Hummus.

What could be so complicated about this pasty creation made from chickpeas? Until I met Orly, the queen of hummus, I was unaware of the subtle skill it took to make this tasty item and was sure that the preservatives, garlic to overcome the lack of freshness of a container with an expiration date of three weeks did not spoil the outcome of this meal. I was expecting a real pleasure and education.

So, I walked into this restaurant, in Boca Raton a couple of years ago, and I order hummus. Without thinking that something special was going to happen, I prepare to eat. I look for chopsticks because I always eat with them, I don’t like the metal of standard utensils. Of course, they are not there because I am not at home and I am in a European Mediterranean Cafe. I settle for my fork and wow! My taste buds experienced something exotic and surprising. I couldn’t believe it had taken me all that time in a life of abundance to experience “the real thing.” Now, my eyes had been opened to the way this food was supposed to taste. So what made it spectacular? Here are five reasons that come to mind.

The love of a cook.

As with many foods, the person who prepares the food must give it special love: the love of cooking, the love of food, the love of eating, the love of preparing and offering food to another human being. One or all of these. This love manifests itself in the taste. There are so many ingredients in this dish, so it makes sense to think that the preparer’s love is one of them.

The technique.

Next, we look at the technique. It seems silly to think that technique is an ingredient. But it is. If we take 5 ingredients, a recipe and ask two different people to make the food, the variation will be in the technique. Life experience, attitude, confidence, personal balance, familiarity with food will make a difference. I learned a while ago that “good kung fu” is an expression used to refer to someone who uses good technique to successfully complete a task. The expression is often used for the person who prepares a wonderful meal or as a compliment for any skill.

The quality of the ingredients.

The person who prides himself on the quality of the ingredients buys the freshest and most expensive because he knows the effect this will have on the taste of the food. Most likely, the more experience the preparer has, the higher quality the ingredients will be. The spices will be more diverse internationally, depending on the preparer’s exposure to different countries and cultures. At the same time, the best providers will be employed.

Atmosphere.

How does the environment affect taste? We are creatures who like comfort, visual and otherwise. We like what we see and smell, especially when we go to eat. We enjoy looking around us and seeing smiling restaurateurs who welcome us into their restaurant as if it were their own home, people who know our name and our history. Why? We like to be heard and received.

Freshness.

Lastly, let’s talk about freshness. This applies to chickpeas, paprika, garlic, oil, salad greens or to fill our pita. All of these are part of the incredible. If the vegetables on the plate are organic, we notice it. Complete the effect on our taste buds that comes from our delicacy like no other. It helps to trust that the people who run a restaurant use fresh, hopefully organic, locally grown vegetables. Only fresh tastes fresh, and this makes a huge difference.

Conclution.

I remember the way I imagine they were my great grandparents, picking their own vegetables in the old country: growing, caring for, picking and preparing their own vegetables for the family. Oh wait, I I grew up, cared for and picked my own vegetables in the cement gardens of downtown New York City when there was a community garden on the corner of Lafeyette and 3rd St. Which is another reason I was so shocked when I tried the true taste of this chickpea paste ago a few years, in, of all places, Florida. New York’s Greenwich Village, where I lived for eight years, several decades ago, had hummus on every corner, in every cafeteria and food establishment. It was the time when hummus came to the United States and became standard on the menu. I lived one block from many Middle Eastern cafes, so I had a great experience with hummus. In short, all the previous experience did not taste like the things I recently ate.

I guess the moral here is ABO, always be open. Every day is a new adventure that will teach us many things if we are not too busy to notice them. Including the fact that “real hummus” is hard to find.