My daily bread...
It’s the third week of January and somehow we’re standing in spring-like weather, with winds howling through the town earlier this week. We all know winter isn’t done with us yet, but for a few days it felt like a reset. I read something this week about the wind blowing out the old to make room for the new - and honestly, that feels about right for me and I can totally relate.
Once again, the weekend flew by, my to-do list is still very real, and my bedtime is 65 minutes away so let’s get right to it. We’ll move quickly through this week’s specials, with hopes it gives you a good reason to pop in and see us at RISE.
And as always, a warm welcome to everyone who keeps signing up at the counter - I love that this community keeps growing.
Mondays at Rise - and if you’re lucky, there’s a BLT involved. It’s one of those simple pleasures that makes the week feel instantly better. Our BLT has become a true staple around here, available every day, all day, and consistently hitting all the right notes.
What’s on it?
- toasted sourdough focaccia
- Rockridge cultured butter
- house-made garlic aioli
- crispy bacon
- fresh lettuce & tomato
- and a perfectly fried egg
Once the BLT is sorted and the coffee’s flowing, here’s what’s ahead at RISE this week...
• Yogurt Parfaits
Made in house with 100% organic Jersey A2 milk from Rockridge - impossibly creamy and full of goodness. This week we’re pairing them with fresh blueberries💙 and a side of Rise Prairie Crunch Granola for sprinkling. (Gluten-free granola available too - just ask.)
• Roast Chicken Veggie Wraps
We’re starting the week with Roasted Chicken in our wraps, layered with fresh veggies, lettuce, and house-made aioli. When the chicken runs out, we’ll switch to Roasted Ham later in the week.
• Rice Paper Salad Rolls
Stuffed with vermicelli noodles and a full mix of crisp veggies, all wrapped up in rice paper and served with our absolutely delicious house-made peanut sauce.
• Sunshine Cauliflower Rice Bowl This bowl is pure mid-winter brightness - a spring bowl in the middle of the dang winter. Golden rice, buckwheat, wild rice, and baby potatoes form the base, piled high with cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage, celery, peppers, and a full lineup of vibrant veggies. Toasted flaked almonds and golden raisins add texture and sweetness, all tossed in a bright orange-ginger vinaigrette. Fresh, colorful, and exactly what this weird January weather is calling for.
We keep this bowl gluten-free and dairy-free, just as it is.
And for those of you who like a little extra on top, we’ve got Rockridge feta and our house-made fattoush pita croutons available on the side, so you can add them in if allergies aren’t a concern.
Sourdough line-up...
Monday - Red Fife Country Loaves
Tuesday - SuperSeed Multigrain Loaves, Pumpernickel and Everything Spice Sourdough Bagels
Wednesday’s Ever-Changing Loaf: This week’s loaf is everything we love about winter baking - slow, savory, and deeply comforting. Our Roasted Tomato, Garlic & Herb Country Loaf starts with tomatoes roasted low and slow, plenty of garlic, and a generous mix of herbs. For extra depth, we simmer Parmesan rinds and use that rich, savory broth as liquid for the dough adding subtle umami and a quiet hit of parm all the way through the loaf.
The herbs come from Steel Pony Farm, gathered at the farmers’ market and tucked straight into our freezer. Did you know? Fresh herbs freeze beautifully - no blanching, no fuss. Just bag them and freeze, and they come out tasting remarkably fresh. We have an entire deep-freeze section at RISE devoted to Steel Pony herbs, ready to bring a little summer back into our winter baking.
This loaf is rustic, aromatic, and made for tearing, toasting, and eating with good butter (or honestly, just on its own).
Wednesday’s 100% Whole Grain Organic Dark Rye Loaf: The dough doesn’t look like much at first glance. It’s dark, thick, and a little mucky - very different from lighter wheat doughs. But with time, patience, and a slow ferment, something special happens.
As it rests and rises, the rye develops into a loaf with deep flavor, helped along by a small amount of molasses that brings warmth and richness without sweetness. The finished loaf has a dense yet tender structure and a beautifully moist crumb - hearty, earthy, and incredibly satisfying.
If you haven’t tried our dark rye yet, this might be the week to give it a go. It’s one of those loaves that quietly wins people over.🤎
Thursday - Light Rye on Rye Loaves and Hokkaido Sourdough Milk Buns
Friday - Red Fife Country Loaves
Wednesday Soup Day-Roasted Creamy Tomato & Vegetable. This Wednesday’s soup starts with tomatoes roasted until deep and sweet, then built out with finely chopped and grated vegetables for extra body and flavor. Part of the soup is puréed until silky, while the rest stays textured giving you that perfect balance of creamy and hearty. Finished with a touch of cream, it’s comforting without being heavy, and exactly the kind of soup that pairs beautifully with a thick slice of sourdough. We start ladling at 11am!
This is the kind of soup that begs for a grilled cheese so we’re finally doing it.
For the first time at RISE, we’re pulling out the griddles and making Grilled Cheese Rise style, grilled to order and served hot alongside our Roasted Creamy Tomato & Vegetable Soup. It starts with thick slices of Red Fife Sourdough, generously buttered with Rockridge butter of course, then filled with a carefully chosen blend of cheeses: nutty Manchego, savory Asiago, aged cheddar, and our favorite queso - the one you’ve tasted on the pizza and quesadillas. It melts beautifully but holds its shape, giving that oozy, gooey, pull-apart goodness that makes a grilled cheese truly great.
And because grilled cheese should always be a little personal, you can add super thin-sliced red onion if that’s your thing - just let us know when you order. Everything is grilled fresh, just the way it should be.
Simple, comforting, and wildly satisfying — especially paired with a bowl of roasted tomato soup on a winter Wednesday.
Friday's TGIF Sourdough Pizza Lunch - Taco Bowl Style
Hot, cold, crunchy, creamy - this one does it all.
This Friday’s TGIF pizza takes everything we love about a taco bowl and builds it on our sourdough crust. It starts in the oven with seasoned ground beef, melty cheese, and all the warm, savoury layers baked right in. Then we finish it the way we always do at RISE - with a fresh, cold topping moment that makes the whole thing sing.
Out of the oven, the pizza gets piled with fresh greens and tomatoes, crushed garden vegetable tortilla chips for crunch, and generous dollops of cool sour cream and bright salsa. Hot meets cold, melty meets crisp - a little messy, totally satisfying, and exactly what a Friday lunch should feel like. Ready by 11am. Plan your Friday accordingly.
As always, I hope this week brings you in to see us at RISE. Come say hello, grab a coffee, and linger for a bit if you can. I managed to carve out a few quiet hours this weekend and finally started decorating the shelves with some of my kitchen antiques there’s more to come, but it already feels a little more like home.
Thank you for being here, for showing up week after week, and for letting RISE be part of your days. Stay safe, take care of yourselves, and I hope to see you down at the bakehouse very soon.
Goodnight from me - bedtime is calling.💤
I will see you back here next Sunday with all the flavors of the upcoming week.💛
