Crowning the PumpKING: A Hobbies & Crafts Bake-Off

When autumn rolls around, pumpkin reigns supreme. From lattes to lanterns, there’s no escaping the gourd-geous glow of the season’s favorite squash. To celebrate, our Reference Department decided to pay homage to the King of Fall—not with a parade or pageant, but with something far more delicious: a pumpkin-themed bake-off inspired by our very own Hobbies & Crafts Source database.

This creative EBSCO resource covers just about every pastime under the sun, from collecting and gaming to needlecrafts and astronomy, and yes, even pumpkin-spiced pursuits. With full-text magazines, videos, hobby profiles, and over 10,000 recipes, it’s the perfect place to dig up new inspiration for your next project. So naturally, we put it to the ultimate test: could it help our staff discover the tastiest pumpkin recipe? The rules were simple: each participant had to find their recipe using the Hobbies & Crafts Source database, and the pumpkin had to play a starring role.

The competition was fierce, the ovens were hot, and the table looked like a pumpkin patch of culinary creativity. I brought Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites that melted in your mouth; Cathy R. served up a classic, comforting Pumpkin Bread; and Katie M. took the savory route with Baked Spaghetti Squash with Pumpkin Alfredo. Cindy F. doubled down with Pumpkin au Gratin and a creamy Pumpkin Dip, while Debbie C. came ready for battle with her hearty Black Bean Pumpkin Soup.

Amanda B. sweetened things up with Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Danishes, Catie S. poured a festive Cinnamon Pumpkin Punch, Cathy H. baked up buttery Pumpkin Scones, and Steve F. sealed the deal with perfectly glazed Pumpkin Donuts. Each dish earned a flurry of sticker votes from tasters because in this kitchen kingdom, the more stickers you got, the higher your pumpkin prestige.

When the crumbs settled and the stickers were counted, Amanda’s danishes nabbed a close runner-up spot, but Debbie’s savory soup was ultimately crowned the PumpKING of them all. It turns out that the path to pumpkin royalty is paved with spice, creativity, and a little library database magic. If you’re feeling inspired to whip up your own seasonal masterpiece (or start a new hobby entirely), check out Hobbies & Crafts Source through our Online Resources page. After all, you never know what might earn you the next crown.

Explore Hobbies & Crafts Source

Looking for inspiration for your next project or maybe the perfect pumpkin recipe to win your office bake-off? The Hobbies & Crafts Source by EBSCO is your go-to database for all things creative.

The Hobbies & Crafts Source by EBSCO provides detailed “how-to” instructions, creative ideas, and full-text articles to inspire hobby enthusiasts of all kinds.

You’ll find:

• Full text for nearly 2,000 magazines and books

• Over 720 videos with step-by-step demonstrations

• More than 180 hobby profiles

• And 10,000+ recipes for every occasion

Access it anytime through our Online Resources page with your Clark County Public Library card.

Once you’re in, simply type what you’re interested in—like pumpkin recipes—into the search bar. You can refine your results by publication type, subject, or date to find exactly what you need.

For our Crowning the PumpKING contest, we used Hobbies & Crafts Source to dig up everything from classic pumpkin bread and pastry recipes to creative dishes like pumpkin au Gratin and soup. Whether you’re cooking, crafting, or learning a new skill, this resource makes it easy to explore, discover, and get inspired.