Moshit Mizrachi-Gabbitas welcomed her first customers to Janjou Patisserie in a North End shopping center last month.

Walking through the door, you're greeted by a glass case of meticulously designed fruit and chocolate tarts, colorful macarons and other French pastries.

Customers linger at cafe tables, nibbling at the treats created by bakers working behind the scenes at the shop.

Janjou Patisserie serves French pastries, tarts, cakes, cookies, quiche and a menu of espresso drinks.

It is co-owned by Mizrachi-Gabbitas, who previously worked in the semiconductor industry, and her husband, Chuck Gabbitas.

Q: What makes your pastry shop different?

A: We make everything in-house. We do not compromise on the quality of our ingredients, and there are no shortcuts. We truly pay attention to every single, little detail.

Janjou uses high-quality ingredients, from Belgian chocolate to vanilla beans, and seasonal fresh fruit. Janjou uses all natural butter made by Cloverleaf Creamery in Buhl, and hormone-free, antibiotic-free eggs.

We use no artificial ingredients or preservatives, so everything we make tastes of what was used to make it. Our coffee comes from Ketchum and is roasted weekly.

Q: What led you to open this business?

A: Personal life experience that made me realize we are not here forever, and that I better do something that I really love to do.

Q: How did you arrive at this point in your business?

A: Took us six years to get to where we are today. We worked hard at getting our name out. We baked out of a commercial kitchen and developed a name and reputation through wholesale accounts such as the Boise Co-op and Atkinsons in Ketchum.

Q: What were some challenges along the way?

A: Getting through the economic downturn, growing our business to make it attractive enough to be able to receive a business loan.

• • •

Audrey Dutton: 377-6448