BEST SUPERMARKET HUMMUS 2020 - HOLY HUMMUS!

There's a new king in supermarket Hummus in the US and it's... ( Drum roll) ... Holy Hummus.

WOWA WEEWA it is good. 

I bought it randomly in the supermarket in LA, one day when they ran out of the other bigger brands I tend to buy.

There's nothing very special or inviting in their packaging.  It looks like all the other generic supermarket Hummus brands -but wait till you taste it...

AAAAMAZING!

They have 4 flavors: Homestyle Hummus with olive oil, Jersualem with Tehina , Nazareth and Classic.

They're all really good. 

The best in my opinion is their Homestyle Hummus which has lots of chickpeas and feels coarse and fresh like restaurant hummus in the middle east.

Their second best in my opinion is Jerusalem Hummus which is much creamier and also excellent.

Their last 2 flavors are Nazarath and Classic. Two flavors that are still really good and no one will ever complain about - well no one except those that already tasted their Homestyle Hummus.

 The main difference between the four Hummus isn't that much the taste but rather  the texture.  While the Homestyle seems to be the coarsest, the Nazareth somewhat coarse and the Classic the creamiest.

For those who love creamy rather than coarse - you will find everything you are looking for in the Classic.

TASTE:

The hardest thing in making supermarket hummus is figuring out how to ensure it doesn't have that "plastic" aftertaste of preservatives and other ingredients which make it feel somewhat generic.

Some of the Hummus companies place a lot of garlic or garlic flavoring that hides the fake aftertaste, 

while others simply place more focus on texture than on taste.

To get additional flavors that taste a bit different and don't have the same aftertaste and garliccy flavor - some larger supermarket chains have started experimenting in recent years in distributing creamed veggies made from other ingredients not chickpeas yet still call it Hummus - even thought hummus based on my understanding has to be made from chickpeas.

It's like calling a butter made from Cauliflower - PEANUT BUTTER - knowing people prefer butter made from peanuts over butter made from Cauliflower.

Maybe Cauliflower cream is interesting - but peanut butter should be made from peanuts or it's false advertising.

Hummus is made from Hummus - i.e. chickpeas in Arabic and Hebrew. 

Because of Covid 19 - a lot of restaurants have closed and many people prefer buying supermarket hummus that feels safer and has less potential for Covid 19.

That's why it's super important to choose the right one.

It seems that Holy Hummus is still a small label and isn't available in many supermarkets and even in the ones it is available it tends to run out very quick as it's possible the word on the street has already spread about the uniqueness of this tasty hummus.

I purchased this hummus first time at the Israeli supermarket - Samy Makolet on Fairfax blvd in Los Angeles, CA . Sammy Makolet is one of the most famous specializing Israeli supermarkets and I understood it's also sold in the other famous Israeli supermarkets in LA.

Samy Makolet also tend to run out of it quite fast and I had to follow up to figure out when they get more supply to purchase more of it. 

From the Holy Hummus website it seems it's a NY based company so they might already be available to purchase all over the nation or at least in large cities from LA to NY.

Because of Covid 19 - I couldn't do blind tests with friends - but I did recommend they all purchase it and let me know their thoughts and they did - and they were all blown away by the taste that is quite unique for a supermarket hummus.

Bottom line - I hope with Covid 19 and the fact many people aren't shopping in smaller supermarkets only buying from large retailers like Costco, Amazon, Whole Food, Krogers etc ... that people will still discover this new company that is still mostly sold in smaller supermarkets and is mostly sold out.

Unlike the large Hummus brands - that tend to occupy the majority of the Hummus Fridge even in smaller specialized markets - this Hummus tends to hide in the corner.

If not for Covid and shortage of supplies - I probably would've never discovered this brand myself and stuck to the large brands I know.

I also hope this brand slowly make their way into the larger retail chains - cause their taste - is ready for the mainstream spotlight .

But as they make it to the larger retailers - I hope they will not compromise their unique and unbelievable flavor that tastes as good as many restaurants and will help educate Americans to the real taste of Middle Eastern Hummus.

Their website:

http://www.holyhummus.com/

Enjoy...

HUMMUS COMPETITION STORY ON KCRW BLOGS

Sometimes life just moves too fast and some things don't get the attention they deserve. 

But better late than never - so we're posting a bit late - the blog from KCRW of the Hummus competition that was conducted here in LA.

Yours truly was one of the judges in a Hummus competition and sat on the same panel as Evan Kleinman - one of the most respected food critics in California who's honesty, and exquisite taste has helped educate Angelenos and make LA one of the food capitals of the nation.  

In the first LA Hummus competition  Egyptian Nancy Boules of Cafe Dahab won.   

Egypt as mentioned in the past in our Hummus blog had been the birth place of Hummus - so there was something historic in this win. 

Do check out Cafe Dahab: 

http://www.cafedahab.com/

It is so wonderful that Hummus is slowly making it's way into mainstream culture - cause it is a food that is both healthy, nutritious and so tasty.

Enjoy the article and hope it makes you want to eat an entire bowl of Hummus.

http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2012/06/hummus-competition-aka-continuing-food-education/

Hummus Competition – aka Continuing Food Education

Posted June 5, 2012 by Evan Kleiman | Comments Off | 3,357 views]

I don’t judge many food competitions, but when I was asked to judge a Hummus Competition I was intrigued. I eat hummus. I make hummus. But I’m not an expert on the addicting puree.

I’ve never been to Israel or Lebanon or Egypt so I have no frame of reference for what is considered correct and delicious in situ.  I have no idea of regional variations.  The contest, organized by filmmaker Avital Levy, and billed as a fundraiser for her documentary “Hummus Wars” would feature “5-7 contestants – all very different – a couple Israelis, a few Americans, 1 or 2 who never made hummus before, a chef for Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks studios and one for an Egyptian restaurant.

I don’t judge many food competitions, but when I was asked to judge a Hummus Competition I was intrigued. I eat hummus. I make hummus. But I’m not an expert on the addicting puree.

I’ve never been to Israel or Lebanon or Egypt so I have no frame of reference for what is considered correct and delicious in situ.  I have no idea of regional variations.  The contest, organized by filmmaker Avital Levy, and billed as a fundraiser for her documentary “Hummus Wars” would feature “5-7 contestants – all very different – a couple Israelis, a few Americans, 1 or 2 who never made hummus before, a chef for Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks studios and one for an Egyptian restaurant.

Since 2007 Israel and Lebanon have battled with chickpeas and tahini over the Guinness World Record for the largest bowl of hummus.  As the years go by the competition has pushed the size from a paltry 900 lbs to the current Lebanese behemoth bowl at 23,042 lbs (see photo above).  The title has gone back and forth across the border over the years.

The competition at a private home in the Hollywood Hills featured American, Israeli and Egyptian competitors.  How could I turn down such an excellent opportunity to further my hummus education?  My fellow judges were Dudi Caspi, writer for Shavua Israel and hummus lover and Dan Katzir, filmmaker and hummus blogger.  The MC started the evening off with the comment, “The moon is rising over the trees like a big bowl of hummus.”

Entries ranged from a lemony, super smooth Egyptian puree to a rough mash made in the pre-blender/food processor style.  There was an assertive SoCal version made with Jalapenos and a New York entry that was dense and sweetened with caramelized onions.  Cumin was omnipresent in some and nearly absent in others.  A couple could have used a little salt.  I learned a lot, laughed even more and learned that democracy is a powerful thing.  Turns out that we judges came to the same conclusion as the audience “tasters” who were texting their faves.

The winner for 2012  was the super smooth lemony hummus made by Egyptian Nancy Boules of Cafe Dahab. Runner up was 70 year old Jerusalemite Ram Alkaly, represented by his son Ben.

Who Makes The Best Hummus?

Bragging Rights: Who Makes The Best Hummus?

GREAT ARTICLE FROM TRIBEJOURNAL.COM  WE THOUGHT SHOULD BE SHARED:

Mar 29 2013

by Judy Zeidler

Richard’s Hummus, Lina Style. Photos by Dan Kacvinski. Food coordinated by Judy Zeidler

http://www.tribejournal.com/tribe-life/dining-in/2013/03/bragging-rights-who-makes-the-best-hummus/

Who makes the best hummus? Everyone in Israel is passionate about the taste of genuine hummus, and each individual believes deeply that his or hers is the best.

In Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, hummus remains a daily staple. Village streets are dotted with tiny shops that prepare hummus swirled in a brown-and-cream-colored bowl, drizzled with extra virgin olive and sprinkled with paprika or cumin.

Many cuisine-related sources describe hummus as an ancient food. The earliest known recipes for a dish similar to hummus bi tahini are recorded in cookbooks published in Cairo in the 13th century.

Hummus is a simple, wonderfully flavorful dip or spread made from garbanzos (chickpeas) and tahini (sesame seed paste). Its texture is velvety, rich and firm enough to scoop up with wedges of pita bread or crisp vegetables. The taste is robust, nutlike, garlicky and so satisfying that you won’t be able to stop eating it.

One significant reason for the popularity of hummus in Israel is the fact that it is made from ingredients that follow Jewish dietary laws, and it may be combined with either meat or dairy meals. It is seen as almost equally popular among Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs, and as a result, hummus has become a sort of “national food.”

My prize-winning recipe takes as long to make as the time it takes to measure the ingredients and blend them in the food processor. For a change of color and flavor, I sometimes add roasted peppers when blending in the tahini, but the peppers are delicious on their own, too.

Some say that authentic hummus must be thick, so that you can carve deep valleys over its surface and fill them with olive oil. Then just tear off pieces of fresh pita bread to scoop up the pungent dip and pop it into your mouth.

Laurie Harris and Richard Hecht, who teach at the University of California, Santa Barbara, recently returned from four and a half months in Israel. While there, they were determined to enjoy every type of hummus they could discover. They sampled plates in Mahane Yehudah Market, the central shuk in West Jerusalem; along the pedestrian mall that is now Jaffa Road; and in shops in Musrara, not far from the city center and the Old City walls.

Hecht, who wrote “Abu Steve Is Coming Out of Retirement,” a small book about a man who opened a Jerusalem hummus restaurant, said, “Jerusalemites take great pride in the hummus at Abu Shukhri in the Old City. They will tell you that it’s a matter of minor gradations in taste — more garlic, less lemon. Hummus is basically all the same, but in Tel Aviv, they say the best hummus is at the very small restaurant Sultan, in the Arab town of Qalansuwa.”

The very best in Jerusalem, in the opinion of Hecht and Harris, is the hummus at Lina, a restaurant in the Christian Quarter of the Old City.

Hecht has his own ideas about what distinguishes top-notch hummus.

“It begins with the selection of fresh chickpeas in the shuk or market,” he said. “If you can’t find the fresh chickpeas, then use the dried.”

Still, no serious hummus connoisseurs would ever think of using garbanzo beans from a can nor use a food processor. True hummus is prepared in a large pottery cooking vessel with a narrow neck, over a low flame. The beans are stirred gently with a long wooden spoon until the right texture is achieved. Some use mortar and pestle to slowly grind the chickpeas.

Hecht also shares his special recipe for hummus and musabbaha, which is a breakfast hummus, served in the morning as we would eat hot cereal or cooked rice.

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JUDY’S HUMMUS

From “The Gourmet Jewish Cook” by Judy Zeidler

∗ 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, with liquid
∗ 1 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
∗ 1/2 roasted pepper (optional, recipe follows)
∗ 1/2 cup lemon juice
∗ 4 garlic cloves, peeled
∗ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
∗ 1/3 cup olive oil
∗ 6 fresh parsley sprigs, stems removed
∗ 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
∗ Minced fresh parsley for garnish

Place the garbanzos and their liquid in a food processor or blender; process until coarsely pureed. Add the tahini, roasted pepper (if desired), lemon juice, garlic and cumin; process until smoothly pureed. Add olive oil in a thin stream and continue blending. Blend in the parsley sprigs and l teaspoon salt. Add additional salt to taste. Garnish with minced parsley. Serve with hot pita bread and sliced vegetables, such as carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and jicama.

Makes about 3 cups.

Judy’s Hummus

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PEPERONI ARROSTITI CON ACCIUGHE (ROASTED PEPPERS WITH ANCHOVIES)

From “Italy Cooks” by Judy Zeidler

∗ 4 to 6 firm, crisp, red, yellow or green bell peppers
∗ 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
∗ Olive oil
∗ 1 jar or can (2 ounces) anchovy fillets
∗ Parsley sprigs for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425 to 450 F.

Place a large sheet of foil on the lower rack of the oven. Put the peppers on the rack above, in the middle or top of the oven. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the skin has puffed and darkened slightly on top. Turn each pepper over and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Remove the peppers from the oven. While they are still warm, carefully peel off the skins. Pull out the stems and discard the seeds. Cut the peppers into segments that follow their natural ridges. Layer the peppers in a bowl with the juices, garlic and enough olive oil to cover. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, arrange the peppers on a serving dish and garnish with anchovies and parsley. Or place an anchovy fillet in the center of each segment, roll up and place a toothpick in the center. 

