1 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor. I'm Anny Rees and I'm 2 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: Lauren Vogelbaum. And today we're talking about hummus. Yes, hummus. 3 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: I love some hummus. Do you like hummas? Oh? I 4 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: love a hummus. It has ruined many, by many, I 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 1: mean too first dates for me. What did you do? 6 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:30,159 Speaker 1: Because I carry with me always ate many toothbrush and 7 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: a many toothpaste. Okay, but I always lose it, like 8 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: it's on my person now, and I guarantee you if 9 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: I tried to find it, I wouldn't be able to 10 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: find it until it was too late, all right. So 11 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: I'd had some hummus and that was too embarrassed to 12 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: admit because it's first date. I got really bad breath, friend, 13 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: and I kind of want to be away from you, yeah, 14 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: like I don't want to kiss you or like be 15 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: up on you. Yeah. And it turned into a whole 16 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: argument one time, it turned into a whole scene. I'm 17 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: sorry it was, Okay, I think that's a clear sign. 18 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: Wasn't meant to be? Yeah, no, if you can't get 19 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: over the hammis breath. Then and then once I was 20 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: at a fancy restaurant on a date and I was 21 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: leaping from the restaurant going straight to the airport, going 22 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: out of the country or something, and I had in 23 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: my purse some hummus had gone bad at a whole 24 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: mold thing happening, and I wanted to throw it away 25 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: in a public garbage can and not in my home. 26 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: And it turns out I couldn't find a public guards 27 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: can anywhere, and so you were trying to board a 28 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: plane with a jar of no the valet he saw 29 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: me looking around trying to find a trash can, and 30 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: it became a scene. Everyone came out and wanted to 31 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,839 Speaker 1: know what hummus was, Why, what was I just carrying 32 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: it around? Where was I going? But eventually one of 33 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: the waiters came and he found a place to throw 34 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: it away from me. Well, that's very good. I can't 35 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: say that I've ever had such an exciting moment in 36 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: my life that was hummis based. But while we were 37 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: in Asheville recently, a bunch of the people that we 38 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: were talking to mentioned there's a very large and successful 39 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: hommis brand, yes called Rus and one of the most 40 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: Ashville things we heard, there's this Hummus brand as a 41 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: tesla that they drive around that's painted decoration, been wrapped. Yeah, 42 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: as one of their jars of hummus. So big yellow 43 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: Tesla Hummus vehicle, which right is about the most Nashville 44 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: thing we could possibly imagine it was, And we thought 45 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: we would include a quote from food critic Ashville food 46 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: critic McKenzie Lunsford about this, this tesla and the people 47 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: behind Roots Hummus. The guy who started making Hummus routs 48 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: Humus and a closet and in the course of twelve 49 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: years gone from two square feet to twenty seven thousand 50 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: square feet warehouse with like this is so Asheville. But 51 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: they're building an observation deck so you can walk and 52 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: watch them make the hummus, you know, and yeah, it's 53 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: three million dollar facility. You know, they're starting to build 54 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: their shipping line there. You know, they have the tesla 55 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: that's painted yellow and they drive to you know, solar 56 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: expos and give away little bits of hummus. That's a 57 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: pretty cool success story, absolutely, and coming off of that, 58 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: not necessarily off of your personal tragedies, we wanted to 59 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: do this episode on Hummus, which brings us to our question, Hummus, 60 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: what is it? Well, Hummus is a spread or dip 61 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: that's made from cooked period chickpeas also called garbanzo beans, 62 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: plus a number of seasonings. Lemon, juice, fresh garlic, salt, 63 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: and tahini are the basics. Yeah, and the word hummus 64 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: comes from the Arabic word meaning chickpea, which makes sense 65 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: for that reason, though in the Middle East it's called 66 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: hamas pizzahini, which is chickpi with tahini, because you're not 67 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: just going to say chick right, not the same thing, 68 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: And we will have to do a whole episode on 69 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: chickpeas someday, but in the meanwhile, tahini. Tahini is a 70 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: seed butter sort of like almond butter, but made with 71 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: sesame seeds, usually which have been a hold and toasted 72 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: before being ground into a smooth saucer or paste. M 73 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,600 Speaker 1: And so the basic result when you combine those chickpeas 74 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,919 Speaker 1: and the tahini and the lemon and garlic and salt 75 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: is a spread that's a savory and a little bit tangy, 76 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: with a sort of sweet, earthy kind of undertone. And 77 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: when it is made well, it is just dreamy, smooth 78 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 1: and light on the tongue so dreamy that sounds like 79 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: how in my diary are described my crush dreamy, smooth 80 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: and light on the tongue. But who's strangely enough, you 81 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 1: wouldn't want to have tried to kiss after eating hamis. 82 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: It's a paradox, the Thomas paradox. It's a dish made 83 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 1: throughout the Middle East and the southern and western areas 84 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 1: of the Mediterranean, and there are as many recipes for 85 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: hummas as there are folks who make it, which is 86 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: basically everyone Israeli is often add human and like a 87 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: lot of tahini. The lebonese may use paprika and maybe 88 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: a little bit of olive oil or you know, at 89 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: least drizzled upon serving. Palestinians often eat it for breakfast 90 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: alongside the earthy fresh herb and spice mix as a tar, 91 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: and as it's spread to other cultures around the world, 92 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: folks have made hummus with all sorts of ingredients from 93 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: other lagoons like fava beans in Egypt or even in 94 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: the West with like winter squash like pumpkin or sweet potatoes, 95 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: and then all sorts of additions and flavorings from olives 96 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: to sabi, to guacamole, to pizza, pizza flavoring, pizza flavorings, 97 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: pizza like. I haven't seen it personally. I wouldn't be 98 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: surprised if someone put hamas on a pizza somewhere. I 99 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: wouldn't either, probably definitely that's happened. This is bringing back 100 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: memories for me. Of I think it was a fad. Anyway, 101 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: it was really popular a couple of years ago to 102 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: make sweet hummus. Like he would use chickpeas and put 103 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,359 Speaker 1: chocolate chips in it and it was like a healthy 104 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: chocolate chip dip. And I made it and it was good. 105 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: But that was a really popular thing for a while. Anyway, 106 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: I try not to Oh, who am I kidding? I 107 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: don't try not to judge that hard, but um, i'd 108 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: try it. Sure, it's pretty good. I'm going to say 109 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: it's pretty good. And the reason this was a fad 110 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: is because of nutrition. It was perceived as a healthier dessert, 111 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: which is what we're talking about now. Hummus nutrition at 112 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: its root, it's pretty healthy. It's a good source of protein, 113 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: fiber and fallic acid. Britain's National Health Service recommends it 114 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: for pregnant women. Once you start adding in stuff though, 115 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: like maybe a slice of pizza and then I don't know, 116 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: if you hear what you're using to dip with it, 117 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: maybe a slice of pizza, then your mileage may vary. Yeah, 118 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 1: depending on how you make it. It's probably either low 119 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 1: in fat or rich in good fats. It's got some 120 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: fox late vitamins K and C, plus zinc, iron magnesium. 121 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: It's a pretty good substitute for heavier, more processed snacks 122 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: and great for adding flavor to sandwiches and wraps without 123 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: adding a whole lot of calories. A study published in 124 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: the Journal of Nutrition and Food Science is found the 125 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: people who eat chickpeas and or hemis have better overall 126 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: diet quality and lower rates of obesity and lower rates 127 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: of elevated glucose. Hamas eaters are healthier here to hear 128 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: folks that being said, like, don't eate a whole tub. 129 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, pay attention to your serving size 130 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: as always, friends, But it's pretty good for you, especially 131 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:40,679 Speaker 1: if you serve it with some fresh vege and maybe 132 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: some pickles, crackers or breads that are baked instead of fried. 133 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: It shows up frequently at our D and D session. 134 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: Oh yes, it is believed to be by some an aphrodisiacs. 135 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: Anyone surprised. I'm a little surprised, So I even say 136 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: it's the Queen of aphrodisiacs, the Queen. It also can 137 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: allegedly be a convincing coffee substitute. I have my doubts, 138 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: but I would try it. I would try hummus or hummus. 139 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: I think, well, some type of like roasted chicken situation. 