Ovenly: Beautiful People 2011
By ELIZABETH THOMPSON
When you're in the business of providing food to people who have been drinking, customer feedback can be pretty interesting. "People will email our website at 3 a.m. saying, 'I just had your spicy bacon caramel popcorn at such-and-such bar and it's amazing. Also, I'm drunk!'" says Agatha Kulaga of Ovenly, who, along with partner Erin Patinkin, provide young and foodie-minded establishments around New York with their signature savory-sweet baked goods. "It's pretty hysterical."
After Kulaga and Patinkin began supplying blue cheese scones and gluten-free pastries to Greenpoint café Veronica People's Club in July, their clientele quickly expanded to include Williamsburg's Brooklyn Brewery and Greenpoint pizzeria Paulie Gee's (whose kitchen Kulaga and Patinkin bake out of). Their products have been particularly popular with men.
"Guys seem to be less drawn to super sweet desserts," Kulaga says, "which we also veer away from. When we cater events, men are the ones going crazy for our chocolate stout
cupcakes with salted caramel icing."
Though both women still have part-time day jobs -- Patinkin works as a friend's personal assistant, Kulaga manages a medical research clinic at NYU -- Ovenly now takes up most of their time. They begin baking at 5:30 a.m. and make deliveries in a 1998 Ford Explorer named "Wedgie." One day of the week is put aside for experimenting with recipes, especially the
daunting ones; both women gravely recall a six-week attempt to recreate Combos. "I finally just walked outside and threw the pan away," says Patinkin. "We're going to give up on those for a bit. Maybe we'll go back to them."
One thing that Kulaga and Patinkin are certain about, is that they'll keep working with simple ingredients and tools. "There's a KitchenAid, and that's about it," says Kulaga. Unfussy, albeit vague, recipes passed down from Patinkin's late grandmother are also inspirational. "Her
recipes say things like, 'Throw a handful of this in. Before serving, cover with delicious toppings.' I'm like, 'OK, Grandma. I guess I'm going to have to go and figure out what those are.'"
(l-r) AGATHA WEARS DRESS AND SHOES BY MARC BY MARC JACOBS, HEADPIECE BY JENNIFER BEHR AND JEWELRY BY GERARD YOSCA. ERIN WEARS DRESS BY MARC BY MARC JACOBS, SHOES BY ARMANI AND JEWELRY BY GERARD YOSCA
GO BACK TO SEE MORE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE OF 2011
After Kulaga and Patinkin began supplying blue cheese scones and gluten-free pastries to Greenpoint café Veronica People's Club in July, their clientele quickly expanded to include Williamsburg's Brooklyn Brewery and Greenpoint pizzeria Paulie Gee's (whose kitchen Kulaga and Patinkin bake out of). Their products have been particularly popular with men.
"Guys seem to be less drawn to super sweet desserts," Kulaga says, "which we also veer away from. When we cater events, men are the ones going crazy for our chocolate stout
cupcakes with salted caramel icing."
Though both women still have part-time day jobs -- Patinkin works as a friend's personal assistant, Kulaga manages a medical research clinic at NYU -- Ovenly now takes up most of their time. They begin baking at 5:30 a.m. and make deliveries in a 1998 Ford Explorer named "Wedgie." One day of the week is put aside for experimenting with recipes, especially the
daunting ones; both women gravely recall a six-week attempt to recreate Combos. "I finally just walked outside and threw the pan away," says Patinkin. "We're going to give up on those for a bit. Maybe we'll go back to them."
One thing that Kulaga and Patinkin are certain about, is that they'll keep working with simple ingredients and tools. "There's a KitchenAid, and that's about it," says Kulaga. Unfussy, albeit vague, recipes passed down from Patinkin's late grandmother are also inspirational. "Her
recipes say things like, 'Throw a handful of this in. Before serving, cover with delicious toppings.' I'm like, 'OK, Grandma. I guess I'm going to have to go and figure out what those are.'"
(l-r) AGATHA WEARS DRESS AND SHOES BY MARC BY MARC JACOBS, HEADPIECE BY JENNIFER BEHR AND JEWELRY BY GERARD YOSCA. ERIN WEARS DRESS BY MARC BY MARC JACOBS, SHOES BY ARMANI AND JEWELRY BY GERARD YOSCA
GO BACK TO SEE MORE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE OF 2011
Your Comment
Posted at 6:36 on Mar 29, 2011
Not to worry, Erin. I'm sure that Grandma – and Granny, too – will come to you in a dream, as the muse to the artist, to answer all your questions and, perhaps, even comment on your Armani shoes. You and Agatha – need I say it! – look spectacular. I'm so proud to tell the world, Hey, that's my daughter!
Posted at 6:50 on Mar 29, 2011
these girls are amazing!!!
Posted at 8:25 on Mar 31, 2011
I am OBSESSED with Ovenly! You have got to run to Paulie Gee's, eat some pie and then go in on Ovenly baked goods NOW. In a word: LIFE-CHANGING!!!!