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RICHARD’S HUMMUS, LINA STYLE

∗ 3 cups fresh or dry chickpeas or garbanzo beans, soaked overnight in water in a large pot
∗ 1 teaspoon baking soda
∗ 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
∗ 3/4 cup tahini sauce or paste
∗ 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
∗ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
∗ Salt to taste
∗ 1/4 cup lemon juice or more to taste
∗ 1/4 cup pine nuts
∗ 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
∗ 1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley

Drain the chickpeas, cover with fresh water and baking soda, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until chickpeas are tender, about 50 minutes. Strain and cool about 20 minutes.

Pour 2 cups of the cooked chickpeas into a food processor, reserving the rest to be used later for garnish and the Breakfast Hummus. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and slowly process the mixture, adding the tahini, garlic clove, cumin and salt. Add the lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. When the mixture is smooth, remove from the processor. If the mixture is too rough, continue blending until smooth. With a rubber spatula, spread the hummus into a shallow dish in circular motion, leaving an indentation in the center of the dish.

In a small frying pan, lightly brown the pine nuts. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the indentation in the center of the dish. Place the reserved whole beans into the indentation. Sprinkle the pine nuts and parsley over the olive oil and beans in the center of the plate. Serve with whole warmed pita for dipping.

Makes 4 to 5 cups.

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MUSABBAHA (BREAKFAST HUMMUS)

Use the basic hummus recipe, but prepare the following sauce.

∗ 1 cup boiled chickpeas (reserved from Richard’s Hummus, Lina Style)
∗ 3 cloves garlic, minced
∗ 1/4 teaspoon cumin
∗ 1/3 cup tahini or more to taste
∗ Juice of 1 large lemon
∗ 2 tablespoons olive oil
∗ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
∗ 1/2 teaspoon salt
∗ 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
∗ 1/3 cup finely minced parsley

In a small saucepan, combine the chickpeas, garlic, cumin, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, salt and chili powder. Simmer gently; do not boil. When the mixture is warm, serve for breakfast or pour into the center of the plate of Richard’s Hummus, Lina Style, and sprinkle with parsley.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

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Judy Zeidler is a food consultant and author of “Italy Cooks” (Mostarda Press, 2011). Her Web site is JudyZeidler.com

BEST HUMMUS IN EGYPT

Even thought Egypt is going through a political roller coaster - more people are travelling to it than ever.   Perhaps it's cause Egypt is getting a lot of daily exposure in the mainstream media and perhaps it's cause for many in the Western world there is something extremely romantic in travelling to a nation who's people decided to take their future into their own hands and through a peaceful revolution changed their own government .

A few asked me about Hummus in Egypt and I didn't know what to answer. I love Egypt and the Egyptian people. It's a magical country that has so much history and ancient architecture that is a  monument to the beginning of modern civilization.

Since Google is tied so heavily to the Egyptian revolution - I figured it'll also be OK if I google to find out what the pro's think about Hummus there and if anything changed after the revolution also in terms of the standing of the top Hummus restaurants there.

But sadly when I googled the words : BEST HUMMUS EGYPT - there were no links to actual restaurants for 2 whole Google pages. Dozens of links - and none to actual dining places in Egypt.

I decided to change my search words and typed HUMMUS and EGYPT...
I thought maybe if I'll make it a broader search I will get a list of hundreds of Hummus restaurants in Egypt.
After all, when one types just the word HUMMUS and reads about it in Wikipedia - one of the first thing Wikipedia does mention for all Hummus history seekers is that:

"The earliest known recipes for a dish similar to hummus bi tahini are recorded in cookbooks published in Cairo in the 13th century"

So how could the nation that had the first recorded Hummus recipe published - not have any thing in GOOGLE?

But I was not willing to give up yet - so I Googled the words:  BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT EGYPT - and sadly, all that popped up were links to middle eastern restaurants in the US.

I was shocked that I couldn't find any Egyptian Hummus restaurants in Egypt.

Hopefully now that Egyptian are standing up and taking destiny into their own hands - they will also help remind the world - they are also the leaders with Hummus and in the future when people around the world Google Hummus and Egypt  - they will not just get the best Egyptian restaurants in the US.

