One of the many things that, now in tearful retrospect, I took for granted during my time in Fort Collins, Colorado, was all of the, for lack of a better word, hippie food joints that seemed to dot the landscape almost as much as the purple mountains majesty.
From the Tuesday two-for-one tempeh burgers at Avogadro’s Number to the sweet potato burritos with poblanos and cilantro crema at the Rainbow and everywhere orgasmically organic in-between, it was, eats-wise, at least, truly a dreadlocked paradise filled with dancing bears slathered in almond cheese skinny-dipping in a tie-dyed Poudre River of culinary good vibes while turning up the Freedom Rock, man.
Sadly, it seems as though the free love for this style of eatery isn’t as prevalent in Oklahoma, but, then again, try getting a chicken fried steak in Colorado, natch. It’s the nature of the beast when you move from the country’s fittest state to the fattest state I guess, not that I’m complaining, mind you. But, still, it would be nice if I didn’t have to travel to the nearest college town to order up a couple of tempeh tacos as a breather in-between personalized meat sessions and gravy-based appointments.
But don't tell me this town ain't got no heart; you just gotta poke around until you find a joint like the Earth Café and Deli, 309 S. Flood Ave. in Norman.
Tucked away in an eccentric brick house in a typical Norman college neighborhood, the Earth has apparently been around in Norman since 1969, so you can only imagine what type of groundbreaking accomplishment that was, especially at a time when most of the hit country songs on the radio advocated the outright assault of dope-smokers with long-hair. Provisions to the people, right on!