Let's Pumpkin

Serves 8 to 12.

1. With a serrated knife, cut open the top of a pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, and rinse out the pumpkin.

2. Add all of the ingredients into the pumpkin with ice and stir.

3. Add 5 lemon wheels, thinly sliced, and 3 pineapple wheels, thinly sliced, to the bowl for garnish.

4. Divide between 8 to 12 mini hollowed-out pumpkins or glass mugs

5. Top with Marshmallow Fluff or meringue, and toasted with a handheld torch.

6. Garnish each with a cinnamon stick.

*Fall spice syrup: Toast 2 tsp of cardamom in a saucepan at medium heat. Add 5 whole star anise, 1 tsp of nutmeg, 5 diced stems of whole ginger root, 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves, 1 whole orange twist, 2 cups of fine white sugar and 2 cups of water, and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Let it cool for 30 minutes, and use a fine-mesh sieve to strain into a Mason jar. (Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.)

**Toasted meringue: Separate 5 whole eggs and place the whites in a large bowl. Beat the egg whites with an electric or handheld mixer until they become soft. Add 3 tsp of sugar gradually as the egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks. Use a large spoon to transfer the meringue into a plastic-coated pastry bag to squeeze the meringue onto each punch-filled glass mug or mini pumpkin.