My daily bread...
How did we race through April this quickly? One minute we were talking about spring, and now somehow we are already staring down the last Friday of the month - which can only mean one thing at Rise… Cinnamon Bun Friday is coming this week. Soft sourdough milk buns, warm cinnamon-caramel goodness, and cream cheese icing. If you know, you know and I highly suggest you get these babies pre-ordered!
For all of the new faces joining us here - welcome. A little Rise secret worth knowing is pre-ordering.
If there is something you love and never want to miss - cinnamon buns, soup, pizza, cheesecake, your favorite loaf, or even a slice of cake - simply pop in, let us know what you’d like, and prepay at the till. We will tuck it aside with your name on it and make sure it is waiting for you.
No guessing, no hoping, no sold-out heartbreak. Just your favorites, ready when you are.
There has also been plenty of happy chatter in the kitchen about our upcoming Rise Bakehouse birthday. Ideas are flying, menus are being dreamed up, and yes… I am firing up the smoker for brisket, homemade barbecue sauce, and a birthday pizza that sounds worthy of a celebration. We are still working through the details, but it is shaping up to be a very fun day!
And then there is the cake question… what should a second birthday cake be? We have been revisiting an old favorite: Hummingbird Cake. In fact, we just baked one, and slices will be waiting on the pastry counter Monday morning for a little taste-test research. Banana, pineapple, warm spice, pecans, cream cheese frosting… perhaps the perfect birthday candidate. Let us know your thoughts.
Spring is moving quickly, and so are we. Let’s make the most of it.💛
Mondays at Rise - Doors open, as always, at 7 a.m.
The Birdy Coffee is brewing, the espresso machine is singing, and familiar faces are ready to welcome you in. Mornings at Rise begin the way they should - with rich mochas, warming chai lattes, golden milks, beautiful cups of tea, and coffees made with care.
There is something special about the early hours here. The lights are on, the ovens are warm, the first trays are coming out, and the day begins with that quiet, steady energy of a bakery waking up.
First thing in the morning, you’ll find some of your favorites ready to go:
- Rise & Shine Granola Muffins - we're still making double batches and still selling out every single day, so clearly you are loving them.
- How about a yogurt parfaits - ready first thing for those of you looking for a fresh start to the day. This week’s fruit choices are raspberry, blueberry, or blackberry. The yogurt itself is made right here in our kitchen using beautiful A2 milk from Rockridge Dairy, creating a rich, creamy yogurt we are proud to serve. Each parfait is topped with fresh fruit and comes with a side of our house-made granola for that perfect crunch. And for the granola lovers - we have just jarred up another fresh batch, so you can also take some home with you.
- The ever-delicious BLT Sandwich, always a favorite and ready in minutes from ordering. We make it fresh while you wait.
- Toasted sourdough by the slice with house-made jam - Blueberry, Raspberry or Saskatoon Berry this week.
Then, as the morning moves along, we’ll begin filling the grab-and-go cooler...
- roasted ham & veggie wraps
- rice paper salad rolls with house peanut sauce
Salad Bowl of the Week - This week’s salad bowl is bright, bold, and built to make you feel good. Meet the Moroccan Sunshine Bowl - a beautiful mix of quinoa and quinoa pasta, roasted yams, steamed baby potatoes, and a rainbow of fresh vegetables including celery, radish, peppers, snow peas, cauliflower, cabbage, and carrot.
We are adding chickpeas, sweet dates, fresh mint, toasted almonds, and a little spinach for even more goodness and texture.
Everything is tossed in our vibrant turmeric, tahini & lemon vinaigrette - anti-inflammatory, nourishing, and absolutely delicious. As always, we’re keeping the base gluten-free and dairy-free. You can add on Rockridge feta and a side of fattoush for a little extra crunch and flavor if you like.
Sourdough line-up...
