Quick Stop: The Amish and Country Store at Dermott.

A little wooden cabin alongside US Highway 65 between McGehee and Lake Village serves as a nice spot for a road break or snack. But this country store has one thing that really sets it apart - handmade fried pies.



The shop came into being about a decade ago. I noticed it when it first opened as I was heading south to visit parts yonder.. By the second trip I passed, I saw the old buggy out front.

Entering from the front porch, the Amish and Country Store may not seem much different from its clones all over the stattes. The interior is relatively neat and ther are jars, jars, jars everywhere - with pickles and preserves, jams and jellies, apple butter and pickled eggs and the like.

A case across the back holds Troyer cheese and a selection of meats.

The shelves those products are on, though, are handmade wooden creations, angled shelves made by skilled artisans. There are rocking chairs for sale, too, as could be expected, but there are also chests and hampers and such made from raw wood ready to purchase and take home the same day.

There's also local honey.

What keeps us coming to the Amish and Country Store are the pies. There's always a selection of cakes and whole pies in the case. But what's really special are the doughnut-style dough fried pies. These pies are handmade at Country Village Bakery near Star City, then driven over to Dermott where they are fried and

glazed on-site. These thick pockeets are excellent for breakfast and come packed with filling.

The Amish and Country Store is located at the intersection of US Highway 65 and Arkansas Highway 35. It's open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (870) 538-9990 or check out the website.