A muffin with a following

When Eunice Feller first made corn muffins for Bread & Chocolate, her bakery cum cafe in Newtonville, the ingredients included jalapeno and cheddar cheese. The muffins weren’t popular. Feller understood. “I always felt it lacking,’’ she says. Still, patrons kept requesting cornbread. After reading about an interesting muffin in an Italian bakery magazine, Feller tried again. Recently, an altogether different kind of corn muffin made its debut. Golden yellow mixed with kernels of corn and with a lightly crusted top, it features something unique: sage. Honey adds balance to the slight tang of the herb. The muffin is neither too sweet nor over-aerated. Feller hit upon the mix when tasting the batter with herbs, spices, and nuts. “I happened to have sage. I loved the warmth it added to the bun,’’ she says. “When I tasted it, I said, eureka! This is it.’’ The sage corn muffin ($1.85) is available every day. “I already know it has a following,’’ says Feller. “People now come in looking for it.’’ Bread & Chocolate Bakery Cafe, 108 Madison Ave., Newtonville, 617-243-0500. PEGGY HERNANDEZ