Season 2, Episode 11: Pumpkin Displays of Confection

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Season 2, Episode 11: Pumpkin Displays of Confection
I never cease to be amazed by all of the different types of YouTube niches there are. Here’s a brief idea of what I mean (these are completely real):
-Pimple Popping (I’m not going to link this because it’s gross)
-Ink Making (Extremely relaxing)
And I get why! Some of these are extremely relaxing and entertaining. (I’m serious, the ink making will calm you down almost instantly if you’ve had a stressful day)
But my personal favorite is candy making. And not just any - I’m talking specifically about a channel named “Lofty Pursuits”, the makers of today’s pumpkin spice product.
To give you a brief overview: Lofty Pursuits is a candy shop in Tallahassee, Florida, and they hand-make a ton of interesting candy flavors in their shop. They also post videos of the process, from start to finish.

**I'm not sponsored, so this next part is all me. They sell candy on www.pd.net, and it's great. They have a lot of flavors, so go check them out!
The narrator is the owner of the shop, Greg. Who not only is a candy expert with an incredible narration voice, but also possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of techniques and limitless creativity to implement flavors and designs. If you think I’m exaggerating, I’m not. (How he manages to craft intricate designs INTO candy is mind-blowing)
I’ve been buying candy from them occasionally for almost 2 years now, and I always like to try something new. (Personal favorites: Pomegranate and Peach)
So when I got my YouTube alert that they had posted a “Pumpkin Spice Candy” making-of, I was beside myself. Not only did I watch twice, I bought a bag.


If you have the time, this video is the best use of 9 minutes I can recommend.
Item: Lofty Pursuits Pumpkin Spice Hard Candy

Purchase Location: Public Displays of Confection
Cost: $5.99
Manufacturer’s Description:
Back after a few years, our seasonal pumpkin spice is ready for the fall. (Keep in mind fall starts in late November in this part of Florida)
I actually got my package in September, but I managed to exhibit an incredible amount of self-control and didn’t open it until today. That’s what being an adult is all about, right?
Checking out the package, I notice two things right away: 1 - they’ve NAILED the pumpkin design in the center 2 - there is no actual pumpkin in this product (I guess no product is truly perfect).


Watching the video, Greg does an incredible job explaining the origin of pumpkin pie and even the history of the word pumpkin, but he does not mention how the candy gets its flavor (other than that it had it). I guess that’s a mystery for another day.
After my obligatory pre-review pics, I cut open the top of the bag and took a deep inhale. There is a bouquet of spices that seem to be pretty balanced against the sugar of the candy itself. But there is a slightly stronger smell of cinnamon and limited clove.


Taking a closer look at a piece of candy, I’m still so impressed by how well this was done. If you watch the video, you can see how Greg managed to inlay the design from a single batch of sugar. The design is impressive, especially since he managed to get borders on all of the major structures in the design. It adds depth to the picture on the candy and (to me) is a sign of great craftsmanship.  
I decide to eat single pieces to get the most honest review.


At first taste, the candy has good range of flavor, but the cinnamon is easily the most prominent. With a few extra pieces, I try to see if I can pick out any other of the pumpkin spices, but not really.


The piece finished nicely, and I could still taste the pumpkin spice after 15 minutes (still great, even after).


While this is neck-in-neck with the coffee squares from a few days ago, they are easily the best pumpkin spice hard candy I’ve ever tried (well the only, but it still counts). The only knock on it is that there could be some more spice balance between the individual pumpkin spice components.


Overall, I love it. I am halfway through the bag and I might get more. You should too.
Final Rating: 4/5 pumpkins!


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