'Seinfeld' connection, other facts about Rise Up Bakery

The recent opening of Rise Up Bakery marked Jay and Danielle Lunt's return to an industry they love but had been apart from more than a decade.

It also gave the couple, married for 25 years, a different kind of bonding opportunity with their two children, who spent the holiday break wrapping up cinnamon rolls and working the registers at their parents' Gilbert Tuscany Village shop.

For 10 years, the Arizona natives owned and ran a Las Vegas bakery, which they sold because they yearned to return home. After years spent in administrative jobs, Jay (the bread specialist) and Danielle (the sweets expert) decided to give professional baking another shot.

From-scratch, in-house items include specialty breads, cookies, brownies, bars, muffins and granola.

Here are 10 fun facts about their new bakery.

1. Rise Up Bakery opened on Dec. 19, the same day their daughter flew in from college for the holiday break.

2. The bakery's biggest mixer is 70 times bigger than the typical at-home mixer.

3. The Lunts have a steamy secret when it comes to their perfectly crusty baguettes. Because steam is the key to a crunchy exterior, baguettes are baked in a steam oven.

4. Customers who use the special code words posted on their Facebook page are rewarded with free bread and sweets.

5. Fresh challah bread is baked on Fridays and Saturdays.

6. Spelt bread is baked here as well. Spelt is an ancient grain similar to wheat that tastes somewhat nuttier and slightly sweeter. While it's not gluten-free, spelt is viable option for those with wheat allergies.

7. Bread labels read, "This bag is our only preservative," letting customers know that no preservatives are added to their handcrafted breads.

8. Danielle's favorite creation: A chewy, crunchy, salty and sweet cookie crafted with chocolate chips, oats, coconut, cornflakes and pretzels, aptly named the Over Achiever Cookie.

9. Big fans of "Seinfeld," the Lunts included Chocolate Babka on the menu to pay homage to the long-running television series and famous "The Dinner Party" episode from Season 5.

10. Baked goods include a tomato pesto mozzarella cheese swirl bread that could pass for a streamlined version of a caprese sandwich; and the house granola, which is packaged in bags for pantry storage and durable on-the-go tubes ideal for hiking and biking.

Details: Rise Up Bakery, 861 N. Higley Road, Gilbert. 480-264-3026, riseupbread.com.