I would love to hear thoughts from those who have been in Egypt recent.

One of the amazing things is that TRIP ADVISOR has a list of the top 10 restaurants in Cairo.
Their number 1 restaurant isn't a local cuisine but rather a Japanese restaurant.

#2 is a Lebanese restaurant.
Their info:

Fayruz Lebanese Restaurant  - 

InterContinental Cairo Citystars | Omar Ibn El Khattab St., Heliopolis, Cairo 11737, Egypt

While I've never been to that restaurant my initial thought is that since it's in the InterContinental - it probably won't be as cheap as other less fancy places. 

But from the pictures it looks clean and indeed fancy for the middle eastern restaurant.

Trip Advisor gives #3, #4, #5 best restaurants in Cairo to an Italian, Indian and Four Seasons restaurants.

#6 is finally an Egyptian restaurant. Here's the info:

Kebabgy - 3 El Thawra Council Street | P.O. Box 732, El Orman - Giza, Cairo, Egypt

Then #7,#8,#9 are again not local cuisines and finally at #10 are again Egyptian: 

Koshari al-Tahrir - Sharia Abd el-Khalik Sarwat, Cairo, Egypt

Only in #11 is there a recommendation for a cheap Egyptian restaurant:
Koshary Abou Tarek -16 Maarouf St. | Champollion, Cairo, Egypt


Looking at the reviews on Trip Advisor it's sad that traditional Egyptian Restaurants are at the bottom of the top 10 restaurants in Cairo. 

Many believe that a pride of a country rests on it's traditional cuisine - so Egyptians must find a way to help their local eateries improve their local cuisines and not just serve high end international cuisines.  

For other cities - here's links to the thoughts of the big guns of travel and what they recommend:


LONELY PLANET:
Lonely Planet publications a very respectable international tour  company and  they do have some recommendations about Egyptian restaurants. While I highly trust Lonely Planet about travel - their food recommendations can be a hit or miss, and the restaurants they currently recommend mostly have less than 10 likes each - so it's hard to know if others agree or not with Lonely planet's taste buds:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/egypt/restaurants/egyptian?sort_dir=desc&sort_order=popular

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/egypt/restaurants

TRIP ADVISOR:
Except for it's top 10 list - TRIP ADVISOR also has a list of many restaurants that travellers have attended and liked - but while I love Trip Advisor's recommendations about hotels - with Food it gets more tricky as many times the highest rated restaurants are mediocre places as it's about the average rating of millions of travellers and in that kind of scenario - not always the greatest places shine.


FROMMER:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/egypt/0398020003.html
They have a lot of restaurants but also many aren't neccasserily Local Egyptian. Here's one of the ones that is recommended but from their description doesn't seem cheap or fast and reservation is required so it's not for those just wanted to come on a whim and eat some Hummus.

"Abu Sid (Off 26th of July St., Zamalek, Cairo; tel. 02/27359640): Reservations are required at this upscale eatery, and when you get to the table, traditional Egyptian cuisine never tasted so good. "

AND IF EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS 
THERE'S ALWAYS FACEBOOK....

Searching for Hummus on facebook brought up one restaurant in Egypt:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Abu-Hummus-Al-Buhayrah-Egypt/111482668873594

Abu Hummus, Al Buhayrah, Egypt  There's not a lot of information on this place. The page is very limited and has only about 250 LIKES  but still more than any other place. That's it Hummus Lovers.  Enjoy Egypt. Enjoy the revolution. And keep us updated on your new findings.

Best Hummus in East Jerusalem

This article was taken from Globes, the Israeli Wall Street Journal

http://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1000622158

And their selections are:

Little Abu Shukri
Abu Hassan of Salah A Din
Sultani Restaurant or Abu Hassan El Bagdadi
Acramawi of Shehem Gate

And for those who want to read a little more and know Hebrew - here's the full article titled: ZEN AND THE ART OF EATING HUMMUS: The guide to Hard Core Hummus in East Jerusalem

זן ואמנות אכילת החומוס: המדריך לחומוסיות "הארד קור" במזרח ירושלים
הסיור "בין הגרגרים" שעובר בין חומוסיות סודיות במזרח ירושלים הוא בדיוק מה שהרופא המליץ לכם לחורף הזה ■ בסיור תאכלו תתענגו על הטעם ועל אנקדוטות היסטוריות ■ ניגוב נעים
13/02/2011, חגית אברון