140 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: The face I'm making is not good. But I read 141 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: that it can be passable as coffee and that I 142 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: should try it. INSI shall, but not currently because we're 143 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: podcasting Hummus numbers. Okay, So Hamas has experienced quite a 144 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: bit of growth in the US. The U S. Hammas 145 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: market was valued at seve million. That's up from five million. 146 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 1: According to estimates, twenty of Americans had hummus in their 147 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 1: fridges that year. But and these numbers are also from 148 00:08:55,280 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: another quarter of Americans had no idea what hamas was really. Yeah, 149 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: I had never heard of it. I guess I can 150 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 1: see that I hadn't heard of it until a couple 151 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: of years ago, A couple of years mean, in college. 152 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:09,439 Speaker 1: I heard of it in college. Yeah, Yeah. I don't 153 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: think that I knew what it was until I was 154 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: in college. Yeah, because I was from a small town 155 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 1: and that town is a college town and it has 156 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 1: grown a lot. But when I was there, like it 157 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: was news. When the Walmart opened, I remember, oh my gosh, 158 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: we want to drive forty five minutes to get to 159 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 1: a store. What news? So there was no hummus, is 160 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. I did not grow up with it either. 161 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: The big brand of hummus Sabra in the business, in 162 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: the food industry business, it's seen as an incredible success story. 163 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: Over the space of eight years, Sabra went from less 164 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: than ten percent of the market to over sixty percent, 165 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: which is just remarkable growth. And part of the driver 166 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,319 Speaker 1: behind this growth was the way the company went about marketing, 167 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: because the average American didn't know much about hummus, so 168 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: Sabra set out to change that. They kind of at too, 169 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: because otherwise who was going to buy their product. One 170 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: of their first commercials featured a well to do husband 171 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: and wife watching the sunset, drinking wine, eating hummus, laughing 172 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 1: about how they don't have to go to the Mediterranean 173 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: because they had all the makings right here and then crash, 174 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: Something flies to the window behind them and lands in 175 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: their hummus and they look around, what what? And they 176 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: storm inside and there's a big what looks to be 177 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: high school party happening, and their son appears with something 178 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: like a lampshade. I don't know, some kind of stereotypical 179 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: party thing happening, And he said, I thought your parents 180 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:45,079 Speaker 1: were in the Mediterranean. YEA, well that's pretty good. That's 181 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,199 Speaker 1: pretty good. And then in the two thousands they launched 182 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 1: a taste intervention and this was like you could enter 183 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 1: a friend online who needs an intervention because they don't 184 00:10:55,679 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: know what food is. And it was pretty popular, and 185 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: it became the official dip of the NFL and the 186 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: two thousand's. And I imagine I didn't find anything saying 187 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: this anywhere, but I imagine the popularity of the Mediterranean 188 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: diet helped boost sales of hummus and sabrahamas as well. Sure, sure, 189 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: lots more emphasis on high protein kind of diets happening 190 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: around that time. From two thousand to two thousand and ten, 191 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 1: the United States switched from exporting for chickpeas to just 192 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: because of this increased interest in hamas, Wow, and there 193 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: is a hummus wrap. There's a rap for every food 194 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: these days, there is. Indeed, this one is from two 195 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: thousand eight and it currently has about three million views 196 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,599 Speaker 1: on YouTube. It's called Hummus calling the rap straight to 197 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: the point. Yeah, it's by one a Remy Munisifi, who 198 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: is a Virginia songwriter who performs as Habib abdual Habib 199 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,959 Speaker 1: and for shaking our head wordlessly because it's a thing 200 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: of beauty. It is is he plays to chickpey cans 201 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: like bongos. The to the model down so much bread 202 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: you think I've had some gone? What's the next chick? 