My daily bread...
🌞 Welcome to Rise - a little refresher and a big thank you.
Over the past few weeks, our little community has grown in the most beautiful way. So many new faces in the bakery, so many new names in this inbox - and we just want to start by saying welcome.
Whether you’ve been with us since the early days or you just found your way through the door recently, thank you for being here, for sharing your thoughts at the counter, and for spreading the word about the things you love. Those conversations - the “I tried this and it was amazing” or “you have to bring this back” - they truly shape what happens in the Rise Kitchen as the weeks roll out.
As we head into the final stretch of February, it felt like the perfect moment to revisit a few of the simple, old-school ways we do things - especially when it comes to making sure you get your favorites.
At Rise, we don’t run on apps or complicated systems - we run on relationships. If there’s something you don’t want to miss (soup, pizza, loaves, bowls, or any weekly feature), you can pre-order right at the till.
Here’s how it works:
- Let us know what you’d like
- Prepay in store
- We’ll have it ready and waiting for you
Some of our regulars even set up standing weekly orders, and we’re always happy to do that - whether it’s a Wednesday soup ritual or a Friday pizza tradition. If it’s something we make, chances are we can reserve it for you.
Simple, reliable, and a little bit old school - just the way we like it.
☕ A small act, a big ripple (this one will make you smile)
Last week, something happened in the bakery that felt like a tiny snapshot of everything Rise is about.
A young man named Pierce came in with his mom and sister - they were so excited to finally be here after a couple of attempts when we happened to be closed. They settled in with hot chocolates, marshmallows, and a few treats, soaking up some Rise vibes.
Then Pierce quietly walked over, put a $20 bill on the counter, and said he wanted to buy a gift card so the next person who came in could have a coffee on him.
Right as this sweet little plan unfolded, the bakery did what it sometimes does - it burst into full, joyful chaos. The moment slipped by in the busyness of the day, but we didn’t forget.
When things finally slowed, we made good on Pierce’s idea. The next morning, a lovely regular came in - grabbing her usual coffee, cheese, a wrap, a couple of cinnamon buns… all the good things. And that’s when we got to tell her the story:
“Today, this is all from Pierce.”
Her face lit up in the most beautiful way - surprised, touched, and smiling from ear to ear.
And then, as if the story wasn’t sweet enough, another customer who had been listening nearby stepped forward and said she wanted to do the same thing. Another gift card, another act of kindness waiting to surprise someone else.
It was one of those moments that reminds you how generosity moves - quietly, simply, and then all at once.
So here’s to Pierce, for starting a little ripple that brightened more than one morning. And here’s to this community that keeps those ripples going. 💛
And with hearts a little fuller, here’s what’s cooking at Rise this week…
Monday - as you walk through the door on a Monday morning, here’s what you’ll find.
The espresso machine is humming, a barista ready to take your order - whether it’s your usual Birdy coffee, a tea, hot chocolate, or even a 7 a.m. decaf (no judgment here). The pastry counter is full, and the BLTs are the go-to to hold you over while we work at getting the rest of the day’s fresh items ready.
That said, the BLT has a little friendly competition these days - the Rise & Shine Granola Breakfast Muffin has been flying out the door. Packed with all the good things you’d want in a feel-good breaky, it’s quickly becoming a morning favorite.
In the kitchen, it’s a full-on Monday rhythm - chopping, prepping, and getting everything lined up for the day.
First out: Grilled Chicken and Veggie Wraps
Next: Rice Paper Salad Rolls w/Peanut Sauce.
And as we move closer to lunch, the bowl of the week lands:
Seed & Slaw Quinoa Salad Bowl - quinoa tossed with slaw-style veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, and green onion), cranberries, chickpeas, and a trio of seeds - pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower - finished with a lemon maple tahini vinaigrette. Feta and fattoush on the side if you’d like.
Mondays have a great energy in the Rise Kitchen - the team is dialed, everyone working together, and it’s been so rewarding to see it all clicking into place.💛
Sourdough line-up...
Monday - Red Fife Country Loaves
Tuesday - SuperSeed Multigrain Loaves, Everything Spice and Pumpernickle Sourdough Bagels
Wednesday's Sourdough: Fig, Walnut & Honey Oat - we're leaning into cozy, nutty comfort. This sourdough loaf is enriched with rolled oats and steel-cut oats, gently scalded to create a soft, tender crumb, with a touch of rye flour for added depth and character. Throughout the loaf you’ll find generous chunks of walnuts and figs, while a bit of Gull Lake honey worked into the dough brings just a whisper of warmth and subtle sweetness - never overly sweet, just beautifully balanced.
AND Herbed Sourdough Focaccia, served by the chunk. Golden, fragrant, and perfect for tearing into.
Thursday - Light Rye on Rye Loaves and Hokkaido Sourdough Milk Buns
Friday - Red Fife Country Loaves and Sourdough Cinnamon Milk Buns - This whole adventure started around Valentine’s Day when we made our first batch of sourdough milk bun cinnamon buns after so many of you were asking for them. We thought maybe it would be a one-week thing - but they sold out. Then I made them again the following week and they sold out again.
So I thought, okay, let’s run with this - you want cinnamon buns, and I want to perfect them and make them the best I possibly can (because that’s just how my brain works) let's go!
If you’ve been meaning to try one, this is a great item to pre-order earlier in the week - we make plenty, but they’ve been selling out fast.
Wednesday Soup: Hamburger Soup meets Butternut Squash Minestrone
This week’s soup is the best of two comforting classics in one pot. Think the hearty, savory goodness of a traditional hamburger soup layered with the cozy sweetness of butternut squash and the veggie-packed warmth of a minestrone.
It’s rich, satisfying, and full of flavor - the kind of bowl that feels like a proper midweek reset, especially with a chunk of focaccia or buckwheat biscuit on the side. Ready to ladle up into your bowl at 11am.
TGIF Steakhouse Pizza
This week’s pizza comes with a little memory from my mom’s kitchen. She used to rub mustard powder onto steak and sear it in a cast iron pan - simple, bold, and somehow the most delicious thing ever. We’re borrowing that same idea here, starting with beef tossed in a mustard spice blend, roasted for colour, then gently braised until tender.
Layered with caramelized onions, roasted peppers, and hearty mushrooms over a creamy rosé base, baked with cheese, and finished with fresh greens and a drizzle of mustard aioli — it’s cozy, nostalgic, and full of Bakehouse comfort. Pizza hits the counter at 11am.
As we settle into these late-winter days, when the light is just starting to stretch a little longer and we’re all quietly dreaming of spring, it feels like a good moment to remember that we’re moving forward - even when it still feels cold outside. This season asks a lot of patience from all of us, but there’s something comforting in knowing brighter days are already on their way.
With the Lunar New Year now underway (Year of the Horse), it feels fitting to lean into that sense of momentum - a season of energy, movement, and stepping forward with a little more confidence. It’s a gentle reminder that growth doesn’t always happen loudly, but it’s always happening.
Here’s to warm kitchens, good food, and small moments of comfort as we finish out winter together. We’re getting closer every day - to spring, to flowers, to butterflies, to birds singing - and the best is still to come.
Wishing you a cozy, delicious week ahead,
and I’ll see you in the bakery.
I’ll be back here next Sunday with all the delicious news we're cooking up in the RISE Kitchen.💛
