Renewing old friendships in Tunbridge, Vermont
Truck stops may not be what you think of when you think, “Good Eats" — think again
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Updated: 12:58 PM EST Feb 12, 2021
Renewing old friendships in Tunbridge, Vermont
Truck stops may not be what you think of when you think, “Good Eats" — think again
Share
Updated: 12:58 PM EST Feb 12, 2021
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TED: TRUCK STOPS MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF GOOD EATS. AGAIN. >> OLD-FASHIONED COMFORT FOOD. TED: IT IS THE BNH TRUCKSTOP, A LAND MAKE -- A LANDMARK IN WELLS RIVER, VERMONT. YES, A MAINSTAY FOR TRUCKERS LIKE ROB, WHO HAS BEEN COMING HERE FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS. >> NOT JUST TRUCKERS. ANYBODY WOULD WANT TO COME HERE AND EAT. TED: AND THEY DO, ANYBODY LIKE JANE AND MICHAEL STERN, AUTHORS OF "ROAD FOOD." >> I THINK THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ORIGINAL WALLPAPER. IT USED TO BE TRUCKS. TED: THE AUTHORS FELL IN LOVE WITH THE FRESH BREAD, WHICH UNLIKE THE ORIGINAL WALLPAPER IS STILL HERE, ALONG WITH DINNER ROLLS, NOT TO MENTION THE MOUTHWATERING PIES. >> YOU EVER HAVE MAPLE CREAM PIE? >> I DON’T GET INTO DESSERTS. TED: MORE FOR ME. BUT NOT BEFORE SAMPLING THE HOMEMADE HASH. ALSO ENJOYING BREAKFAST WAS SHARON CASSIDY, WHOSE FATHER STARTED THE BNH OVER 30 YEARS AGO WHEN HE TORE DOWN HIS BARN AND PUT UP A GAS AND FOOD COUNTER FOR TRUCKERS. HE NEVER IMAGINED THE MIX OF CUSTOMERS HE WOULD ONE DAY HAVE. SURE, THINGS HAVE CHANGED. >> WE USED TO BE FULLY 24 HOURS. STARTED WITH A SECTION THAT BIG AT THE COUNTER. TED: THINGS HAVE EXPANDED ALONG WITH THE CLIENTELE. BUT THE TRUCKERS MAKE IT A MUST STOP BECAUSE OF THE FOOD. SO DOES EVERYBODY ELSE. >> WE HAVE BEEN KNOWN AS A FRIENDLY PLACE TO COME FOR GOOD FOOD. TED: CHECK AND CHECK. AS FOR THE NOTICE OR AT BREAKFAST THING? COULD I GET ANOTHER SLICE FOR LUNCH? IN ORANGE COUNTY’S TUNBRIDGE, I HOPED TO RENEW OLD ACQUAINTANCES. IT HAD BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE MY LAST STORY HERE. NO IDEA WHO THAT GUY IS. TUNBRIDGE LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME, MINUS ONE OF THOSE ACQUAINTANCES. BUT THE OTHER STILL VERY MUCH HERE. >> USED TO SAY I’M THE ONLY FILMMAKER IN AMERICA WHO COULD [INDISCERNIBLE] TED: HE GREW UP ON A FAMILY SHEEP FARM IN TUNBRIDGE. HE MOVED BACK HERE AND PURSUED HIS PASSION FOR FILM MAKING. IN 1996, HE CREATED AN INDIE HIT WITH "MAN WITH A PLAN," WHICH HE SHOT, PRODUCE, AND DIRECTED. IT WAS A SATIRE ABOUT A BROKEN DOWN DAIRY FARMER NAMED FRED TUTTLE, WHO RUNS FOR CONGRESS BECAUSE HE NEEDS A JOB WITH DECENT PAY, NO HEAVY LIFTING, AND GOOD HEALTH INSURANCE. >> I JUST WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME IN THE HOUSE. TED: IN REAL LIFE, FRED TUTTLE WAS THE SAME PERSON, AN AGING TUNBRIDGE DAIRY FARMER AND JOHN O’BRIEN’S FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR. I DID SEVERAL STORIES IN THE WAKE OF THE FILM. FRED TUTTLE HAD BECOME A GENUINE CELEBRITY. >> FRED STILL REVERBERATES THROUGHOUT VERMONT CULTURE, AND CERTAINLY POLITICS. IT IS INTERESTING IN SOME WAYS THAT A YOUNGER GENERATION DOES NOT EVEN KNOW WHO HE IS, BECAUSE 20 YEARS, IF A KID IS BORN, WHO IS FRED TUTTLE? TED: HE DIED IN HIS HOME IN 2003. JOHN O’BRIEN, HIS WIFE EMILY, AND THEIR SONS STILL KEEP SHEEP AT THE FARM. IN 2015, JOHN WON A SEAT ON THE TUNDRA SELECT BOARD. JOHN: I LIKE PROBLEM-SOLVING. I LIKE PEOPLE. TED: IN 2018, IN A PARTICULARLY IRONIC CASE OF LIFE IMITATING ART, JOHN WAS ELECTED TO THE VERMONT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WINNING FOR REAL THE SEAT HIS FRIEND FRED HAD WON HIM THE FILM. JOHN: I WAS RUNNING AGAINST THE DAIRY FARMER WHO HAPPENED TO BE THE SECOND TO LAST IN THE LEGISLATURE. TED: JOHN AND EMILY RENT THE FARM FOR WEDDINGS, A SCENE WE HAD TO VISUALIZE ON THIS BITTERLY COLD DAY. JOHN: YOU ARE UP THERE AND LOOKING OUT TOWARD THE GREEN MOUNTAINS. IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO GET MARRIED. SHEEP COME UP TO THE FENCE AND WATCH THE CEREMONY. TED: IT IS ALSO A GREAT TOWN AND COUNTY TO LIVE IN. JOHN: MOST PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE DON’T WANT TO LEAVE. SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. EVERYBODY KNOWS EACH OTHER. YOU GO TO THE FAIR, EVERY TWO MINUTES YOU WILL RUN INTO SOMEBODY WENT TO SCHOOL WITH, YOU ARE RELATED TO, YOU DO BUSINESS WITH. IT IS THE ONLY TIME THEY COME OUT OF THE HILLS. TED: FRED TUTTLE WAS A FIXTURE AT THE FAIR, ONE OF MANY THINGS JOHN NEVER FORGETS ABOUT HIS FRIEND. HE STILL ECHOES. JOHN: ON A DAY LIKE TODAY, YOU GUYS FILMING, IT IS LIKE I MUST BE GOING DOWN TO READ’S -- TO FRED’S TO GO ON SOME ADVENTURE. TED: IN A SPECIAL VERMONT TOWN THAT INSPIRED HIM. ANTHONY: AND IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH FRED TUTTLE, OR JUST WANT A FUN REMINDER, WE HAVE A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE TO A FILM CLIP. YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE WHEN FRED SAID HIS NAME. A FUNNY GUY, BUT NOT KNOWN FOR GREAT DICTION. SOME SWORE IT SOUNDED LIKE HE SAID "I’M FURRY TURTLE." AND IF YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT THE TRUCKSTOP, THEY ARE STILL OPEN FOR TAKEOUT.