Does my husband look happy in this picture? You bet he does. And what is the source of this happiness? A cinnamon caramel doughnut—one of the specialties at Rise N Roll Bakery and Deli in Shipshewana.
Bakeries are everywhere in Amish Indiana—but this one is special. On Saturday mornings the line runs through the building and out the door. But any other time it’s easy to purchase something freshly baked to eat there, and something more to take home.
I remember, not that many years ago (2001 to be exact), when Rise N Roll began in a white building on a farm on the Middlebury-Shipshe Road (Route 250N) near the county line. I stopped by with a friend, and the eager young Amishman behind the counter, Orvin Bontrager, said that he and his wife had just started the bakery and they really hoped that it would do well.
Find out what's happening in Yorkvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
It certainly did! Now Rise N Roll has a huge new building on Route 20, and they sell baked goods as well as local food products of every kind. There’s also a deli with tables where people can eat breakfast or lunch, or enjoy a fresh doughnut with the always-free cup of coffee. It is a great place to get gift items to bring back with you, since they carry so many things that will ‘keep’ on the trip home.
Standing at the checkout counter, you can see the huge work area in the back where the goodies are made. I’ve heard that sometimes, if you’re very lucky, and you’re there in the morning, you can stand there and watch the young women making the baked goods singing while they work.
Find out what's happening in Yorkvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Rise N Roll’s original owners have joined up with outside (“English”) investors now, so they have a website (www.risenrollbakery.com) and a facebook page. They have expanded to making gluten-free baked goods, all-natural pizzas, box lunches, and gift baskets. They now have two stores (Middlebury and Nappanee), and their products are sold in local supermarkets, shops, and restaurants, as well as farmer’s markets around Chicagoland. But when in Amish Indiana, it’s still a nice place to eat, shop, and relax for a few minutes with a free cup of coffee. And for the happy man in the photo, a cinnamon caramel doughnut.
