Two Delightful NY Bakeries

MARTHA���S COUNTRY BAKERY: 4 Stars
Forest Hills
70-30 Austin Street
Tel: (718) 544-0088

THREE LITTLE RED HENS: 4.5 Stars
Manhattan
1652 Second Avenue (86thStreet)
212-452-0476

By Angela

Talk about feeling like a kid in a candy shop. These two bakeries are a true sweet toother���s delight. When I am in the city and have a sweet tooth craving, I always stop into Three Little Red Hens (TLRH) and when I am in Queens and get an urge to satisfy my sweet cravings, I head to Martha���s. They are each so divine, they deserve their own write-up but they are so similar in quality I will kill two birds with one hen���If you will.

Martha���s is a country-styled bakery with a full service section in the back. The walls are filled with quaint sayings about dieting and dessert and the tables, though small, are always full. The front of the bakery houses an extra-long glass counter displaying their confections. I have been to Martha���s at all hours and they are always crowded. TLRH���s is a smaller, though longer established bakery. They have two tables set up for those willing to sit amidst the noise, crowd and confusion. Their counters also display their sweets and they too are always busy.
Both bakeries are well stocked with a variety of coffees, teas, frozen drinks, sodas and other assorted drinks. Both cater and take orders. Martha���s has traditional American classics like pound cakes, pastries, pies and tarts. TLRH���s has a huge variety of cupcakes, cakes and cookies as well as pies. They also do special menus for major holidays and occasions.

TLRH���s cookies include M&M, ginger spice, double chocolate crinkle, oatmeal raisin and chocolate chunk with pecans and walnuts. Their tarts include French apple, almond cherry, PB&J passion, chocolate silk and coconut lime; and, their cakes include lemon, red velvet, sour lemon, carrot, yellow, and Brooklyn blackout. I have tried most of their cakes and like all of them. While I have found the cheesecake to be nothing special, I do like the tarts I have tried. Also, the cakes are absolutely beautiful. The designs are so pretty, the cakes look almost too good to eat. My only complaint is the cost. The mini cupcakes alone, which are no more than a bite or two, cost $1.75 and the smallest of cakes are over $10. Trust me, you don���t go there for the value, you go for the quality.

Martha���s has a huge variety of pound cakes -chocolate, cranberry crumb, and lemon poppy to name a few. Their cupcakes include red velvet, carrot, vanilla, chocolate, Oreo crunch, and black forest. Their pies and tarts include apple, cherry, blueberry, lemon meringue and mixed fruit. The list of cookies and other kinds of cakes is endless. They include black forest, black and white and chocolate mousse. I would love to be able to tell you more about the wide variety of things I have tried at Martha���s, but cannot. This is because after I tried a few items, I fell in love with them and now refuse to try anything new. My favorites are the caramel cake, the Oreo crunch cupcake, and the Baba Rhum cake. My mother always gets the bread pudding with gelato and my daughter likes their cream cheese danish. While not everything is mouth watering, and the service is not always up to par, this is a delightful place to come and indulge your sweet tooth while spending time with friends, perhaps after taking in a movie together.

So, if you are hungry, in the mood for sweets or throwing a party and need a cake, check out one of these bakeries. I am sure you will be glad you did.

Things you should know if you plan to go:

MARTHA'S
$
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Astoria Location:
36-21 Ditmars Blvd.
Tel. (212) 545-9737
Hours: 6am to 11am, Mon ���Th, 6am to midnight, Fri-Sat (til 1am in Astoria), 6am to 11am, Sun


THREE LITTLE RED HENS
$$$$
Hours: M-F 7am to 8pm, Sat. 8am to 8pm, Sun. 8am to 6pm

Other Locations: Upper East Side Manhattan
1652 Second Avenue (86thStreet)
212-452-0476

Park Slope in Brooklyn
1112 Eighth Avenue
718-499-8108