203 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: Chick in the pant how about some bread sticks? Hummus 204 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: is really popular in Britain too, inn they were going 205 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: through twelve thousand tons of hummus a here. British folks 206 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: have it in their fridge, which is double the amount 207 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: of the rest of Europe. By the way, and um, 208 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: this is pretty impressive since grocery stores didn't start stalking 209 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: hummus until the nineteen eighties were coming to an end. 210 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: There's a lot of think pieces about why it's so 211 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: popular in Britain. Oh there really are you and nowadays 212 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: people are big fans of hummus. There's a movie appropriately 213 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: called Hummus exclamation point the movie. There are books, there 214 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: are a podcast. We are one of them. The flavor 215 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: variety now includes chocolate and peanut butter. And this is 216 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: not just people making it at home. This is like 217 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: SAA has you know, Yeah, yeah, these are grocery store 218 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: mass produced brands. In summer, recalled thirty cases of hummus 219 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: due to possible listeria contamination, but it really didn't slow 220 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: down the hummus train too much. And of course hummus 221 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: has broken a world record. Of course, the Guinness World 222 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 1: Record for largest dish of hummus was awarded in the 223 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 1: dish made by three cooks in Lebanon weighed twenty three 224 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: thousand pounds. That comes out to eight tons of chickpeas 225 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: on pounds of olive oil, and two tons each of 226 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: lemon juice and tahini. And that's actually kind of an 227 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 1: important historical event that we're going to return to. Oh yeah, 228 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: that one comes back. But if you don't have access 229 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: to this massive dish of hummus, you can make your 230 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: own so easily and cheaply at home. Yeah, all you've 231 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,959 Speaker 1: really got to do is get the stuff and blended together. 232 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: One of my favorite recipe tinkerers on j Kenji Lopez 233 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 1: alt over It Serious Eats recommends processing the lemon, juice 234 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:06,719 Speaker 1: and garlic together first, though, because the acid of the 235 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 1: lemon will prevent the garlic from producing so much of 236 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: the hot, pungent compound Allison, which is that kind of 237 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: Bernie flavor. That Bernie flavor is a compound that's only 238 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: created in garlic when it is crushed or chopped and 239 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: its cell walls are disrupted, so the acid and the 240 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: lemon stops that enzyme responsible for making it happen. Anyway, 241 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: beyond that, there are a lot of tips and tricks 242 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: for hommus, making dried chickpeas versus canned, how to remove 243 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 1: some of the chickpea skins for optimum smoothness, and uh yeah, 244 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 1: lots of recipes online for different styles. Google around, find 245 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: what you like. Yeah, And that's all so fun about 246 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: it is you can customize it and it is one 247 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: of my go too's. It is typically eaten more as 248 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: a snack or an advertiser in the United States, but 249 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 1: in places like the Middle East or in the Mediterranean. 250 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: It is much more than that, and it has been 251 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: for some time, and we'll get into the history, but 252 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: first we're gonna pause for a quick break for a 253 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you sponsoring, Yes, 254 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: thank you. Homas has probably been around a long time 255 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: and probably was invented in several different places independently. It's 256 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: the source of much modern day tension. But we do 257 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: know a bit more about chickpeas, even if we don't 258 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: know about when the first human to enjoy some hummus. Briefly, 259 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: chickpeas probably originated in Asia and were cultivated as far 260 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: back as seven thousand years ago. They were especially popular 261 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: in India and the Mediterranean. The first recorded recipe for 262 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: hubmas maybe depending on your definition, appeared in cookbooks out 263 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: of Egypt and Syria from the thirteenth century. However, the 264 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: recipe out of Syria didn't include tahini, so some historians 265 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 1: dismiss it as not hummus. However, the first recorded recipe 266 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: for tahini does also come out of thirteenth century Arabic cookbooks. 267 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: Maybe they were combined, maybe they weren't. Maybe still, some 268 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 1: historians say that without the limit and garlic. The Egyptian 269 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: recipe doesn't count either. Potentially, Hummus was mentioned earlier in 270 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: the Book of Ruth, which is the final section of 271 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: the Hebrew Bible, quote, come hither and eat of the 272 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: bread and dip thy morsel in the hummets. However, and 273 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: these are modern times, the Hebrew word hummets means vinegar, 274 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: which would not be as tasty or particularly hospitable, which 275 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: is like the point of the passage, so there's still 276 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: some doubt, still some doubt. Greece, also, like Silly, claimed 277 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: to hummus. They had a pretty close trading relationship with Egypt, 278 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: so it's likely their traders bought hummas back from Egypt 279 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: and they started making it in their own