…for fans of Disney Pixar’s Monsters, Inc, it’s Mike Wazowski!

courtesy of @Shamu via TwitPic

Happy Halloween!!!

Claim: Pretty much the best pumpkin bread that I’ve had to date.
Cause: The pumpkin flavor is both full and vivid, the consistency quite moist, to the point where it falls apart in pieces as you pick it up.  Perfect!
Cost: Frankly, unknown because my in-laws actually bought this loaf and then promptly forgot about it when it came time to leave, but it’s gotta be somewhere between five and ten bucks, I would assume.
Side Note: Although I’m not finding it in their online menu now, I remember hearing rumors last year that Bob Evans also offered some sort of fancy french toast with their pumpkin bread that I just never got around to trying.  That said, after having greatly enjoyed the bread this year, I think it would be worthwhile to pop in for breakfast sometime during the next month to see if the rumor holds true … and if nothing else, they’ve still got plenty of other yummy offerings to make the trip an enjoyable one, pumpkin or no pumpkin!

Important Photo Note: The bite wasn’t in the muffin when I originally purchased it – give the folks at Panera a little more credit than that!  I just thought that this picture might be a little more worthwhile because, well, let’s not kid ourselves … this muffin wasn’t exactly as aesthetically pleasing as that muffin…
Shameless Self-Promotion: …and nowhere nearly as cool as this muffin!
Actual Muffin Promotion: As the picture hints, Panera’s muffin has a very rich pumpkin flavor, however unlike Dunkin’s variety, it wasn’t nearly as sweet or cupcake-like.  Granted, it was still a perfectly acceptable breakfast food, however if you’re looking for more dessert-oriented sustenance in the early morning hours, you might be better off stopping by the Double-D instead.

Preemptive Note: Don’t judge this piece of cheesecake solely by the picture above…
Furthermore: In fact, go here to Olive Garden’s website and check out their promotional photo for yourself before you even continue reading – it’s ok, we’ll wait!
Validation: See what I’m talking about?!
The Story: I actually picked up this slice of cheesecake last night after seeing a similarly persuasive photo in the restaurant, however a to-go box was in order because they don’t seem to believe in the concept of “portions” at Olive Garden.  Sadly as you might assume from the above photo, this delicious-looking dessert didn’t exactly travel well between the car and the refrigerator the following day.
Looks Aside: While not the best piece of pumpkin cheesecake I’ve ever had, it was still enjoyable and whatever remained of the caramel sauce and cookie crumbles added a nice bit of flavor and texture to each bite.
Verdict: Appearances aren’t everything – let the flavors speak for themselves.  Just for God’s sake, go easy on dinner so that you’ve got enough room for dessert!

Full Name: Cinnamon Pumpkin, Squash, Yam and Cheddar Pot Pie
Origin: Back to Truffles on one of the last nights of the cruise for a vegetarian surprise that not only tickled the tastebuds, but aside from one stray pepper / tomato / otherwise unidentified red veggie, also managed to do nothing less than reinvigorate my passion for the pumpkin flavor!  Pretty impressive for the fine chefs of the Carnival Legend, if I do say so myself!
The Nitty Gritty: Despite being listed as a vegetarian entree when I, myself, am very distinctly not vegetarian, I couldn’t help but order this for dinner out of sheer curiosity … and also because I didn’t notice the “vegetarian” footnote until after I’d already placed my order.  Nonetheless, I was quite pleasantly surprised when our waiter, Elvis, placed this delectable offering in front of me – sadly, my photography skills don’t really do this one justice because it’s plating looked pretty nice.  Granted, we never were able to figure out what the “cheese wedge thingys” were, let alone those clear, little orbs for garnish (leave a comment if you know!), however nonetheless the pie itself was simply divine…
Oh, Do Go On!: It’s probably important to note from the name that the contents were sort of a blend of pumpkin, squash, and yams, but then again, pumpkin and squash are kind of in the same family anyways and really, who doesn’t love a good yam?!  The final mixture had a great flavor with just a hint of spice, and the bites that also included a piece of the flaky crust were particularly delicious.  And as hinted above, there was one slightly less than pleasant finding, and frankly other than it being red, I’m not entirely sure what it even was, but by the time I unearthed it I was already halfway through so I simply tossed it to the side and kept going full speed ahead!
Bon Voyage: Overall, I’ve got to tip my hat to Carnival for these pumpkin offerings because not only did they catch me completely off guard when they appeared on the menu, but aside from the pie who should not be named, the other two offerings from Truffles were both quite enjoyable.  Sure, it being fall and whatnot, I wouldn’t have minded coming across maybe a pumpkin cheesecake or even just a regular pumpkin pie on one of the dessert buffets, but still, if there’s one thing we’ve all learned here over the years, when it comes to pumpkin, sometimes we just have to take whatever we can find…