ראשית סיפור המעשה הוא במייל תמים שהועבר לתפוצה אקראית של גברים ונשים, שעליו כותבו מנהלים בכירים, אנשי היי-טק ומספר שפים שאולי יגלו עניין כלשהוא בסיור חומוסיות בירושלים. "הסיור יעבור בין מספר חומוסיות סודיות במזרח העיר", כך נכתב במייל, "והוא מיועד לאוהבי חומוס אמיתיים ולבעלי קיבה חזקה". התגובות הנלהבות לא איחרו לבוא, בעיקר מצד הגברים בחבורה שהכריזו חגיגית שלא מאיימים על חומוסולוג בחומוס, ובכלל למה רק חמש חומוסיות? "הבו לנו עוד" תבעו בהתלהבות גברית אופיינית, ולבסוף, כצפוי, אכלו ברעש גדול שתי צלחות חומוס כמו גם את הכובע ונדמו.
וכך יצא לו הסיור "בין הגרגרים" לדרך. את הסיור מדריך דורון יושע, טיילן נלהב, חוקר ירושלים ומורעל חומוס, שהגה את הפרויקט. התוצאה - מפת חומוסיות אותנטיות ומשובחות, רובן בגומחות זעירות, שאותה שרטט דורון בעמל וקפידה. ואנחנו, בני מזל שכמותנו, ניווטנו בעקבותיו במשך יום שלם, טועמים, מגרגרים, נושמים ואוכלים חומוס מתובל בסיפורים, באנקדוטות היסטוריות ותרבותיות מרתקות, חשופים לפסיפס מרהיב של צבעים וריחות ומרגישים הכי חו"ל בארץ. להלן סקירה לא ממצה של החוויה.
"בין הגרגרים" סיור חומוסיות בירושלים -דורון יושע. טלפון: 052-4673663. כ-100 שקל לאדם כולל טעימות והדרכה. ניתן לארגן סיורים לקבוצות בתיאום
אבו שוקרי הקטן
רבות הן החומוסיות הנושאות את שם המותג היוקרתי "אבו שוקרי" ועל כן יש להיזהר מחיקויים. "אבו שוקרי" הקטן, קרוב משפחה של "אבו שוקרי" הגדול (והמשובח שלעצמו), ממוקם בלהב הרובע השוקק, לא רחוק מכנסיית הקבר, וכמה מטרים מחומוס לינא המפורסם.
שוקרי הקטן, סירב לתיעוד העיתונאי, ואף דחק בנו לקחת את קערית החומוס ולאכול אותה מחוץ למסעדה. לא נעלבנו, החומוס היה שווה את היחס המעט מנוכר. בשלב הזה, חשוב לציין, פרשו מרבית גברברי הקבוצה לאנחות, אוחזים בבטנם וממלמלים דבר מה אודות פגישה חשובה. וכך נותרנו אנחנו, דבקים במשימתנו העיתונאית, עם דורון , נציגות שפים וקערית החומוס האחרונה לאותו היום.
תגובות הקהל: חומוס נפלא, בעל טעמים נהדרים של טחינה ומקרם אוורירי.
דבר השפים: חומוס גברי, טחינה גסה, טיפת חמיצות ובעל טעמים עזים ומודגשים.
הסוד: פטרוזיליה טחונה בתוך התערובת, המעניקה לחומוס מרקם אוורירי.
אבו חסן של סלאח א-דין
יורדים ברגל לרחוב סלאח א-דין שוקק החיים - השפים עוצרים להתפעל מעלי רקפות למילוי, מכרוביות ענק ונבלעים בתוככי חנויות תבלינים. מידי פעם מצביע דורון על פינת חמד נסתרת, גן חבוי מעין, בניין יפה או מציין עובדה היסטורית מרתקת. קפיצה קטנה לחו"ל, כבר אמרנו.
החומוס של אבו חסן הוא חומוסייה ותיקה בת יותר מ-50 שנה. כוך קטן ללא שולחנות ישיבה, המגיש לסועדים המקומיים מבעד לדלפק קטן. יושע מאלתר עבורנו כמה ארגזים הפוכים ועליהם מניח את קעריות השילוש הקדוש של החומוס, חומוס פול ומסבחה. בעל המקום מוסיף גם רוטב ירקרק של פלפלים חריפים, לימון ושום שאותו מוסכים על החומוס, גלדי בצל וכדורי פלאפל.
תגובות הקהל: חומוס מעלף! פוסקת החבורה, קריאות עונג נשמעות עם כל טבילה.
דבר השפים: חומוס בעל מרקם עדין וטעם לימוני, טחינה מעולה באיכותה ופול נפלא וחמצמץ.
הסוד: עקביות. במשך 50 שנה ברציפות נפתח המקום ב-02:00 לפנות בוקר, אז מתחילה מלאכת הכנת החומוס המדוקדקת, שמתכונה לא השתנה מאז ועד היום.
אבו חסן אל בגדאדי (מסעדת סולטאני)
נכנסים לעיר העתיקה מבעד לשער הפרחים ונבלעים בתוככי סמטאות הרובע המוסלמי, בינות בתי המקומיים שניחוחות ארוחת צהרים וצהלות ילדים השבים מבית הספר בוקעים מחלונותיהם. אנו פוסעים בעקבות דורון במקומות שאין בהם רמז לתיירים, או כפי שהיטיב לנסח זאת אחד ממשתתפי הסיור, "מקומות שלא הלכו בהם מאז מלחמת ששת הימים".
ובכל זאת, באותה שעת צהרים של יום חול, הסכסוך נראה רחוק מתמיד, הסמטאות שלוות ותושבי הרובע עסוקים בענייניהם.
החומוס של אבו חסן הבגדאדי נמצא בעיבורה של שכונת מגורים בה מתגוררים צועני הרובע. את החומוסייה הנפלאה הזאת גילה דורון במקרה, עת נמלט מהגשם אל תוככי המסעדה הקטנה, שם הוא נפגש לראשונה עם החומוס של הבגדדי. נפגש ונפגע.
אבו חסן, דמות משופמת ותיאטרלית להפליא, מכין בפנים חתומות חומוס אלוהי במכתש ועילי, עבודה ידנית הניכרת בטעם. מלבד החומוס הנפלא, שולף הבגדאדי מנצ'טה אימתנית ופוצח בקיצוץ דתי של ירקות לסלט אותו הוא מערבב בטחינה ומגיש בשתיקה לסועדים.
וכן, יש להודות שזה היה הרגע היחיד בסיור שבו השתתקו גם המאצ'ואים שבחבורה, מאימת התרחיש הפוטנציאלי אודות קבוצת ישראלים הכלואה בכוך שבעליו אוחז בסכין בנבכי הרובע המוסלמי.
תגובות הקהל: "הארד קור" של החומוס. טעם עז ומודגש של חומוס אסלי. החומוס הכי אותנטי עד כה.
דבר השפים: חומוס בעל טעם דומיננטי המושג בזכות המכתש והעילי, כמעט ללא תיבול וללא טחינה, מרקם משיי.
הסוד: לאחר הבישול עוברים הגרגרים תהליך של סינון והוצאת נוזלים באמצעות שקית בד ורק אז גורס אבו חסן את הגרגרים ידנית.
עכרמאווי של שער שכם