country. If 280 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: our definition of hummus does call for those four and 281 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: edience Chickpea's limon, garlic, and tahini, then the first written 282 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 1: record doesn't come along until eighteen century out of Damascus, Syria. However, 283 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 1: since they were so close to hummus, if you define 284 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 1: it as needing all of these things in those thirteenth 285 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 1: century recipes, and the ingredients were all around for well 286 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: over a thousand years, someone probably came up with the 287 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: idea to combine all of those things before this. Yeah, 288 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: maybe maybe they just didn't write it down. Yeah, maybe 289 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 1: it was so commonplace people that even consider like, yeah, 290 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: that's just what you do. That's obvious. So we don't 291 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: need to write that down. We're too busy eating it 292 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: to talk about it. Whatever the case. By nineteen fifties Israel, 293 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: hummus was an everyday food item, due in part to 294 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 1: the fact that the Israeli Army served it in their 295 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: mess halls. It would go on become this sort of hip, 296 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,439 Speaker 1: sort of masculine food in that country, and an entire 297 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: subculture developed around it. Also in the nineteen fifties we 298 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: got the first known written mentions of hummus in English 299 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: by Elizabeth David, a British cookery writer cookery just meaning 300 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: food writer, but in the most British way possible. Yeah, 301 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: she talked about it in her nineteen fifty book Mediterranean 302 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: Food and Hamas is kind of associated with hippies, but 303 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: I can't find strong evidence that it was kicking around 304 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: in the United States until like the late seventies. I 305 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: think that certainly it would have been accepted by those 306 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: counterculture of vegetarian communities but I think it came to 307 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 1: the English speaking world a little bit later than things 308 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: like Tofu and perhaps through like increased tourism to the 309 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: Mediterranean in the nineteen seventies. Yeah, I wonder if that 310 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 1: hippie connotation has more to do with Now it's seen 311 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: as a very vegetarian kind of vegan thing that you 312 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 1: can eat instead of animal protein, right, which fits in 313 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:49,360 Speaker 1: with the whole movement of the time, But right, right interesting. 314 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 1: Rabbi Yehuda Pearl launched Sabra in nineteen eighties six. PepsiCo 315 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 1: would purchase half of it in two thousand six to 316 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 1: co run it with stra House, and they had purchased 317 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 1: Stacy's Pea chips, and they saw the combo of sober 318 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: with these Pia chips as the premium chip and dip situation. 319 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 1: I have never really considered it as chip and dip, 320 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 1: but I suppose yeah, and especially by like I think 321 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: the early two thousand's were peak chip and dip, peak 322 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: chip and dip. Oh man, I have a very strong 323 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 1: memory of watching in high school watching I Know what 324 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: you did last summer and eating an entire tub of 325 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: French onion dip with Lads chips and I really had 326 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 1: no concerns about my health back then. You were just 327 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 1: living the life. Also, I love so much that you 328 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,120 Speaker 1: can trace every horror movie, or track every horror movie 329 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: to what you were eating at the time. I do 330 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 1: have very strong horror movie and food memories. I could 331 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: do an entire series on it. I remember what I 332 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 1: ate this when I was watching this movie. Anyway, we 333 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: should make a vlog, can we We're going to look 334 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: into that later. But now we have about arrived at 335 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 1: the source of tension in the Middle East that Hummus 336 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:14,199 Speaker 1: kind of causes or as a part of that we 337 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 1: mentioned at the top. Yes, all this all this modern 338 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: history of Hamas, but first we're going to take one 339 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: more quick break for a word from our sponsor, and 340 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. This brings 341 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: us to two thousand eight and the beginning of the 342 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 1: Hummus Wars. The two main players in this war are 343 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: Lebanon and Israel, and the fight is over which country 344 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: can lay claim to inventing mus Lebanon believes that Hamas 345 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: is their invention and their cultural heritage, and they blame 346 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: Israel for profiting off of Hummus. Monetarily, but also culturally 347 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: when it comes to world exposure, and this is because 348 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: of how hummus is marketed throughout most of the West 349 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:10,199 Speaker 1: as an Israeli food. So Lebanon went to the EU, 350 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: the European Union, demanding that they formally recognized hummus as Lebanese, 351 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 1: giving it protected status similar to Champagne in France. The 352 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: EU turned their petition down. This whole campaign was called 353 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: hands off our dishes. By the way, enter Lebanon's first 354 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 1: record breaking giant plate of hummus in two thousand nine. 355 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 1: It was about pounds, that's about two thousands of hummus. 