Midwest Vegan, Day 4

Peoples Organic in Fargo, North Dakota is a franchise that capitalizes on the increased awareness of food sourcing and why it matters. The large modern space with a full bar was set amidst a strip mall area just off the interstate. They have coffee concoctions, wholesome grub, and… alcohol. It is great option for locals who are a bit more discerning. Or like the hashtags #organic, #local, and #fairtrade.

Table signs seem to be a “thing” out here in the Midwest. They’re functional and another way the eatery can express themselves and their values. I was Heirloom Seeds. CandyPenny was Non-GMO. But further, we hoped that our dishes would arrive quickly.

The tofu scramble came out with the intense classical music crescendo. Delicious potatoes (what I nibbled on first as usual) and a wet, 90’s-like scramble that was veggie-laden and very yummy. Peoples Organic is a welcome vegan breakfast option in the otherwise devoid Fargo, North Dakota.

It was time to loop back around, starting our return to Chi-town. So it was back to Minneapolis for another vegan option. This one was lunch at French Meadow, a huge counter spot with a whole lot of vegan bells and whistles.

The towering chalk board span the very high ceiling… they had a lot to offer. The menu was marked with v-bombs, directing my eyes. There weren’t many but each would make for a very satisfying lunch. Between staring up at the chalkboard weighing the pros and cons of my decision and gawking at the beautiful vegan offerings in the bakery case, I was a bit overwhelmed. Happily overwhelmed.

Speaking of the beautiful bakery case, look at those cakes! There were also cookies, tarts and pies that were labeled vegan. But I had to get my some Black Velvet Beet Cake.

I went retro and order a veggie burger. It was the ideal burger in many ways. The patty was housemade and packed with flavor, the bun was housebaked, and there were fresh texture pieces that livened up the option. But the patty was very soft and fled from the sides of the bun as I ate… as happens with veggie burgers often. But those pieces of burger that were left on the plate? Those were delicious to eat on their own.

So here is Lauren’s Black Velvet Beet Cake. I was thankful for a vegan cake option so up my alley. I enjoyed each bite of cake thoroughly but had left a good amount of the thick frosting on the plate. 

After we headed north in rush hour traffic to the University District, we were met with disappointment. Kitty Corner Cafe (and their vegan stuffed waffles) dared to take a vacation. I was particularly peeved as I had been having food fantasies about them since researching this trip. But we made lemonade out of lemons, calling Cupcake, also in the University District, to confirm vegan options and closing time. We were in luck!

Cupcake was a cute and colorful spot, as cupcakeries usually are. And they had 3 vegan options today.

I had the Salted Nut vanilla cupcake. My co-pilot, a Coney Island–a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and a ton of nonpareils. Sweet tooth satisfied, Minneapolis! I guess, technically, it was satisfied already with the beet cake…

We did a lot of driving today. And antiquing took up a good deal of time. I got some goodies I’ll need to somehow fit in my suitcase. I also got a ton of idea for my classroom design in September, which will be vintage or “shabby chic.” I’ll sign off with these this picture of a collection of Little Golden Books, a nostalgic piece of my childhood, and a collection of retractable pens. Just because.