בין הטעימות - חומוס גרגרים, חומוס פול ומסבחה, בה הגרגרים משתכשכים במיצי הטחינה והלימון. בגלל השעה המאוחרת (11:00 בבוקר) פספסנו את ה"פאטה" - חומוס ובו פיסות של פיתה מבושלות יחדיו. החומוסייה של עכרמאווי (שמקורו בעין כרם), החלה את דרכה בשנות ה-50 ומאז ועד היום היא משרתת את המקומיים שבשעה בה אנחנו הגענו כבר סיימו את ארוחת הבוקר שלהם והביטו בקבוצה הצפונבונית במבטים משועשעים.
את המתכון לחומוס הביא לארץ פועל מסוריה ומאז ועד היום מוכן החומוס על-פי מתכון זה.
תגובות הקהל: התגובות היו נלהבות אם כי מתונות. מדובר בחומוס ערבי אותנטי וטעים.
דבר השפים: מרקם משחתי מדויק עם מעט חספוס בלשון, שמן זית נהדר וחריף שמתחבר לחומוס בשלמות.
הסוד: שמן זית מאיכות מעולה, המופק מעצי זית שגדלים בהר ומושקים רק באמצעות מי גשמים. יחס משתנה של לימון-מלח בהתאם למזג האוויר, מה שמייצר הבדל גדול בטעם.
טיפ 1: תשכחו מתנועות סיבוביות
בניגוד למנהג המקובל של ניגוב החומוס בתנועה סיבובית עם הפיתה, את החומוס למעשה טובלים בתנועות מעודנות. ובכלל, יש המאמינים כי הטובלים בחומוס באופן קבוע הם אנשים רגועים יותר, בשל העובדה שהחומוס מכיל רמות גבוהות של טריפטופן, חומצת אמינו המעובדת במוח לסרוטונין - חומר המופרש במוח האחראי לתחושת הרוגע והאושר. הלאה הציפרלקס, מהיום איכלו חומוס.
טיפ 2: לא להגיש את החומוס חם
שימו לב! חומוס לעולם אינו מוגש חם. הגרגרים הינם הדיירים היחידים בקערת החומוס המורשים להיות חמימים. אם המשחה עצמה חמה, דעו לכם כי חיממו את החומוס, אקט ברוטלי המנוגד לאמנת החומוס הבינלאומית.

