Life in Vermont: the Rise & Shiner

OK, so one of my favorite and consistent complaints about Vermont is the lack of good food - with a couple exceptions, and I'll have to blog about the most excellent Four Corners of the World Deli sometime. The situation becomes even more pressing if you're looking for late night snacks - you know, the utterly greasy food that is a necessity at 1:00 o'clock in the morning. If you're down on Church Street, our main pedestrian shopping area, your only real choice is the Kountry Kart, which is open around 20 hours a day. It is pretty limited - mainly because there are no tables or chairs - and so you either have to stand next to the counter or front door and eat - or eat on the sidewalk outside (which can be a bit bracing during the endless Vermont winter). Still, any port in a storm. Luckily, the Kountry Kart serves wonderful post-bar food, including the incomparable Rise & Shiner, which is a mix of egg, sausage and home fried potato on a bun - delicious. Luckily, my good friend Andy Burkhardt is always up for a Rise & Shiner, no matter how late it gets - whereas some of my other "friends" beg off at the last moment (although our great friend Steve Wehmeyer joined us last time and is now a convert). Here's a picture of Andy and his utterly cool girlfriend Heidi devouring a Rise & Shiner - and, typically, standing next to the front door. Beyond the delicious taste of the Rise & Shiner, I must be drawn to it for other reasons as well - I grew up in Rising Sun, Indiana and their team name is the Shiners - it's almost mystic.