Guide to Greenwich – Pumpkin Bread

Sofia Pye and Jacey Heffernan|November 5, 2019

Sydney Gallop '20

For this edition of Guide to Greenwich, we sampled three varieties of pumpkin flavored treats in the surrounding area.

To commence this Thanksgiving season, we purchased and sampled three varieties of pumpkin bread from different markets in Greenwich for this edition of Guide to Greenwich.

Whole Foods Market 

Whole Foods Market tops their pumpkin bread with seeds to add a coarse texture to the otherwise soft bread.  Sofia Pye ’21

Our first stop was Whole Foods Market, located on East Putnam Avenue.  The bakery section of the store offered a wide selection of pumpkin-flavored goods in preparation for the holiday season. 

The Whole Foods bakery section creates a warm environment for bustling shoppers.  For one loaf of their pumpkin bread, the total came to $6.00. 

The pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top of the bread provided a pleasant surprise and a crunchy texture.  The bread was flavorful, however, the outside of the bread was dry.  The treat had a slight taste of pumpkin flavoring. 

 

Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market 

Next, we visited Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market on the corner of East Putnam Avenue and Riverside Lane.  The lovely staff in the bakery section welcomed us into the market.  The fall decorations inside created a vibrant aesthetic. 

After browsing the wide selection of baked goods, we purchased Balducci’s pumpkin pound cake for $7.99.  

The addition of the pumpkin spice in the pound cake created a robust and delicious taste, unlike the Whole Foods Market pumpkin bread.  The warm and smooth texture of the bread allowed for it to dissolve in our mouths with one bite.  The appetizing cake served as a perfect fall snack in the spirit of this Thanksgiving season. 

Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market uses pumpkin spice to add a seasonal taste to their pumpkin pound cake.  Sofia Pye ’21

Le Pain Quotidien

Finally, we stopped at Le Pain Quotidien at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue.  Le Pain Quotidien had a welcoming and warm atmosphere.  After the staff greeted us at the door, they quickly showed us to our table. 

After looking through their breakfast and lunch menu, we ordered a warm pumpkin muffin for $3.49.  Le Pain Quotidien tops their pastry with pumpkin seeds, adding a pleasant texture to the otherwise soft treat.

Le Pain Quotidien prepares their pumpkin muffin with pumpkin seeds, adding a delicious, crunchy texture.  Sofia Pye ’21

Compared to the Whole Foods pumpkin bread and the Balducci’s pumpkin pound cake, the simple Le Pain Quotidien muffin brought the perfect balance of sweet and spice flavors, happily surprising us.  

Winner:

After reviewing all our pumpkin bread for the day, we came to the conclusion that Le Pain Quotidien’s pumpkin muffin is the winner of this edition of Guide to Greenwich.  This delicious, warm, and tasty treat was a pleasant fall snack.  The friendly staff and comfortable environment made Le Pain Quotidien the rightful winner. 

Featured Image by Sydney Gallop ’20