have not !!
But fine. You want to ignore the innumerable uses of the pump, and you're cool with making people feel bad about what they like. How about the fact that it's, like, delicious? For every pumpkin-shaming human out there, there is a super yummy application of the fruit. You can soup it, roast it, chunk it, make its essence into caffeine goodness. There's pumpkin salad, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin pie, pumpkin mousse. Like shrimp, but make it cuter!!!
And if I have still not convinced you to let go of the stigmas you hold deep and ride with me into the orange, orange sunset, I wish you nothing but a three-day fall and a long and brutal winter happiness.
Enjoy your chocolate ... basics!!!
PRE-ORDER NOW Delish cookbook, amazon.com