Origin: “Treat” number two of three, as found on the dessert buffet during lunch in the Unicorn Cafe, where you can find hot dogs and hamburgers at midnight and fresh-made pizza 24-hours a day!  (sadly, no pumpkin pizza…)
Results: Ok, so I’m going to be blunt – this one sucked. It was the worst pumpkin pie I’ve ever tasted in my life, very easily the worst dessert I tasted on the entire cruise, and I barely even managed to eat the first bite before pushing it away for something more favorable.  I guess maybe the keyword diet should’ve been a clue, but oh well – as they say when you’re on a beautiful vacation in the tropics, life goes on!

Preface: Although it didn’t even dawn on me that I might encounter a bit of pumpkin-based deliciousness when I stepped onto the Carnival Legend recently for a 7-day cruise through the Caribbean, I was pleasantly surprised when the greatest vegetable on Earth made appearances not once, but during several meals throughout the week!  “So how did they stack up?” you ask?  Well…

Origin: This first of three pumpkin treats was served as an appetizer in Truffles, the ship’s main dining room on our second day.
Fancy Flavor: As you might be able to discern from the name and china patterns, Truffles is a rather upscale eating establishment – the kind where the waiter actually places your napkin on your lap for you if you neglect to do so yourself, in fact!  And while I can’t say that yours truly wasn’t just a bit out of his element in such a high-class joint, please rest assured that both the food and the waitstaff certainly did their best to make a casual guy like me feel right at home!
On with the ACTUAL Flavor!: Well, compared to this little ditty that I experimented with earlier this spring, Carnival’s version of this pumpkin-y appetizer was the exact opposite in all the right ways – the consistency of soup as opposed to pie, a pleasant but not overpowering amount of kick, and most of all, a quantity that actually qualified it as the appetizer instead of the entree.  Overall, a great and unexpected way to start the trip!

Reminiscence: I remember fondly looking forward to Bob Evans when I used to live up in Northern Michigan, primarily because we didn’t have any IHOPs or Waffle Houses around, so it was pretty much the only place you could go to have breakfast at 7:30pm and after a long day’s work, sometimes there’s just nothing better than a hot stack of flapjacks with a side of bacon and a smile to help soothe the soul…
But on with the Pumpkin!: As you can see, this was a relatively small piece of pie – my entire meal, in fact, because I’d actually just recently eaten prior to killing some time during lunch with my in-laws, but as they knew all too well, if there’s one thing that I can’t turn down, it’s a piece of pumpkin pie and thus here we are!
Size Isn’t Everything…: Although tiny in stature, this little bad boy packed quite the pumpkin – it was one of those pumpkin pies that has sort of a thick and sticky consistency, which I kind of like because it reminds me of the pumpkin pies we used to have around Thanksgiving.  The top of the pie even almost has somewhat of a pumpkin film over it – just a slightly thicker skin over the top that hardened over the inside, but still melds in with the rest of the filling when you cut through it with your fork.
Hit the Spot?: You betcha – probably one of the better pumpkin pies that I’ve had in the last couple of years, restaurant-baked or otherwise.  Nice job, Bob Evans crew of 10119 Horace Avenue; Tampa, Florida 33619!

Initial Thoughts: Holy cow, that looks more like a cupcake than a muffin!
Persuasive Thoughts: This delicious, little bastard sat on my desk all freaking morning before I actually dove in, sharing its sweet pumpkin aroma with all those within range.  Seriously, I felt like I was in a bakery all morning, which made working a whole lot more enjoyable!
The Taste: Listen up, bakery folks – Dunkin Donuts is who you’re striving to be, at least with regards to pumpkin-y goodness!  It’s a bit crumbly, so be prepared with a plate and possibly even a fork, but the little mess is totally worth it for this glazed piece of genius.  The muffin itself leaves no doubts of its pumpkin-based origin, whereas the sugary crumbles and glaze on top is like icing on the cake – literally!
Side Note: For those not necessarily in the market for dessert for breakfast, select stores also offer this decadent treat without the glaze on top … not sure why anyone would want to deprive themselves of such a sugar high, but I guess it’s good to know that you’ve got options all the same.