A Garlicky Kale Savory Pie

sits on a busy industrial corner of Gowanus. But the loud hum of construction and tractor-trailer trucks outside on Third Avenue is no match for the calm serenity inside this bakery and pie heaven.

The room itself is very inviting, enough to warrant first mention here, before the pies. The pressed tin walls are gold, the ceilings high, the tables thick wood in a sturdy country style, and the windows expansive. The sun streams in from two sides of the Cafe and casts everything in a warm glow.

But onto the pies, which is why we were there in the first place.

We tasted two sweet pies and one savory. All three were delightful in their own intricate ways -- and even though I love caramel more than most things, the winner wasn't the salted caramel apple pie. That honor went to the garlicky kale savory pie pocket.

Shaped more like an empanada than a slice of pie, the garlicky kale delight easily won because of the flaky and buttery richness of its crust. This is the stuff of myths: melt in your mouth pie crusts and desserts. But this wasn't a dessert at all.

The practice of mixing sweet and savory is historic and a culinary constant. The garlicky kale pie at Four & Twenty is an example of why that is.