If seasonal desserts were political figures, the Pumpkin Party would hold majority status. Within it, there would be caucuses of pie, cupcakes, cheesecake, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, ice cream, milkshakes, frozen yogurt and other such partisans.
There would even be a pumpkin whoopie pie caucus, with representatives from Grassroots Gourmet (104 Rhode Island Avenue NW) and a vegan member from Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats (1370 Park Road NW).
Like the politician who fancies bow ties, some non-conformist Pumpkin Party members buck convention. They include the pumpkin Kahlúa cookie and pumpkin cream cheese brownie, both from Baked & Wired (1052 Thomas Jefferson Street NW). The CakeRoom (2006 18th Street NW) representatives include a pumpkin square with cream cheese icing and a pumpkin chocolate spice cupcake. Grassroots Gourmet puts forth a vegan pumpkin oatmeal cookie.
District Doughnut’s (749 8th Street SE) sweet potato pie doughnut would caucus with the Pumpkin Party. So would the Sweet Lobby’s (404 8th Street SE) sweet potato marshmallow cupcake.
The S’mores Party is respectably represented by Pie Sisters (3423 M Street NW), Sprinkles Cupcakes (3015 M Street NW), the Sweet Lobby cupcake and CakeRoom cupcake, among others. (Note that the Sprinkles candidate leaves town on October 31, so plan an office visit accordingly).
Independents include vegan spiced shortbread from Uncle Chip’s Cookies (1514 North Capitol Street NW), cranberry ginger rugelach from Grassroots Gourmet and cinnamon twists from Pie Sisters. The latter is just a swirl of iconic pie crust, offering a moderate taste of the season.
If you think you can escape pumpkinized patriotism by going Latin or Asian or Continental, fuggedaboutit.
The French immigrants in the Macaron Party have assimilated to pumpkinize their platform. Olivia Macaron (3222 M Street NW) makes an eye-catching statement with its display window, behind which it serves pumpkin spice and black sesame macarons through October. Sweet Lobby is represented by three seasonal macarons, sweet potato pecan, black sesame pumpkin and blackberry cabernet.
Elsewhere in Continental influence, the European accents at Hans Pedr’ Kaffe (1781 Florida Avenue NW) are infused with pumpkin.
Looking to Latin America, sí se puede pair your Boloco (1028 19th Street NW) burrito with a pumpkin milkshake.
Pumpkin bread pudding can be the chaser to your Taiwanese ramen at Toki Underground (1234 H Street NE). You can even (attempt to) DIY it thanks to the recipe reveal. http://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2014/10/01/make-toki-undergrounds-pumpkin-bread-pudding-at-home/
Behold the melting pot.
