Not your store-bought Hummus
In the day when I walked to school in the snow barefoot, unhill, dodging horse-drawn carriages, you could not buy hummus in the grocery store. The first time I ate hummus was when I lived in Jerusalem in 1982. I remember not being overly impressed with the look of hummus (glorified baby food) but I loved the taste. Fast forward to my time in Salt Lake City and I learned to make it from the best-Randa, of course. It is, shockingly simple to make and amazingly better than the store-bought variety. I have special memories of making it my house with Michelle and Kristen, of taking it up Millcreek Canyon for picnics, of eating it at Randa’s restaurant. I suspect that the 
largest connection I have to hummus is from my wedding. I had asked Randay to provide falafel and stuffed grape leaves for my reception which was held at my good friend (Alyson Baker’s) house. I planned on making the hummus myself. Things being what they were, I found myself between my wedding and reception in my kitchen in my julibea which passed for a nightgown, madly making vats of hummus. REally, bathtubs of hummus. My aunt and her family from Edmonds came to the house right before the reception and there I stood stirring and tasting hummus. I remember her looking at me agast and her saying “Don’t you have anyone else who can do that?”. I didn’t. I took the making of Randa’s hummus seriously. At the reception my friends served the falafel and the hummus and my guests asked what type of food was being served. MIchelle, Kristen, Missy and Shelly would answer “Palestinian”. Oh, asked the guests, is Ivan Palestinian? They told the guests no, Ivan was Bolivian. Many pondered this for a moment and then asked why I was then serving Palestinian food at my wedding. My friends shrugged and said: “Well, you know, it’s Julie….”. The guests universally said, “Yeah, I guess that explains it. …” In retrospect, it really doesn’t make sense but I did and do love my hummus! Years later Michelle, Kristen and I returned to Jerusalem and I worried that the tastes I had loved-
hummus, knaffa, kibbeh, might not taste as good as they did in my memory. They did. Maybe even better. Eating really freshly made hummus does ruin the store-bought version. Of all the things i make, this is the most simple… It is worth the extra effort. I am giving the recipe in the most simple of form. How much lemon, olive oil and garlic are a personal decision. I really do not think 
there is ever too much garlic in anything but this version does tend to tone it down.
Randa's Hummus
Ingredients:
2 cans garbanzo beans (or substitute 3 cups of beans cooked from a dry form using the instructions on the package)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini (this can be store bought but is sooo much better made from scratch with recipe to follow)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press
Olive Oil (2-3 tablespoons and more for drizzling
Garbanzo bean liquid, as needed
Paprika/pine nuts (if desired)
Preparation:
Blend the beans, juice, tahini, salt and garlic until smooth. Taste and add additional seasonings as desired. If the puree is not smooth, add a tablespoon or two of the garbanzo bean cooking liquid or can liquid. Place on a plate and sprinkle with the paprika/pine nuts and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with pita bread wedges.
Homemade Tahini
Ingredients:
1 cup sesame seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation:
Place the sesame seeds in a non-stick skillet and stir constantly over medium high heat until the seeds have turned a golden brown color. They will burn easily so you need to stir the entire time. This will take approximately 5-6 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and blend with the olive oil, adding more oil if needed to obtain a smooth puree.
