If it feels like the Big Apple has turned into the Giant Pumpkin this fall, there’s good reason. Earlier this month, farmers in Illinois, where much of the US crop hails from, announced a stellar haul. The bumper bounty arrives just as pumpkins have achieved star billing in the city, appearing in everything from savory dishes to cocktails and confections.
New York City’s bakeries and restaurants have been crushing especially hard on the It squash this month, using the orange gourd in creative desserts that go far beyond plain old pumpkin pie. Here is a sampling of some of the more unexpected treats on offer—just in time for Halloween.
The Great pumpkin sundae ($8.50)
Brooklyn Farmacy, 513 Henry St., Brooklyn
The dish: Read it and weep, Charlie Brown: The Great Pumpkin Sundae is a small mountain of Adirondack Creamery’s seasonal pumpkin-pie ice cream, studded with black walnuts that have been soaked in Maine maple syrup then topped with a cloud of silky whipped cream. “My mom’s recipe is a secret, but I can tell you we use well over a pound of pumpkin in every gallon of ice cream,” says Adirondack Creamery chef Paul Nasrani.
Zandy Mangold