For those mornings (Mondays? everyday?) when it's difficult to get out of bed, consider Hi Rise's Uncle Gary breakfast sandwich the end goal. Stacked with an egg, Gouda, house-cured Canadian bacon, caramelized onions, and sweet-hot mustard sauce, this McMuffin-style eat (pictured) is nothing if not a bright beginning. The sweetness of the onions and the zing of the mustard sauce elevate the classic combo, but it’s the freshly made, toasted English muffin that’s most noteworthy.

Doug Anderson, Hi Rise's owner and head baker, is a perfectionist and he has spent months developing his English muffin recipe. Though Anderson, who is self taught, says he can't quite duplicate the telltale nooks and crannies (a la Thomas'), his tinkering has nailed the bread's flavor, the density, and the chewy crumb. I love this muffin on the Uncle Gary, and I think it would be just as good toasted, spread with butter, and drizzled with honey. 

Bonus: Anderson is working on a whole wheat version of the English muffin. 

262 Larimer St., 303-296-3656

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