Editor’s note: Originally published September 23, 2016. Republished May 7, 2020.

Full disclosure: when it comes to rustic French baking I don’t know my quenelle from my chouquette. What I do know is that I like looking at pictures of delicious food on social media. This was my first glimpse of Choux Choux Bakery: scrolling their Facebook page, ogling cakes bursting with flowers, fruit, and frosting.

What was this? Food that looked like art or art that tasted like food?

I went to investigate.

I found Choux Choux (pronounced “shoe shoe”) at Potala Place, the new luxury apartment building on the corner of Grand Avenue and Hewitt. The bakery is on the south end of the east courtyard next to concrete planters.

Across the street a forklift moved pallets into a hydraulics shop while joggers and bicyclists hustled past. The juxtaposition of condo commuters and brick wall industry created a portrait of changing Downtown Everett. A few years ago this courtyard was an abandoned shop for industrial trucks.  

Choux Choux has atmosphere. Jewel tone walls and piles of pastel macaroons. Floor to ceiling windows let in brilliant autumn sunshine that bounced off white subway tile, a glass pastry case, a stainless steel espresso machine. There were no ornate cakes on display but there were plenty of platters filled with baked goods.

My wife and I sat down with croissants and steaming cafes au lait. Here is something I do know about rustic French baking: it involves lots of butter to good effect. The croissants were rich and crispy and fell into golden flakes when tugged apart. The brew was from Snohomish roaster Vista Clara. The coffee/croissant combo was a hit: breakfast for two at ten bucks, including refills on java.

A dozen customers came in while we ate. Word of mouth travels quick.

After the meal I caught up with owner Rachel Schreffler. This was her second day in business and she was busy working in the back. I got the impression that she is someone who likes to have all the details perfect, which is an admirable quality in a business owner.

Rachel said that she had been planning to open her own bakery since she was in pastry school circa 1997. When she moved into the space at Potala it was an empty room with white walls and finished concrete floors. She built the interior of Choux Choux, like her pastries, from scratch. Her architect husband Scott created the layout and installed hanging shelves of his own design. Her brother built an eight foot communal table that stands in the seating area. Rachel added chic touches: a record player, a large terrarium, a glass dispenser for chilled lemon water.

I ducked into the back room of the bakery to have a look. Under a hanging rack of copper pans Rachel coached her employees on how to cut and knead dough for pain aux raisins—a crusty confection similar to a cinnamon roll.

I concluded my tour by asking Rachel about the cakes I saw on Facebook. She said that customers can custom order them for special occasions. I wanted to know about a particular cake that looked like it was covered in tie dye shavings. How’d she do it? “It’s chocolate,” she smiled. And left it at that. As if the wizardry of turning ground cacao into edible psychedelic swirls was self-evident.

If Rachel Schreffler can whip flour, sugar, butter, and eggs into delicious dreamscapes, then look out Everett. The French revolution is upon us.

Choux Choux Bakery
2900 Grand Ave. 
Everett, WA 98201
425-870-3436

Richard Porter is a social worker and musician. He lives in North Everett and enjoys running on Marine View Drive, bicycling down tree-lined streets, and trying to coax vegetables out of his yard.