It’s that time of year again when Halloween and Christmas is on the brain and pretty much everybody seems to go stir crazy about the unofficial official autumnal flavor Pumpkin Spice. That flavor seems to be a crowd favorite in the form of latte’s. All I can say is I tried the famous PSL and all I got was a whisper of pumpkin and a whole lot of cinnamon like someone made a lovely pumpkin puree and poured luke-warm coffee over the top of it which completely override the already faint flavor of pumpkin.

The flavor isn’t subtle it’s missing. To me pumpkin is not the unofficial official autumnal flavor. It does not scream autumn to me it screams trying too hard. I grew up with sweet potatoes and yams in the form of pies and casseroles not pumpkin pie. It’s very popular as it’s only offered seasonally and it even has its own twitter account.

Starbucks describes the pumpkin spice latte as “Our signature espresso and milk are highlighted by flavor notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to create this incredible beverage that’s a fall favorite. Enjoy it topped with whipped cream and real pumpkin pie spices.” Hmm you can almost taste the dollar signs.

A 12 fluid ounce cup has 300 calories and 100 calories from fat. It contains 45 milligrams of cholesterol and 0 zero grams of dietary fibers. I say all this not to turn anyone off from drinking the beverage but to simply state some of the nutritional facts Pumpkin Spice lattes have. This year Starbucks has introduced actual pumpkin to the PSL’s but the flavor is the same. The man behind the creation Peter Dukes, the man who invented the PSL in 2003 “the goal of the new latte was to make a “cleaner” version, not reinvent the flavor.”

Now I don’t hate PSL’s for their taste or mere existence. I don’t like that they have become a huge commodity that their flavor has become a go-to for makers of products to pawn off on consumers and stock the selves to make the big bucks. Their flavor has been introduced to many different types of product that it should have no business with.

There doesn’t need to be pumpkin spice cream cheese, and tidy cat’s kitty litter or vitamin supplements or worst of all pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds. They exist? Last year, American consumers bought $361 million worth of pumpkin-flavored products. And that is not just talking about lattes: In addition to the usual baked goods and pie fillings, pumpkin has managed to make its way into beer, toothpaste, yogurt, and dog food. Sales of pumpkin-flavored goods have risen 79 percent since 2011, not even ten years after Starbucks debuted its infamous #PSL.

The taste and arrival of Pumpkin Spiced drinks and other items whether it be food or non-food products brings to mind autumn is upon us and the leaves are changing and beginning to fall so that’s why it’s looked forward to fondly. However, my own problem is that the leaves would change colors and fall without the ceremonial pumpkin spice craze seasonally arriving in stores. Wake up and smell the pumpkin but mostly cloves and cinnamon PSL’s are somewhat over-hyped.

There are so many other recipes and inventive ways to highlight pumpkin and reflect fondly on this time of year than to play into the hands of big corporations where pumpkin is just a background character to lure you in. And sometimes isn’t actually physically included in what you’re paying for. In our efforts to cherish and exalt a beverage/ products because it’s warm and cozy and reminds of fall we might be guilty of being taking advantage of. You may continue to drink them just don’t fixate on them so much that PSL’s become the only thing that truly inaugurate the beginning of autumn.