In January 1909, Marcel Proust dipped a rusk (a kind of twice-baked crisp) into his tea, took a nibble, and instantly was struck with a rush of childhood memories triggered by the taste and smell of the kind of snack he had enjoyed as a child. He decided to use his own life as the basis for a massive novel.

In the fictionalized version of the event, the French author substituted a small, rich, shell-shaped madeleine. The seven-part novel, A la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time or Remembrance of Things Past), is regarded as one of the great achievements of 20th century French literature, celebrated for its rich psychological detail.

Even if you haven't dipped into that huge work by Proust, you can enjoy the metaphorical use of madeleine, now shorthand for anything that evokes a memory. Most people have their own personal madeleines, a sensory experience that triggers a memory.

By the way, madeleine may have been named for Madeleine Paumier, a 19th century pastry chef.