[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]

Pumpkin madeleines ($3.95) are sold in tidy bags of two at Épicerie Boulud. They have the perfect little humps and a deep orange shade. Pumpkin is the strongest flavor, plush with an even crumb and delicate, buttery bites. These lack the slight crispness of a fresh madeleine out of the oven; the fact that they come pre-packaged in a plastic bag is to blame. But they're still more than tasty, and after all, can you think of another place in this city that offers pumpkin madeleines? While you're here, pick up the Pumpkin Loaf ($6.50) topped in toasted walnuts and candied orange peels. It's dense, much like a pound cake, and more aggressively spiced than the madeleine with defined notes of nutmeg and a waft of cinnamon. It's best sliced, toasted, and topped with vanilla ice cream.

Epicerie Boulud

1900 Broadway, New York NY 10023 (map)
212-595-9606
danielnyc.com/epicerie

About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.