356 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 1: It was La Hummus, and the idea was the brainchild 357 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: of Lebanon's Minister of Tourism Fati about He said, I 358 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,440 Speaker 1: thought the best way to tell the world that the 359 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: hummus is Lebanese is to break the Guinness Book of Records. 360 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: So yes, this was a strategic move in the hummus wars. 361 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 1: And yes, I said first first record breaking giant plate 362 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 1: of humus, because Israel countered with their own record breaking 363 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: hummus served not just in a dish, but a satellite dish. 364 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,400 Speaker 1: And this was eight thousand nine hundred and ninety three 365 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,880 Speaker 1: pounds of hammas, or about four thousand and seventy nine 366 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 1: down but not out. Lebanon fired back in with the 367 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 1: current record holder. The event was called Hummus and tabula 368 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 1: are one dent. Lebanese I like it straight to the point, 369 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: and Israeli food journal is called hummus a symbol of 370 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: all the tension in the Middle East. Palestine got into 371 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: the fray to claiming that hummus is their tradition. When 372 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 1: visiting Palestine has been compared to getting pizza in Rome. 373 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: So that's one of the first things you do is 374 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: find a good hummas restaurant, and a Palestine is a 375 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: tradition to make it early and have it with your 376 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 1: family on Fridays. One restaurant owner in Palestine says the 377 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: key ingredient that makes the difference in types of hummus 378 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: is nafs, the Arabic word for soul. Food historian Charles 379 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: Perry thinks that Beiru is a solid second when it 380 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 1: comes to the question of who invented Thomas, but first, 381 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 1: he thinks, goes to Damascus, Syria, and the reason has 382 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 1: to do with the red clay bowl that hummus is 383 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,919 Speaker 1: traditionally served in as this raised edge to facilitate the 384 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 1: whipping of chickpeas in hummus, and to him, this means 385 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: that hummus was a more recent invention and one invented 386 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 1: in a city Damascus was the biggest city in the region. 387 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:36,199 Speaker 1: If he's right, this means we would have to revise 388 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: up Hummas's invention to the eighteenth century, which is a 389 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: way later than that first recipe that was pretty close 390 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 1: that we mentioned. Or in Rosenfield, director of Hummus the Movie, 391 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: thinks we need to call an end to the Hummus 392 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: war quote Hummus is a Middle Eastern food claimed by 393 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 1: all and owned by none. As of Israeli dancer and 394 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 1: choreographer HELLEL. Cogan debuted this highly sardonic and farcical play 395 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: about modern dance and Israel Palestine relations and Hemis and 396 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 1: it's called We Love Arabs. I had the chance to 397 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: see it at Emery's Exposed Festival back in It's this 398 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: two man show about this ignorant and egotistical Israeli director 399 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: hiring a Palestinian dancer and choreographing this piece that the 400 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: director thinks is like all like edgy and its diversity 401 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: and inclusion, but it is such a mess. And the 402 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: show ends spoiler alert with these two men bonding over hummus, 403 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:37,200 Speaker 1: like kind of despite themselves, and they like literally spread 404 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,879 Speaker 1: hummus on each other's faces. It's it's held up as 405 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: like the possible glue between their cultures. That's so sweet, 406 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 1: it really was. It's very hopeful, very An MPR article 407 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: I read kind of touches on a similar thing. It 408 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: describes the tension surrounding hummus in the Middle East, and 409 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 1: one person they interviewed from Israel said being Palestinian hummus 410 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:05,879 Speaker 1: was political because it's acknowledging its existence. And the article 411 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 1: goes on to describe the fraud journey to a refugee 412 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,880 Speaker 1: camp in Israel, one thousand people using the same road. 413 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 1: Traffic is awful. There's a real fear that you might 414 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: be shot or that a bomb will go off. But 415 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 1: along the road food venders pop up and some of 416 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: them sell hummus. Another person interviewed in this article set 417 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: of the journey, suddenly you're not a human being. The 418 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: kitchen of the checkpoint is really crucial to connect people 419 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: together as human beings, and another person said hummus and falafel. 