here’s nothing like 14 hours of travel by plane, train, bus and automobile to suck the life force out of you. It doesn’t matter how happy your travels were or how happy you are to be heading home, by the time an airport gets done with you, the dial on your humanity meter is going to be pointing in the general direction of zero.
This was my predicament this past week after I survived three airports, two planes, two cars and a bus (the partridge said screw it and stayed in the pear tree). If a week home with family, eating chicken pot pie and creamed corn and cheesecake wasn’t enough to make my body crave a cleanse, then two days worth of airport food and the magical ineptitude of Frontier airlines certainly was.
So when I finally rolled back into the People’s Republic, I drove straight to Fresh Thymes, where the focus is local, organic, whole foods, served fast and casual.
You could say Fresh Thymes is “inspired” by the personal journey of owner and head chef Christine Ruch, who lives with celiac disease and multiple sclerosis. She found “clean” eating — the whole-food concept upon which Fresh Thymes is built upon — helped her control her symptoms and gain a better quality of life. Through the eatery, Ruch shares her vision for a healthier life.
For a weary traveler, the best aspect of Fresh Thymes is that it’s engineered to be a take-out marketplace, with meats, breads, soups, salads, side dishes and desserts on display at the counter for spontaneous meal-making. But a jet-lagged Boulderite (or time-crunched parent) can also order off a fixed menu. Choose to wait in the eatery’s rustic digs while sipping a glass of wine, or order online so you can swoop by right when your meal is done.
My plan was simple: Use the power of the internet to place my order and then kill a bit of time at Barnes & Nobel to use a gift card. But the prospect of a soul-soothing glass of wine and the calm environment of the restaurant — its wooden tables bringing to mind a farmhouse — drew me in to wait for my bowl of soup and salad.
The ever-changing soup at Fresh Thymes this evening was a curried chicken potage, made robust with chickpeas and pulled chicken, and thick enough to serve as a meal in and of itself.
Its consistency was smooth, and perhaps aided by pureed butternut squash or sweet potato (perhaps both?). The flavor of the curry was subtle, not overwhelming, and made savory by what I imagine is pureed onion and tomato. There were hints of ginger, thyme and cilantro that made this a perfect winter meal. Its locally sourced meat and carefully chosen organic ingredients allow diners to enjoy without guilt.
It was a perfect meal for a soul that felt all but see-through after the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
For those in need of humanity realignment, Fresh Thymes is offering up soul-filling dishes for even the most world-weary and jaded among us.
Fresh Thymes. 2500 30th St., Suite 101, Boulder, 303-955-7988.
