Every year, when the air starts to cool and the first leaves fall in our courtyard, we know it's time. Customers start asking for it as early as September: 'When is the pumpkin cappuccino coming back?' The answer is always the same: October. And from October to December, it becomes the undisputed star of our counter.
It's not the usual pumpkin spice
Let's be clear straight away: our pumpkin cappuccino has nothing to do with the Pumpkin Spice Latte you find at international chains. That's made with flavoured syrup. Ours is made with real pumpkin. And not just any pumpkin.
The secret is in the pumpkin blend
After months of experimentation, we found the perfect combination of three pumpkin varieties, each with a precise role:
Hokkaido — The base. Dense, naturally sweet flesh with an aftertaste reminiscent of chestnut. No need to add sugar when you start from here.
Violina — The structure. Compact, velvety flesh that gives body to the cream without making it watery. It's the pumpkin that holds everything together.
Delicata — The finesse. More delicate (as the name suggests), it adds subtle nuances and a fragrance that the other two alone wouldn't have.
The pumpkins are slowly roasted in the oven until they naturally caramelise. Then we blend them into a smooth cream that becomes the base of our cappuccino.
The spices
Here we go classic, but with the right proportions — which make all the difference:
Ceylon Cinnamon — Not the common supermarket kind. Ceylon is more delicate, less aggressive, with floral notes that marry beautifully with the sweetness of the pumpkin.
Nutmeg — Freshly grated to order. Never the powdered kind from a jar. The difference is vast: fresh nutmeg has a warm, enveloping fragrance that the powdered version loses after just a few days.
The almond milk
Another choice that sets us apart. We use almond milk instead of cow's milk because the almond adds a roundness and gentle natural sweetness that completes the flavour profile. Pumpkin and almond together create a creaminess that regular milk simply can't achieve.
The secret ingredient
And then there's the one. The ingredient we'll never reveal. We simply call it 'the Garden touch'. We can only tell you this: it's what transforms a good pumpkin cappuccino into something people wait for all year. Every time someone tries to guess, they get it wrong. And we just smile.
The preparation
Every morning we prepare fresh pumpkin cream. We mix it with the spices and almond milk, heat it and froth it until we get a dense, velvety foam in a warm orange colour. We pour our espresso, then the frothed pumpkin cream. The topping is a dusting of cinnamon and the secret ingredient.
When to find it
From October to December, every year. Not before, not after. It's part of its charm: it's a seasonal appointment, tied to the colours and aromas of autumn. When you see it appear on the menu, you know the time has come.
Our tip
Order it with a cream-filled brioche and sit outside in the courtyard, with a blanket on your knees and the fairy lights glowing. It's the perfect moment of the autumnal Garden. And if you missed it this year, don't worry: October always comes back.
