Relatively obscure a generation ago, hummus is now a global business.
Plato was partial to it, as was Socrates. The Phoenicians plied the seas and the Egyptians fed slaves on it. It is arguably Western civilisation’s first superfood, and no self-respecting Israeli, Greek, Turkish or Middle Eastern restaurant would be seen dead without it on the menu. It is, of course, hummus. The precise origins of this mélange of chickpeas, tahini, lemon and garlic are lost in the proverbial mists of time. But one thing is certain: nowadays it is as likely to be served in Jewish homes as chicken soup or chopped liver.
So it may come as no surprise that this weekend sees Britain’s — and possibly the world’s — first festival of hummus, hosted by the JCC at Hampstead Town Hall on Sunday. Participants can enter a hummus-making competition (ingredients will be supplied by the organisers). The winner will see their hummus formula included in a special dish for a week at Hummus Bros in Soho, who will be donating £1 per portion to a charity of the winner’s choice.
The Hummus Bros (who are not in fact brothers) will be among the judges, along with the JC’s own Silvia Nacamulli, and restaurant critic Victoria Prever. Says Nacamulli, who lived in Israel for several years, “I will surely look for a hummus that is whisker-licking good and that reminds me of the simple pleasure of the Levant, and Israel in particular.” “I’ll be looking for something creative, but not too creative,” says Prever.
