LeoNora's French-Inspired Bread & Baked Goods | Washington D.C.

If a croissant craving strikes, now you don't even need to leave the house.

That's because the new LeoNora Bakery has begun delivering excellent French-inspired bread and pastries across the metro area. Its talented founder, Carolina Garcia, lived in France for two years, where she trained under Parisian baguette king Arnaud Delmontel.

Her golden baguettes (pictured; $2.50) are a fitting tribute to her mentor. Baked after a two-day fermentation process, the dough has a mild yeasty flavor under a crackly crust. For a heartier tack, whole grains give a nutty flavor to Garcia's giant boules of pain de campagne ($5).

And oh, those croissants ($1.75 each, or $20 for 12). Their flaky shells give way to a soft, chewy middle. Plenty fine on their own, they're better still with a thin spread of tart jam.

For sweets, LeoNora offers cakes, tartlets and tiny, dense lemon, coconut or vanilla madeleine cookies ($5 for six), which freeze well (if they last past one sitting).

Garcia bakes her goods right before she delivers them, so there's a good chance your newly arrived croissants and bread will still be warm.

But if you can't wait for delivery, LeoNora goods are also available at Boccato Gelato, and her buttery madeleines are sold at local Whole Foods Markets.

Available online at leonorabakery.com