My daily bread...
Well… Alberta decided to remind us who’s boss this weekend.
After teasing us with thoughts of spring, Saturday arrived with a full-blown snowstorm - blowing sideways, piling up fast, the kind of weather that makes you question every hopeful thought you had about patio season. It has snowed all day here on Sunday as well, and I know many of us are more than ready to turn the page.
The good news? Better weather is on the horizon. And around here, we know how quickly things can change.
Last week I mentioned I had a couple of briskets ready for the smoker this weekend. That was the plan… until Mother Nature had another idea. A 3am wake-up call to tend a smoker in a blizzard did not make the final cut. So I pivoted.
Those briskets are still very much in play - now destined for a long, slow braise in house-made barbecue sauce (yes, the one with a little splash😘 of Jack Daniel's in the pot for good measure). That beautiful beef will be making appearances this week - in Wednesday’s soup and again on Friday's pizza in birthday-week fashion.
And speaking of birthdays…
Rise turns 2 years old this Friday.
Somehow, in the middle of flour dust, early mornings, coffee rushes, burnt fingertips, laughter, learning curves, and more loaves than I could ever count… two whole years have passed.
I also have to say - this past week brought so many new faces through the doors, along with many new names added to our newsletter list. Welcome. Your timing could not be better. You have arrived just in time… because Friday, we celebrate. 💛
Let’s talk about Friday.
There has been much discussion in the Rise kitchen this week about how exactly one celebrates a second birthday properly. In the end, we decided to do what feels most like Rise. No single giant cake. No formal slices. No fuss. Instead...a joyful little spread of bite-sized treats, sweet surprises, savory nibbles, dips, and all kinds of things to snack on throughout the day. The kind of celebration where you can pop in, grab a coffee, taste something delicious, visit for a few minutes, and feel part of it all.
Many of you know that when we do customer appreciation days, we usually roll out the big urn of complimentary coffee. But with 19 degrees and sunshine in the forecast for Friday, we felt it was time to celebrate a little differently.
So this time, everything from the coffee bar will be 50% off all day Friday. And in place of the coffee urn… we’ve been tinkering behind the scenes with something especially fun. Think Birdy coffee meets birthday treat meets frosty little milkshake. A cold, slushy, creamy coffee creation that we’ll be pouring into cups and handing out through the day.
Honestly? It feels like the kind of chaos we were meant for and I strongly encourage you to come join us! 💛
Mondays at Rise
You all know the rhythm by now. Mondays are our reset, restock, chop, roast, build, and bring-the-cooler-back-to-life kind of day.
After a busy week, the grab-and-go cooler usually starts Monday morning looking a little bare… but not for long. By the hour, it begins filling back up with all the fresh things being made in the kitchen.
At 7 a.m. the doors open with hot Birdy Coffee brewing, kettles ready for tea, and plenty of non-caffeinated comforts if coffee isn’t your thing. Have you tried one of our Golden Milk Lattes yet? Creamy, warming, gently spiced, and completely caffeine-free.
Fresh baking will be on the counter, and our Rise & Shine Granola Muffins will be ready for the early crowd. We’ll also have house-made yogurt parfaits waiting in the cooler, layered with beautiful berries and our granola on the side.
Then the kitchen gets moving. Knives out, music on, veggies flying.
This week we’ll be rolling out grilled chicken & veggie wraps, followed by fresh rice paper salad rolls, and then our weekly salad bowl once everything comes together closer to lunch.
Mondays are not the flashiest day around here… but they might be the freshest.💛
Salad Bowl of the Week - Sunshine Celebration Bowl
Bright, colorful, and built to celebrate. This week’s bowl feels like spring finally winning.
We’re starting with a beautiful base of tri-color quinoa, wild rice, and elegant long-grain basmati - the kind of rice with grains so long and lovely they almost look like noodles. Then come black lentils for richness and bite, followed by all the fresh vegetables we can pile in. We’re adding spinach, fresh mint, sweet dried apricots, and crunchy pistachios to bring texture, color, and little bursts of flavor in every forkful.
Then the whole darn thing gets tossed in a bright passion fruit citrus vinaigrette that ties it all together with sunshine energy.
Fresh, nourishing, vibrant, and exactly the kind of lunch we all need right now.💛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 and Maple Oat Demi Baguettes
Tuesday - SuperSeed Multigrain Loaves
Wednesday - The Classic Brown Loaf - a warm nod to the 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
Wednesday Soup
It hasn’t been that long since we last did a beef barley noodle soup… but listen, it’s birthday week, we have beautiful brisket ready to go, and sometimes the heart wants what it wants.💛
So this Wednesday we’re leaning all the way in with...
French Onion Beef Barley Noodle Stew
Think rich, slow-cooked comfort somewhere between a classic French onion soup and a hearty beef barley stew. We’ll be caramelizing onions low and slow until deeply golden, then building the pot with tender brisket, barley, noodles, and chunks of baby potato for extra comfort-factor.
It will be thick, savory, deeply satisfying, and exactly the kind of bowl that makes questionable spring weather much easier to forgive.
And because it’s birthday week, we’re not stopping there.
Alongside your bowl, we’ll have Gruyère Mustard Sourdough Toast - made on our maple oat demi baguettes, layered with a Dijon butter spread, a touch of onion jam, topped with Gruyère, then baked until golden and bubbling.
A bowl of stew. A hot cheesy toast. Midweek lunch solved.💛
We’ll be ladling it up by the bowl and litre starting at 11am.
TGIF Sourdough Pizza!!
Birthday week deserves a pizza with absolutely zero restraint. So this Friday we’re going full celebration mode with: Scalloped Potato Barbecue Braised Brisket Pizza
We start with a rich, creamy white base, then layer on thin sliced scalloped potatoes with plenty of garlic and green onions, sweet caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and generous piles of our slow-braised barbecue brisket.
Then comes the cheese situation: mozzarella, provolone, and aged cheddar melted into every corner.
And yes… we’re bringing back the egg.
A whole egg will be nestled right into the cheese before baking, so it comes out with that beautiful golden top and rich, soft centre that makes the whole thing feel just a little outrageous.
Then, in true Rise fashion, we finish it off with smoked aioli and a fresh crunchy slaw on top. Comfort food, celebration food, and Friday food all in one slice. 💛
Coming out of the oven starting at 11am.
Two years. Truly, where did the time go?
What began as an idea, a hope, and a lot of early mornings has grown into something living and real - a warm little space filled with coffee cups, fresh bread, conversation, laughter, lessons, hard work, and so many familiar faces.
These two years have taught me that building something worthwhile is never a straight line. It is shaped by many hands, many seasons, many lessons, and many people who cross your path along the way. For every person who has been part of the Rise story, in big ways or small, I am genuinely grateful. Each chapter helped bring us here.
And where we are now feels very special.
We have a team that cares deeply, works hard, supports one another, and wants Rise to keep becoming the very best version of itself. I could not be prouder of what is happening inside these walls each day. There is heart here. There is momentum here. There is joy here.
And then there is you.
The people who stop in every morning. The ones who bring friends. The ones who tell others about us. The ones who cheer us on, offer kind words, share feedback, and make this place part of your week. You are the reason Rise feels alive.
Thank you for helping carry us through two incredible years.
Year three already has big energy around it.
Have a beautiful week ahead, and I truly hope to see you on Friday as we celebrate together.
I’ll see you all back here next Sunday with all the Rise flavors of the week.💛
