Recipes

Smashed Pumpkins by Jamie Pea

November 27, 2022 / 
This pumpkin spice infusion uses a 5-year aged huangjiu, which has more developed caramel notes and richer flavor than younger bottles. A fistful of comforting Chinese botanicals like goji berries, star anise, bay leaves stand in for the typical spice blend, while fresh pumpkin juice yields a brighter flavor and smoother mouthfeel than starchy cooked pumpkin.

Smashed Pumpkins

by Jamie Pea

  • 500g pumpkin; peeled, seeded and cubed
  • 1L huangjiu (preferably aged 5+ years)
  • 2 star anise pods, 2 cinnamon sticks, 10 cloves, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 tsp dried goji berries

1. Process pumpkin through a juicer – the yield will be low and quite thick. Don’t waste the pulp! Keep it to make it into crackers or something funky like that. 

2. Filter the pumpkin juice through a mesh sieve, discarding solids. 

3. Combine huangjiu and spices in a glass bottle; add filtered pumpkin juice and give a little whirl to combine

4. Allow to infuse for at least 24 hours (or longer for a more intense flavor).

5. Strain the mix through a coffee filter. Your final product will look like cloudy cider.

6. Serve warm or room temp and sip amongst friends. 

Read the story behind this recipe:

Drinking with chefs: Not your mom’s pumpkin spice with Jamie Pea

This autumn-ready infusion twists traditional pumpkin spice with Chinese botanicals and huangjiu.