NEW YORK (AP) – Lisa Hanock-Jasie turns into coffee fiend during the holidays, mainly because she loves the peppermint lattes.
“I love the warmth of the cup in my hand, the aroma just makes me feel happy and calm and good,” said Hanock-Jasie, a 59-year-old resident of New York City. “It makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.”
Those kinds of emotions have turned the last few months of the year into a flavor derby, with companies putting ever-expanding variations of cinnamon, gingerbread and peppermint in everything from pumpkin pie ChapStick to peppermint Pringles.
It’s not just snacks and drinks, either. Candles, lip balms and lotions let you literally bathe in holiday spirit – or at least smell like you did.
Consider the proliferation of pumpkin spice products, now as much a sign of fall as college football and the leaves turning color. According to the industry tracker Technomic, there were 199 pumpkin-flavored items at the country’s 500 biggest restaurant and coffee chains this fall. That’s up 58 percent from the 126 just two years ago.