Pumpkin Latte

The kitchen is closed for the night. The table's set and gleaming and we are ready for tomorrow's feast. I always love this moment. The push is over and it's finally time to stand down, sure in the knowledge that all that needs be done has been attended to. Bob has set a fire and I've just made spicy pumpkin lattes. Music for the evening has not yet been decided, but I've claimed my chair and plan to enjoy this lull and watch the dancing flames. Our drink is a once-a-year affair, much like eggnog or a Tom and Jerry on Christmas Eve. The latte could be made on whim, but, for reasons still not truly clear, it has become a seasonal beverage that's mostly served between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. I cheat terribly when I make ours. The espresso machine is one of the appliance that didn't move with us from the east to west coast, so I foam with the blender and use double strength coffee instead of true espresso when I make these. It works well enough. The recipe I use was first published on the blog Sweet Happy Life. It's a great recipe, but I have found that it make three servings of latte rather than the promised two. I use Irish coffee glasses and I suspect a larger cup was used by the recipe developer. I have been known to suffer from the "more" syndrome and I don't mind occasional super-sizing, so, this presents no problem for me and mine, but I want you to be aware that serving size might be a bit iffy. I like these very much. I think you will too. Here's the recipe.

Pumpkin Latte...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Sweet Happy Life

Ingredients:

1 level tablespoon pumpkin puree

1 cup whole milk

1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg + a pinch for garnish

Scant 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups double strength coffee

6 tablespoons half-and-half

Sugar to taste

Whipped cream

Directions:

1) Begin brewing coffee.

2) In a blender, puree milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour into a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the milk is warm and begins to froth slightly. (About 4-5 minutes.) Remove from heat.

3) For each serving: Pour 1/3 of pumpkin mixture into a coffee mug. Add 2 generous tablespoons of half-and-half. Heat in a microwave for 30 seconds, then add brewed coffee to within 1/2-inch of rim. Add sugar to taste, then cover with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg. Yield: 3 servings.