My daily bread...
Welcome to another week at Rise 💛
Spring in Alberta always likes to keep us guessing. One day the sun is shining, the sidewalks are clear, and it feels like we’ve finally turned the corner… and the next, a little wind and a touch of snow remind us that winter hasn’t quite let go.
But here we are, closing in on the middle of April, playing that familiar little game called spring.
The good news? The snow is mostly gone, the paths are easier to wander, and you can feel the warmth getting closer every single day. Before we know it, the sunshine will be lingering a little longer, the mornings will feel softer, and all will be well.
To all the new faces who have recently found their way through our doors - welcome, welcome. We love hearing, “This is our first time here,” and getting to welcome you into our little space. Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or you just discovered us this week, we’re so glad you’re here.
Now, before we jump into this week’s kitchen lineup, we have something special to share…
SAVE THE DATE - Rise is turning 2!!🎂
Friday, May 1st marks two incredible years of building, learning, and growing at Rise, and honestly… how lucky are we that it lands on a Friday?
A birthday party and TGIF Friday all wrapped into one day feels absolutely perfect.
I’m still working out all the details, but one thing is for sure - there will absolutely be a table full of all sorts of deliciousness, because what would a Rise celebration be without plenty of good things to eat? And of course, there has to be a birthday cake, and we simply cannot have a birthday party without balloons.🎈
The rest of the details are still coming together, and I’ll have everything finalized for you in next week’s newsletter.
More Loaves, More Rise 💛
Over the last few weeks, our sourdough loaves have been selling out earlier and earlier - and first of all, thank you. We love seeing so many of you coming in for your daily bread.
Because our sourdough is made with 100% wild yeast sourdough starter and no commercial yeast is used, the process begins the day before they are baked. The dough is mixed, shaped, and then tucked into the fridge overnight for its slow ferment before heading into the ovens first thing the next morning.
That means there are very real limits to how much we can produce each day - from the capacity of our mixers to the amount of overnight fridge space we have available.
We’ve done a little rearranging to make more room for what you’ve clearly been asking for: more sourdough loaves, please!
Starting this week, you’ll notice a few changes in the lineup below as we shift production to get more fresh bread into your hands.
Gentle reminder that coming in early or pre-ordering really does matter.
OK, let’s get into the week.💛
Mondays at Rise - Doors open, as always, at 7 a.m.
The Birdy Coffee is on, the espresso machine is humming, and the morning starts gently with rich mochas, warming chai's, golden milks, and flavorful cups of tea.
Monday mornings in the kitchen are where the whole week begins to unfold. It’s the day the rhythm of Rise comes back to life - coffee brewing, trays coming out of the ovens, the cooler slowly filling, and the kitchen finding its stride for the week ahead.
First thing in the morning, you’ll find some of your favorites ready to go:
- Rise & Shine Granola Muffins - we were making double batches all last week and still sold out every single day, so clearly you are loving them so we’ll just keep making them.
- Yogurt parfaits, ready first thing, with your choice of raspberry or blueberry this week.
- The ever-delicious BLT Sandwich, always a favorite
- Toasted sourdough by the slice with house-made jam
Then, as the morning moves along, we’ll begin filling the grab-and-go cooler...
- grilled chicken & veggie wraps
- rice paper salad rolls with house peanut sauce
Salad Bowl of the Week - Spring Crunch Sunshine Bowl ☀️
This week’s bowl is bursting with everything we love about the season. A beautiful base of quinoa and black lentils meets a fresh broccolini slaw, ribbons of summery zucchini noodles, sweet green peas, fresh basil, and little pockets of sunshine from dried apricots and green grapes.
Rough-chopped almonds bring the perfect crunch, while tender cauliflower and crisp cabbage make every bite feel bright, fresh, and full of texture.
Finished with a Passion Fruit Citrus Dijon Vinaigrette, this bowl absolutely sings spring. 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 - Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaves
Also on Wednesday... Herbed Sourdough Focaccia and of course the 100% Whole Grain Organic Loaf.
Thursday - Light Rye on Rye Loaves(cracked rye, rye flakes and fine milled rye berries) and Hokkaido Sourdough Milk Buns
Friday - Red Fife Country Loaves
Wednesday Soup
While spring keeps us guessing with cool mornings, the occasional brisk wind, and the odd little snow flurry, this feels like exactly the kind of soup we need right now.
This week’s soup is going to be Farmers’ Market Sausage & Smoky Bacon Potato Chowder - rich, hearty, and made for this in-between season.
This weekend, I wandered through the Farmers’ Market and came across the most incredible sausage made right in our little neighboring town of Delburn.
And that was it - I knew exactly where this week’s soup was headed.
Next stop, I headed to The European Deli, a place I’ve loved and my "go to" for over 25 years, and picked up my favorite smoky sausage(Kabanos) along with a smoked pork hock(seriously, they have the best).
That pork hock is going to simmer with our vegetable scraps on Tuesday to create a deeply savory, smoky stock that will become the heart of this chowder.
And from there, it becomes a chowder with all the things - onions, celery, leek, sweet corn, carrots, cabbage, kale, baby potatoes, cauliflower, tender broccolini, and a few white beans for extra body and comfort.
I’m even stewing fresh corn on the cob down into a silky cream-style corn sauce to fold right into the soup, giving it that beautiful chowder richness.
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!!
So many of you have been asking lately… when is lamb coming back to pizza Friday?
We’ve done a version of lamb pizza before, and I still remember the very first time we put it on the menu. I truly wasn’t sure what everyone was going to think. YOU ALL LOVED IT!
It has been a minute since lamb has made its way back onto our TGIF lineup, but lately you’ve been reminding me that it’s time.
So here we go... This Friday, we’re bringing it back with a beautiful new take - a rich, creamy white base layered with slow-braised lamb, roasted red onions, jammy figs, pistachios, and a blend of provolone and mozzarella.😍
Once it comes out of the oven, it gets finished Rise-style with a handful of arugula greens tossed in olive oil and cracked pepper.
Then comes the sweet heat - our local raw Gull Lake honey whisked together with Rise Chili Oil drizzled over the top.
And finally, a crumble of Rockridge feta folded with fresh chiffonade mint.
Creamy white base + slow braised lamb + jammy figs + sweet heat + greens & salty feta
= the kind of pizza that disappears before noon.
Coming out of the oven starting at 11am.
Cheesecake Friday 🍰
Friday’s cheesecake is still a bit of a mystery - even to me right now. My brain is officially mush, so I’m handing this one over to the team for a little inspiration Monday morning.
What I do know is this: there will be cheesecake, and it will absolutely be worth saving room for.
For now, we’ll keep you guessing. 😉
As we move deeper into April, you can feel the season beginning to shift.
The mornings are a little brighter, the snow is mostly behind us, and every now and then the sun reminds us that warmer days are on their way.
There’s something about this time of year that feels a lot like the kitchen at Rise - always changing, always growing, always becoming something new.
Thank you for being part of it.
Whether you’re stopping in for your morning coffee, picking up your daily bread, or joining us for lunch with a friend, thank you for making this little space what it is.
We love welcoming the familiar faces and all the new ones who continue to find their way through our doors.
Have a beautiful week, get out for a little sunshine when it shows up, and we look forward to seeing you at Rise.
I’ll see you all back here next Sunday.💛