420 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,679 Speaker 1: Food is maybe the only thing that gets people to 421 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 1: sit together. And one thing that everyone does seem to 422 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:45,199 Speaker 1: agree on is that fresh made humus is best and 423 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: that the ingredients that supermarket brands add are not ideal. Nope, blasphemous. 424 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:55,199 Speaker 1: Even in a BBC article Israeli Tour Guide. No, I'm yes, 425 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 1: Steve said that's not hummus. There should be a sign 426 00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: on that hem us the way there's a sign on 427 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: kosher shrimp. It should be labeled fake hummus. There should 428 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 1: be an international law opinions. I love it. Still, it 429 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 1: will take more than a hummus to work through this 430 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: tension in the Middle East, but the shared experience, history 431 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 1: and inheritance of a food is a lovely place to start. Yeah. 432 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: I wasn't expecting hummus to to take you there to 433 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 1: get so political, but yeah it did. It's beautiful, fraught 434 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 1: with tension very much, and too Heini and to Uni. 435 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: Tension into UNI should be a play as well. It 436 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: rights itself. So this is our hummus episode and it 437 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 1: brings us to listener mail. Yeah it's a firework. Oh okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, 438 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,360 Speaker 1: and we won't have a listener mail in every episode now. 439 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,600 Speaker 1: But but all of these studio episodes, we're gonna, you know, 440 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 1: because guys send us lovely things about your lives and stuff, 441 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 1: and we want to read them. Yes, and MICHAELA sent 442 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 1: does a very lovely thing about our lives and stuff. 443 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: She wrote, I grew up just forty five minutes from Austin, Minnesota, 444 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 1: and frequented the Spam Museum often. We had to expose 445 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 1: my out of state brothers in law to the wackiness 446 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 1: that is spam. Much like the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, 447 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,960 Speaker 1: which ironically I now live forty five minutes from, is 448 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 1: to the Hershey Chocolate Plant, awesome, Minnesota is to all 449 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:32,159 Speaker 1: things spam. It also pays a nod to Battle Creek, 450 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:36,160 Speaker 1: Michigan and the homage they pay to Kellogg's. The museum 451 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 1: is a delightfully playful place where you can find all 452 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: the history of spam and how it aided the war 453 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:44,879 Speaker 1: efforts which you highlighted in your episode. You can hear 454 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: and see accounts and pictures of the soldiers experience and 455 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: to an extent, their frustration with only having spam to 456 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 1: eat at various times, as well as play a game 457 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: where you dressed up like a factory worker and try 458 00:27:57,240 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 1: to package play cans of spam, placing a bean bag 459 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: into a plastic spam can, topping it with a lid, 460 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:09,680 Speaker 1: and putting a stretchy fabric sleeve around the camp, and 461 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:12,439 Speaker 1: then comparing how many cans of spam the factor was 462 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:14,479 Speaker 1: able to fill in the time that it took you 463 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,879 Speaker 1: to fill and label six of your play cans. You 464 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: can also find yourself in the lobby where there is 465 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 1: an entire wall of cans of spam to give you 466 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:24,439 Speaker 1: a visual of how many cans are produced in a 467 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: given amount of time. The museum holds fond memories for me, 468 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: and I strongly encourage anyone to visit it if that 469 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 1: is the kind of sight seeing you like to do. 470 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 1: I also underwrite to you about an experience I had 471 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: with a McDonald's when my husband and I traveled to 472 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: Norway last May. We had a four hour drive from 473 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: the airport to our destination and it was evening before 474 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: we had left the States. We had printed Google Map 475 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: instructions on how to get to our destination because we 476 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: were not sure if our GPS on our phones would 477 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: work how we want it. Before we left for Norway. 478 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: We made the decision then order to fully experience the culture. 