Monday - Red Fife Country Loaves
Tuesday - SuperSeed Multigrain Loaves
Wednesday - The Brown Loaf - a warm nod to the classic whole wheat bread many of us grew up with. Made with 50% whole wheat flour and 50% unbleached bread flour, it has a beautiful balance of hearty flavor and soft texture. I have add just a touch of molasses and a little barley malt extract, giving the loaf its rich color, gentle sweetness, and that familiar old-fashioned, sandwich bread character.
Also on Wednesday... Herbed Sourdough Focaccia and of course the 100% Whole Grain Organic Dark Rye Loaf.
Thursday - Light Rye Loaves(cracked rye, rye flakes and fine milled rye berries) and Hokkaido Sourdough Milk Buns
Friday - Red Fife Country Loaves and the almost-famous Milk Bun Cinnamon Buns. These beauties begin with our soft sourdough milk bun dough, rolled up with brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, and chopped pecans tucked throughout every swirl. Once they come out of the oven, they are generously dosed in our house-made caramel sauce infused with cinnamon, then finished with a thick layer of cream cheese icing.
Warm, gooey, rich, and completely worth planning your morning around. Ready for pickup starting at 7 a.m.
Friendly warning: these are exactly the kind of thing you may want to have your name on ahead of time. Pre-ordering is always the safest move.
Wednesday Soup - Butternut Squash Minestrone with Chicken.
Traditionally, this has been one of our vegetarian favorites - hearty vegetables, rich broth, and all the cozy charm of a classic minestrone. But knowing we Albertans do appreciate a little protein, we are adding pulled chicken to the pot this round.
A bowl of pure midweek comfort. And as with many good things around here… pre-ordering is never a bad idea.
My recommendation is you will need a chunk of our sourdough focaccia to go with for dipping.
We’ll be ladling it up by the bowl starting at 11am.
TGIF Sourdough Pizza!!
This Friday we’re heading straight to the Mediterranean with our Greek Lemon Chicken Pizza.
It starts with a creamy white base loaded with sautéed garlic, then gets topped with chicken tossed in oregano and fresh lemon zest, grilled red onions, artichoke hearts, spinach, feta, and mozzarella.
Bright, savory, creamy, and packed with those bold Greek-inspired flavors that make every bite interesting.
Coming out of the oven starting at 11am.
Cheesecake Friday 🍰
Last week’s cheesecake turned into one of those happy kitchen moments we love. Thank you Dave for emailing me your thoughts! We thought we might keep it simple with lemon… but Kiana had other ideas. What arrived instead was this stunning Lemon Cheesecake with ribbons of lemon curd baked right through it, finished with piped Chantilly cream, more lemon curd dripping over the edge, and a shower of fresh lemon zest. It was every bit as good as it looks.
Now for this week… we are heading to the Prairies for inspiration. Pulled from the beautiful cookbook Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky, this Friday’s feature is set to be a Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake.
Rich chocolate, creamy cheesecake, custard notes, coconut, and all the nostalgia of a classic Canadian treat - transformed into cheesecake form.
Here's my thoughts on this recipe: the best part of a Nanaimo Bar is that thick, crunchy, chocolatey bottom layer. So Kiana and I will be putting our heads together to make sure this version gets the proper Rise treatment.
Available Friday… and yes, this one may disappear quickly.
And just like that, we roll into another week at Rise.
I did manage to get a couple of Lemon Meringue pies finished up before heading home today. The meringue will be piled on first thing in the morning, and they will be waiting on the pastry counter for any early birds who feel that lemon meringue pie is exactly what a Monday requires.
I also found some beautiful avocados, which means you will be seeing that Avocado Key Lime Pie make an appearance around midweek.
And with these warmer little hints of spring arriving, it feels like the right time to say it: Cold Brew is back. We’ll also have Iced Tea ready to go, alongside all the regular classics that start the day right.
So here we are - heading into the last full week of April with good food, fresh coffee, and plenty happening in the kitchen.
Wishing you an amazing week ahead. I hope the weather is kind, the sun shows up often, and you find a little time to pop in for coffee with a friend, say hello, and grab something delicious for the road. We always love seeing you here.
I’ll see you all back here next Sunday.💛
