My daily bread...
Happy Sunday everyone, and welcome to this week’s Rise newsletter.
First off, a big welcome to all the new subscribers who joined us this past week. It’s always fun to see more people jumping in here and following along with what’s cooking at Rise.
Today also happens to be International Women’s Day, so hats off to the women out there doing the million different things women somehow manage to do every single day. Running businesses, raising families, building communities, supporting each other, and quietly holding a lot of the world together. The strength, creativity, and resilience of women never stops inspiring me.💛
And apparently… it was Daylight Savings Time this morning.
Somehow I completely missed that memo.
So yes - I started my day an hour behind schedule because my alarm didn’t go off when I thought it should. Nothing like a little surprise time change to keep things interesting.
Meanwhile, here in the Rise Kitchen this past week, we’ve been having a lot of fun conversations that somehow kept circling back to one person: Ina Garten.
Maybe it was the fact that she has a newer show out - Be My Guest with Ina Garten or maybe it was the fact that about a year ago I read her memoir and became a bit of a superfan. Whatever the spark was, we found ourselves talking about her recipes, her style of cooking, and the way she makes simple food feel incredibly special all week.
If you happened to pop in on Friday, you may have noticed we quietly tested one of her recipes, Ina’s Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake.
We were thinking it would be a nice little cake BUT it turned out to be mind-blowing. Simple, cozy, and somehow way better than expected. The kind of recipe that makes you stop mid-bite and go, okay… I see why people love her.
So after a week of chatter around the prep tables, we decided - why not? Let's do a little Ina Garten tribute week - a handful of menu items, bakes, and flavors inspired by the Barefoot Contessa herself - with a little Rise style thrown in, of course.
Alright, let’s get right into what’s cooking this week at Rise...
Monday at Rise
• Coffee’s on.
If coffee’s not your thing, we’ve got you covered - chai, matcha, golden milk, tea… and if you’re feeling like spring has finally arrived, we’re even pouring iced coffee.🌞
• Pastry Counter.
All the tried-and-true customer favorites will be waiting for you - the regulars you know and love, fresh out of the kitchen along with a few Ina recipes to give you something new to taste.
• Breakfast, quick and hot… or not.
The frying pan will be ready to go, so our Rise BLTs can hit the grill and be in your hands in just a couple of minutes.
Or, if you’re leaning toward something a little more wholesome, our ever-more-popular Rise & Shine Breakfast Granola Muffins will be waiting on the counter. Filled with all the things a good day should start with - eggs, yogurt, bananas, lemon peel, oats, golden flax, multigrain cereal flakes, and just a touch of maple syrup, sweet dates and walnuts.
A muffin that actually keeps you going - perfect with your morning coffee.
• Lunch prep.
Wraps, rolls and bowls will start rolling out as the morning moves along.
Wraps & rolls this week:
• Grilled chicken & veggie
• Rice paper salad rolls (because how do you start the week without one of those?) and peanut sauce on the side.
Salad Bowl of the Week - The Barefoot Contessa Bowl
Inspired by a few of Ina’s favorite fresh flavors - think quinoa tabbouleh meets Greek pasta salad meets crunchy winter slaw -all coming together in one big Rise-style bowl.
What’s in the bowl:
We’re starting with a base of tri-color quinoa and something I’ve been trying to get my hands on for a while, quinoa fusilli pasta which finally arrived. From there it starts leaning into those classic Ina Garten flavors. Think artichoke hearts, capers, fresh mint, and sweet cranberries, along with all the crisp vegetables that make a great Greek-style salad. One of Ina’s little tricks is taking thinly sliced red onion and pouring boiling water over it - it softens the sharp bite just enough while still keeping that beautiful onion flavor.
We’re also adding toasted sliced almonds for crunch, and finishing the bowl with radish microgreens, cherry tomatoes, and an assortment of marinated olives.
On the side - feta but with an Ina upgrade. We’re making her marinated-herbed feta, tossed with olive oil and fresh herbs for a little extra flavor. And of course our fattoush croutons for a bit of crunch.
Both are served on the side so the bowl is gluten-free & dairy-free.
Sourdough line-up...
Monday - Red Fife Country Loaves
Tuesday - SuperSeed Multigrain Loaves, Everything Spice & Pumpernickle Sourdough Bagels
Wednesday's Sourdough: Keeping with our little Ina Garten tribute week, Wednesday’s sourdough is built around some of her favorite flavors. We’re baking a Rosemary, Roasted Garlic, Parmesan & Black Pepper Sourdough.
Just before the loaves head into the oven, they’ll get brushed lightly with olive oil, then finished with fresh rosemary and a sprinkle of Maldon salt - exactly the kind of simple, elegant touch Ina loves.
Also on Wednesday...
Alongside the feature loaf, we’re keeping the Herbed Sourdough Focaccia in the lineup - because you’ve been loving it. It’s perfect whether you’re grabbing a warm chunk to go or pairing a piece with soup for an easy, satisfying lunch.
And for those of you who appreciate a heartier loaf, we'll also be baking a batch of 100% Whole Grain Organic Dark Rye. Deep, robust, and packed with that pure whole-grain goodness - if this is your style of bread, Wednesday is the day to stock up.
Thursday - Light Rye on Rye Loaves and Hokkaido Sourdough Milk Buns
Friday - Red Fife Country Loaves to finish off the week
Wednesday Soup:
Keeping with our Ina theme this week, Wednesday’s soup is Ina’s Chicken Pot Pie Soup.
It’s exactly what it sounds like - a cozy bowl chock full of chicken and vegetables in a rich, comforting broth. One of her secrets is in the stock. We’ll be simmering our chicken stock with parmesan rinds, which adds that deep, savory flavor running through the soup. A little cream and our creamed garlic scapes round everything out for that beautiful, silky finish.
And of course, it wouldn’t be chicken pot pie without something to go on top so we’ll be baking Ina’s famous Make-Ahead Salt & Pepper Biscuits, so you can enjoy your soup with one of those… or with a piece of our sourdough focaccia if that’s more your style.
Either way, it’s shaping up to be a perfect cozy Wednesday lunch.
Ready to ladle up into your bowl at 11am.
TGIF Sourdough Pizza
To wrap up our Ina week, we’re taking inspiration from one of her most loved dishes - Salade Niçoise and giving it the Rise treatment.
Introducing Rise's Pizza Niçoise!!
Think baby potatoes, tuna, tomatoes, green beans, artichokes, olives, and red onion, all layered onto our sourdough pizza crust… and finished with a perfect egg baked right on top.
We did a few test runs on our Friday staff pizzas last week to make sure we got it just right fir you this week - and let’s just say the results were deliciously spectacular.
Now… if tuna on pizza is making you pause for a moment, don’t worry.
We’ve got you covered - we’ll also be making a Roasted Veggie Pizza this week, piled high with all the veggies we can get onto a sheet pan and roast. And if you’re feeling like that veggie pizza needs a little protein boost, you can always add roasted chicken.
Just let me know ahead of time so we can prep it for you - that means popping in, pre-ordering, and pre-paying so we make sure it’s ready when you arrive.
Pizza hits the counter at 11am.
That’s the week ahead at Rise.
We’re hoping you’ll have a little fun with our Ina-inspired menu this week - a few classic flavors, a few Rise twists, and lots of good things coming out of the ovens.
Pop in, grab a coffee, and see what’s fresh on the counter.
As Ina Garten likes to say:
“How easy is that?”
Have a great week, and I’ll see you at Rise.
I’ll be back here next Sunday with all the delicious news we're cooking up in the RISE Kitchen.💛
