National Hummus Day

Hummus, a versatile dip, spread, and snack food, is enjoyed today on National Hummus Day. Hummus is the Arabic word for chickpeas, with the full name for the hummus we celebrate today being hummus bi tahina, which means chickpeas with tahini. The first recipes for food similar to hummus appeared in cookbooks in Aleppo and Cairo in the thirteenth century. Hummus is considered a part of Levantine cuisine, with its exact origins being hotly debated among groups in the region, between Lebanon and Israel and Israel and Palestine.

Hummus is made with cooked and mashed or pureed chickpeas and tahini, a paste made with hulled and toasted sesame seeds. Garlic and lemon are often added. Many additional seasonings and foods may be added for flavor, such as olives, red pepper, horseradish, and cumin. Hummus is regularly garnished with olive oil, paprika, parsley, spearmint, or a few whole chickpeas.

Hummus is often eaten with pita bread or with crackers or raw vegetables. It may be eaten with falafel or served with meze. Its use varies depending on where in the world it is eaten. It has been a staple food in the Levant for centuries, often being served warm and with bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon, it's a main dish, not just a dip. In Mediterranean countries, such as Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus, it is usually meze served with bread. Throughout the Arab world and western Asia, it is commonly eaten with pita bread and falafel.

In the first decades of the twenty-first century, hummus spread its reach in the United States and other parts of the West, from being found in international markets and as a meze at Mediterranean restaurants, to becoming a common snack food. It is now served in a wide range of restaurants and packaged and sold in supermarkets as a snack or appetizer to go along with fresh veggies like carrots, celery, or bell peppers, or with chips or bread. From the United States to the Levant, and everywhere in between, hummus is a consequential food, and is celebrated today with National Hummus Day!

How to Observe National Hummus Day

• Eat hummus! Enjoy it with pita, veggies, crackers, or falafel. Buy it at a store, have it at a restaurant, or make your own. Try it with various flavors and toppings added.
• Host a hummus party. Invite over friends and have them bring hummus for guests to sample.
• Watch a short film or documentary about hummus.
• Sabra Dipping Company, a maker of hummus, has sometimes taken part in the day, with product, coupon, and recipe giveaways, sampling trucks, and social media promotions. Check to see if they are involved this year.
• Share how you are celebrating with the hashtags #HummusDay and #NationalHummusDay.

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