They say pumpkin spice has gone too far. They say it’s overkill. It’s been abused to excess as a predictable orange fad. Hell, I’ve said it too.
Well, forget about them. Forget about past me as well. Clinton Hall’s new Pumpkin Spice WTF Waffle is the pumpkin spice offering we deserve this season.
The Pumpkin Spice WTF Waffle is part of a three-part series of deserts from The Lure Group, Clinton Hall’s parent company. The series celebrates and promotes three different Broadway shows: The Waitress, Chicago, and Oklahoma!. The Waitress, the first of the series, is the story of a small-town pie-maker dreaming of a life outside of her small marriage in a small town. She copes by making pies themed around her life, like The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie.
I was skeptical when I showed up. I don’t need to repeat my expectations. I’m not sure what I expected it to actually LOOK like, but when I arrived at Clinton Hall I was greeted by a tower of dessert more than a foot and a half tall. It was the kind of pretty that made you feel bad for trying to eat it. A half dozen other reviewers had arrived, but they hadn’t gotten past the “pictures” phase of the meal. I don’t blame them.
I did my due photographic diligence, but the pumpkin pie was calling to me. With the delicacy of an art restoration specialist, I worked the pie off of the top of the tower. It was exactly what I hoped it would be: a gimmick-free slice of pie supported by graham crackers and marshmallows. Off to a good start.
Once I’d broken the spell, my table-mates were quick to dig in, bisecting the tower. In the picture, you can see the stacks of cinnamon-flavored waffle and vanilla bean ice cream. None of it was clown-car orange. The waffles worked well with the ice cream and the whole thing was gone in two minutes. It makes you appreciate the inventor of the waffle cone.
If you want to enjoy a little pumpkin spice guilt-free, Clinton Hall’s delicious tower of dessert is the way to go. At $25 it is an expensive dessert for one (though I wouldn’t blame you), but it can easily serve four or more people. The offer only lasts through Tuesday, October 1st, so get it before it melts away.
