Bijal Doshi of Burr Ridge answered questions while she was selling her cookies at the La Grange Farmer’s Market.
Q: What’s the name of your company?
A: Elvenses
Q: Why is it called Elevenses?
A: It is a term used in the British Isles for a mid-morning break at which people enjoy a sweet.
Q: Where do you make your cookies?
A: I bake out of United Kitchens in La Grange. I started my company a year and a half ago. I used to do private sales, but I wanted to get into shops.
Q: What makes your cookies stand out?
A: Everything (ingredients) is clean. There are no preservatives. It’s small batch, but high quality. My philosophy is “Eat something small, but eat something good.”
Q: What are your dreams for your business?
A: My goal is to get into specialty markets and grocery stores. My cookies are already sold at Cafe La Fortuna in Willowbrook.
Q: What is your favorite cookie?
A: The glazed lemon and the signature ginger. That’s the one I started with.
Q: What do you enjoy about baking?
A: I think it’s really soothing for me. I’m focused. I don’t think about anything else when I’m baking.
Q: How did you get interested in baking?
A: When I had kids I wanted to make sure that what they’re eating isn’t full of junk. I don’t take shortcuts. I roll my lemon cookies by hand. They’re different shapes. They’re real.
Q: What’s your favorite book?
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A: It would have to be “Siddhartha” by Herman Hesse. I have it on my night stand. I always refer to it when I need direction.
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: It’s probably orange. It’s warm and bright.
Q: What’s your next vacation?
A: We just got back from two and a half weeks in Africa. I was born in Tanzania. My family are not Indians who grew up in India. We go back generations in Africa. I wanted my kids to see where I was born. It was the trip of a lifetime.
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