The Catholic roots of ‘pumpkin spice,’ and the saint who first sprinkled the blend with joy

The Catholic roots of ‘pumpkin spice,’ and the saint who first sprinkled the blend with joy

While some might think Starbucks is to thank for the beloved spice combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, the origins of a favorite fall beverage are much older than that. St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a Benedictine nun from medieval Germany whose many wide and varied contributions as an abbess, theologian, mystic, composer and an herbalist (among other things) led her to be declared one of the four female doctors of the church by …