the Roots of Rise

Hey Everyone,
I can't thank you all enough. All of the positive feedback we've been getting for the new menu, bakery items, and seasonal beverages has been overwhelming. Seeing everyone come in and stray from their favourite dishes to try something new that we put so much effort into gives me a feeling that is completely unparalleled. Thanks, so much, from the bottom of my heart.

To keep everyone involved with our constantly evolving menus, ideas and even vacation plans. I have a few crucial updates.

-We'll be closed from August 20th to 26th, and we'll be re-opened to resume our regular hours on the 28th. Everyone who works here at Rise Above works very hard every day and we don't get to take much time off. So we decided we'd all take a vacation at the same time so we don't get jealous of each other, and can still remain friends. We'll be doing this twice a year. In august, and the first week of January. I figured I'd drop the January information on you now, to turn this into a double negative, pretty positive eh?

-We'll be launching another new menu in September, I know it's pretty quick. But since we started at our new location half way through a season, and changed the menu half way through a season, we decided to start fresh this fall and keep everything exciting.

-We'll be changing our hours. We're going to open an hour later, and close an hour later. So the hours will be 11-10. This hour change will correspond with the menu change. We'll announce the date as soon as possible.

-We're going to go back to the roots of Rise Above and bring back our tasting menu dinner parties. Either for week services, or as a special night. Let us know what you think?

If you aren't a friend on Facebook, you should try it out. You'll be kept in the loop a lot more.

Thanks again for everything.

-Kyle W. Paton

P.S.

THURSDAY AM

There's a Veggie Burger-ish diddy tucked inside.
Coming to a Birdbath soon.
Thanks to Hot Bread Kitchen for their M'smen flatbread. 

MONDAY MORNING AFTER THANKSGIVING

AFTER THE DELUGE

{a state of mind}

The day before Thanksgiving, before dawn. This is really the day. Starting January 1st, the bakery year aims

at today. When you're a bakery that matters in the bakery universe, today is the day that matters the most.

THE NIGHT BELONGED TO PIE

I'm sure other people were doing other things in the city
 last night, but we were baking pies. 

SUNDAY MORNING THANKSGIVING WEEK

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF THE PRODUCT LINE EXTENSION

My guess is that the "brand managers" sit around drinking
the stuff, then start naming the most idiotic ways
they can think of to ruin good vodka.  

THE RIDE HOME

FAR FLUNG FARMER'S MARKET

The Grand Rapids Farmer's Market on a perfect weekend morning. 

FIRST SNOW

Butterscotch cocoa brownies

I fucking love brownies. I mean seriously, look how many recipes I've done:

Double chocolate brownies

Butterscotch brownies

Plumb good brownies

Red velvet cheesecake brownies

Brownies with espresso cream cheese espresso frosting, oreos, and sea salt

S'mores brownies

Peppermint bark brownies

Nutella brownies

So... Yeah. And that doesn't even include the countless Costco-sized boxes of Ghirardelli's double chocolate brownies. And the occasional Pillsbury. Jeeeeze, I'm getting hungry just thinking about them...

And here's the best part of it all: these brownies are my new favorite. Better than Plumb good brownies. Better than nutella brownies. Better then every brownie recipe prior to this. They're so gooey and fudgey and I just looove the addition of the butterscotch chips. So basically: go make these. Now. No, not in an hour. Not tomorrow. Now.

It's recipes like these that make me want to open up my own bakery one day...

For the brownies:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup butterscotch chips

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and microwave for 1:30 minutes. Remove and stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smoothes out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the butterscotch chips, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Recipe adapted from honey & jam

Butternut squash glazed tart

Welcome, November. 

For the tart:

1-pound butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 store-bought 8 ounce puff pastry sheet
1 8 ounce jar apricot preserves, warmed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange squash slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Roast for 30-45 minutes, turning once. Once they are cooked, remove from the oven and turn the heat down to 375°F.

Meanwhile, roll out puff pastry sheet into a 14"x6" rectangle and place on another parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with parchment and another baking sheet. Prick the pastry to allow for air holes during cooking. Place in the 375° oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool to room temperature before assembling.

While the pastry is cooking, mix together the cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and cinnamon. 

Spread the puff pastry evenly with they cream cheese mixture. Place the candied squash on top. Heat up the preserves until warm to touch, then spread over the potatoes. Last, sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Cut into triangles and serve!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine.

HOT CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION

Turn that latch, open, and look 60' down into
 a boiling vessel of 3,000 pounds of chocolate.

17 hours later, the plant at night, in the rear view mirror. 

MOON OVER ... MICHIGAN

 
   
 Here to make hot chocolate on a large scale. Hoping third time is the charm. Fingers and toes crossed, every one.

Halloween special: chocolate spiderweb cupcakes

IT'S HALLOWEEN TYME. Leggo.

For the cupcakes:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the frosting:

3 cups confectioner's sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the spider webs:

1 cup dark chocolate candy coating

Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare 18 cupcake molds with cupcake liners.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into cupcake molds.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. Using an electric mixer, on medium-high speed, combine cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Once the cupcakes are done cooling, frost using a piper with a large tip, or make a make-shift piping bag using a thick, quart-sized plastic bag. Fill the bag with frosting and cut a hole at the tip of one end. Then squeeze the frosting out onto the cupcakes.

Last, melt candy coating in a microwave in 30-seconds intervals, stirring well in between, just until melted. Transfer melted candy coating to a piping bag or plastic zip-lock bag; snip a verrrrry small hole in the end of the bag. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Pipe freehand spiderweb designs. I made a few extra to eat. Nom.

Top the frosted cupcakes with the spiderwebs. Voila!

Cake recipe from Hershey's, everything else by Broma!

SIGNING BIRDBATH

 One week open on the Upper West Side.
 New window signage to mark the occasion.
 

GONNA BE THAT KINDA DAY

At least the shattered glass was before the fire trucks arrived.