A food-themed book club was where Agatha Kulaga and Erin Patinkin struck a partnership that eventually led to the creation of Ovenly – a real gem in Brooklyn.

Sharing Eastern European backgrounds, many of the recipes were developed out of this common experience. What sets Ovenly apart is that its offerings veer more towards atypical flavors. Their menu might include anything from Black olive shortbread, blue cheese-pecan scones, and coconut date pistachio.

Ovenly is housed in a chirpily decorated space in Greenpoint and has a few tables that one can hang out at whilst sipping on local Stumptown Coffee.

The bakery here does offer a selection of gluten-free baked goods. They are known for their “Brooklyn Blackout” which is a rather serious cake.

I am a dedicated lover of the Two Little Red Hens Brooklyn Blackout but was tremendously curious to see how this one would stack up.

What I found was that the two cakes could not be more different. The Ovenly Blackout is a much more “grown up” cake. They use black cocoa and the flavors are very intense and it lacks the gooeyness and sweetness of the Two Little Red Hens one. Lucky for me I have a place in heart (stomach rather) for both of them.

Here is some of what we ate: