For the Love of Country Stores and Pizza
Article and photo by Eric H. Country stores in Vermont are best known for their Vermont clothing, arts and crafts, furnishings, souvenirs, regional food and sweets, gift baskets, Christmas gifts and penny candy, but how about some pizza? Bailey's and Burke, in East Burke, VT (near the Burke Ski Area), has all the bells and whistles of a country store with its "past and present" gifts within a classic, old wooden country store two-story building featuring dark, creaky narrow hardwood floorboards, a cozy area for eating and a network of larger rooms leading to smaller, quaint rooms with more merchandise. Owner Jody Fried is quoted as saying, "It's like walking into a warm blanket." From country linens to homemade Vermont fudge, Bailey's and Burke will surely satisfy the most picky country store aficionado. The difference, however, at Bailey's and Burke is the wonderfully overwhelming pizza aroma. For me, it sure beats that eventually nauseating smell...