THE SAMPLER
Temporary
Take Out
I
’ve got to admit, this whole thing kind of caught me unprepared. Suddenly, before I really realized what was going on, there was a gubernatorial “Stay Home!” order in place, and the bars and restaurants were closed. How is a Sampler to survive? More than most, the Sampler depends upon the well-appointed dining rooms, the wayside bistros, the cozy cabarets of the Brown County restaurant industry. Without them, where will I get my deep-fried appetizers, my thought-provoking entrees, my profoundly satisfying desserts? In light of the emergency would the Sampler survive? I was bound to wonder as I surveyed the food on hand: a couple of cans of sardines and lima beans; a bag of dried lentils; half a jar of peanut butter with age; plus a couple dozen take-home boxes in various stages of mold and decay. I had to leave the house to go do my laundry. Not all Brown Countians are blessed with home facilities, and we all need clean drawers sooner or later. At the laundromat, I noticed the attendant eating something from a white foam container. Was it…? Could it be…? It was. Biscuits and Gravy! That seminal, nurturing breakfast which has been an object of my intense study. “Is that from Heavenly Biscuit?” I asked. “Yup,” she replied, between mouthfuls. And then, I started seeing the signs all around town: Open for Take-out. Yes! Take-out will save us!
44 Our Brown County • May/June 2020