YELP's LIST OF 10 Most recommended HUMMUS RESTAURANTS IN LA

One of the interesting things I noticed in Yelp's list of Hummus restaurants in Los Angeles is that many of the names on the list I never even heard of.
I asked friends and they didn't hear about them either and they're just as big Hummus Connesseurs as me.

I don't know if it says something about Yelp or about those who judge the Hummus. But since we aim to be fair and unbalanced Hummus critiques - we'll give all these places the benefit of the doubt. Also, many of the places don't neccessarily have the best Hummus but are located in a place that has heavy traffic and so gets lots of reviews. ( Remember those who said in the restaurant business it's only about 3 things: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!)
What the list clearly shows is that Zankou chicken have truly positioned themselves to be the most talked about online Middle eastern restaurant and that Glendale and Pasadena have become a true alternative for middle eastern food to Los Angeles.
While I do like their food - their Hummus - is their weakest link and I'd grade it only as barely a 6 (Out of 10) And that's on a good day... Zankou is to Hummus what Mcdonalds is to Hamburgers. Clean, fast but far from special!
That said, in the coming month's check out the rest of the top ten Yelp list and if anyone else has experience with any of the places to send us your thoughts.

!. Hayat's Kitchen got 205 votes and overall 4.5 stars (out of 5)
11009 Burbank Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 761-4656

2. Mini Kabob got 200 votes and overall 4.5 stars (out of 5)
313 Vine St
Glendale, CA 91204
(818) 244-1343

3. Mediterranean Cafe got 389 votes and overall 4.5 stars
273 Shoppers Ln
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 793-8844

4. Skaf's grill got 184 votes and 4.5 stars
6008 Laurel Canyon Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91606
(818) 985-5701

5. Sultan's chicken got 79 votes and 4 stars
311 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 236-0604

6. Zankou Chicken got 253 votes and 4 stars
1415 E Colorado St
Glendale, CA 91205
(818) 244-1937

7. Zankou Chicken got 505 votes and 4 stars
5065 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 665-7842

8. Sunnin Lebanese cafe got 471 votes and 4 stars
1776 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 475-3358

9. Kabab way got 90 votes and 4.5 stars
919 S Glendale Ave
Glendale, CA 91205
(818) 242-3150

10. Zankou Chicken got 481 votes and 4 stars
1296 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 405-1502

BEST SUPERMARKET HUMMUS

Even thought originally we intended to review only restaurants, diners and fast food stands- due to requests we've decided to also include reviews of Supermarket Hummus for those interested in getting your daily dose of Hummus when there is no time or no decent Hummus place in your area.

Supermarket Hummus is never as fresh or tasty as the ones made fresh daily- but there are a few companies out there that make Hummus that's pretty good and can be an almost decent substitute for the real thing.

SABRA HUMMUS

I personally like Sabra the most. Their Hummus is good, consistent and is readily available in many supermarkets around the US.
You can check their website:
www.sabra.com
They also have a store locater to find them in your area:
http://www.sabra.com/store-locator/store-locator.aspx

TRADER JOES - AVOID
Many like their Hummus- but I'm not a big fan- even thought I love Trader Joes as a brand. The Hummus tastes like a vegiterian dip and a lot of their hummus options- don't even have garbanzo beans in them and they don't even have the hummus color or taste. So I suggest to avoid for now- until they decide to make a real Hummus that tastes like Hummus.