When it comes to fall flavors, pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg are frequently used in sweet seasonal dishes. As soon as September rolls around, restaurants and cafes start rolling out pumpkin spiced lattes, apple streusel dusted with cinnamon, gingerbread spiced with nutmeg and a plethora of other sweet treats. But in recent years, these spices are increasingly being found in savory dishes, leaving these autumnal desserts in the dust. This post from Nation’s Restaurant News explores the shift from sweet to savory when it comes to pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg, and explains how menus across the country are beginning to incorporate these flavors into all kinds of dishes, from appetizers and entrees to breakfasts.

The article notes that many restaurants are using these spices as flavoring in new dishes, as well as experimenting with texture, to think outside the autumn dessert box and break palate conventions. All three spices have seen anywhere from a 32-162% increase on menus nationwide, particularly in the appetizer and entree categories. Restaurants are thinking of creative seasonal dishes like a gourmet version of macaroni and cheese topped with chicken that has been dusted with cinnamon, chipotle and star anise, putting an end to the stereotype of cinnamon only being sweet.

Read the full article here: Autumn Flavors Move From Sweet to Savory Dishes