479 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 1: We didn't want to eat any fast food restauran, runts, 480 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: or chains. We were hoping to be able to find 481 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: something along our route to stop for supper. Boy, were 482 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: we in for a rude awakening. While we had our 483 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 1: Google Map instructions, we didn't have any other way to 484 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:15,600 Speaker 1: know how to get back to our route if we 485 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 1: were to stray from our instructions. Being the somewhat naive 486 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 1: American tours we were, we didn't realize that Norway would 487 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 1: not be like the US, and that there would be 488 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,719 Speaker 1: places to turn off just off the highway. We had 489 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: gone about three hours, which just about a p m 490 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: at this point, and we still had not found a 491 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: place to eat. We were so hungry. We finally said 492 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 1: that the next thing we saw that would possibly have food, 493 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: even if it was a gas station, we would stop 494 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: and get something. About ten minutes later, we saw it, 495 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 1: the shining lights of those golden arches. We started laughing 496 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: at the thought of traveling nine hours across the ocean 497 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 1: just to have our first meal. The McDonald's we went in. 498 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: I was determined to get anything that wasn't something I 499 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: could get at an American McDonald's, as I knew previously 500 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: that many items would change depending on the country in 501 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: which it was located. I saw a chicken sandwich that 502 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 1: was not described as it was in the States and 503 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: decided that that was what I would order. I was 504 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: pleasantly surprised to find out it was nothing like the 505 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 1: chicken sandwiches here in the States. It was very flavorful, 506 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 1: and the sauce they had on it actually made it 507 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: taste more like a Taco Bell taco than a chicken sandwich. 508 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: It was certainly not what we expected from our trip 509 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: to Norway, but it sure provided a great memory cautionary 510 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: tail everyone. You can't just turn off Nope, Nope, that's 511 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 1: an American thing. Or actually, I don't know. I mean, 512 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 1: have you seen that in other places? Uh? Usually you can, 513 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: but it is maybe not as close right off the road. 514 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: The darkest experience I have with this was in Australia, 515 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: where I remember seeing a sign that said next Donney 516 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: which is toilet eight kilometers. Oh heck, I was out 517 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: in the middle of nowhere. Though. It's always worth investigating. 518 00:30:57,440 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: But this is a very funny story. Definitely something I 519 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: would have done. Oh whatever, Yeah, nope, nope, nope, not necessarily, 520 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 1: Nelson wrote, I'm from Honduras, where pregnant women are known 521 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 1: to crave green, unripe mangoes with salt, human black pepper, 522 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: a little lime juice, and sometimes hot sauce. This is 523 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 1: a pretty typical craving for Latin American countries. There are 524 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: countless stories of husbands being woken up at midnight because 525 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 1: of this craving. I love how specific that is. Yeah, yeah, old, 526 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:31,360 Speaker 1: Because we just did our our pickles episode, and yeah, 527 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: we had mentioned in that that we wanted to hear 528 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: the steer type of what pregnant women craving out the countries, 529 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: because in the US it's pickles and ice cream that 530 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: combination specifically. Yes, it's the source of many jokes. I've 531 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 1: seen it in all kinds of movies. I love this 532 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: one because it is so specific. But salt human up, 533 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: I mean, but green mangoes with hot sauce. I mean 534 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 1: that sounds delicious. It does. I don't want to try it. Yeah, 535 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:02,960 Speaker 1: I absolutely want to try it. If there are any 536 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: other pregnant food grapings from around the world, please send 537 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: those in please keep telling us about the Spam Museum 538 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: because it sounds awesome. Oh yeah, yeah, we've gotten two 539 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: postcards from you from it so far, and oh it 540 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: is always so delightful. Thank you. We've got spam chaps 541 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: to Oh yeah, just not spam flavored, no, just spam labeled. 542 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 1: It's right. I think it's vanilla. I haven't put mine 543 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: on yet. I have it's lovely. Okay, I'm a big 544 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 1: chap stick of fishonado. But we would love to hear 545 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 1: about any of those things or anything else, especially where 546 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:37,880 Speaker 1: we should go to next, and you can send those 547 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: emails to hello at savor pod dot com. We are 548 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 1: also on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, 549 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: and Facebook at savor pod. We hope to hear from you. 550 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:51,280 Speaker 1: Thank you as always to our super producer Dylan Fagan. 551 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,280 Speaker 1: Thank you to you for listening, and we hope that 552 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 1: lots more good things are coming your way.