Alana Berg, the author of this blog, is interning for CaterBid over the summer. Currently Alana attends NYIT and is a hospitality major, she hopes to open up her own firm once she graduates. After talking to her about new foods and realizing that she had so much more to taste (pun intended!) I gave Alana a somewhat different assignment this week. The assignment was to go out this weekend and try a new food, this blog is the outcome of her assignment. Hope you like it and hope you too will try something new soon! -Anushka I. Kassim
Ever have doubts about a food that you thought was not going to taste as you good as you thought it would? Sometimes, it turns out to be more flavorful than you expected! A new food that I just tried this past weekend which I thought was absolutely amazing was, hummus. You can find hummus at your local super markets including, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, King Kullen, Super stop and Shop, and many more. This delicious Middle Eastern spread is made from, mashed chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Hummus originated in Egypt and is the earliest documented recipe that can be traced all the way to the, 13th century. While today, the dish is also popular throughout the Middle East in locations like Israel, Morocco, in addition to the Palestine areas.
While most enjoy their hummus the traditional way, one can also flavor it with garlic, roasted red pepper, and pine nuts drizzled with a taste of olive oil. (As the taste is delicious, the thick spread is very easy to eat because it’s soft and not too messy either. The simplistic dip can be enjoyed at any time: BBQ’s, picnics, small get-togethers, or even while your eyes are glued to the T.V. Hummus can be had with either pita chips, vegetables, crackers, or as a sandwich spread, along with on a hot piece of pita bread. One of the greatest times to serve Hummus would be at a Super Bowl Party. Everyone loves to eat while watching the competitive game, and they need dipping sauces besides salsa, sour cream along with onion dip. They want something new and delectable! Why not have a table set up at your next get together with all of the varieties of Hummus to choose from. They taste great on chips, which everybody certainly loves to chow down on at super bowls.
In Israel, many enjoy eating Humus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Many restaurants in Israel prefer to serve warm hummus instead, as in America, they serve it cold. One of the main ingredients in Israel that they used to make Hummus is baking soda. Hummus is sold in restaurants, supermarkets, and hummus-only shops, which is known as “humusiof “in Hebrew. As for the Palestinians, hummus has been a big favorite of theirs while served on warm bread, for all three meals of the day as well. All of the ingredients in hummus are easily found in Palestinian gardens, farms and markets. Along with olive oil in Hummus, many seasoned spices are included as well such as, “nana” mint leaves, paprika, and parsley throughout the Palestinian areas. Back in America, during the year of 2008, more than fifteen million Americans consumed hummus on a regular basis.
What is everybody going to do the next time one attends a party and are afraid to try something that does not look too appetizing? Go for it, you might really like it! There are so many delicious foods out there made over the world that people always denied trying. You’re really missing out if you don’t; experience new things, that’s what life is all about. If you would like to serve a mouth watering Hummus at your next party, look at the recipe below.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-roasted-red-pepper-hummus/
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Directions
- In an electric food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.
Amount Per Serving Calories: 445 | Total Fat: 26.9g | Cholesterol: 0mg
