It took 300 chefs, hours of work and 10 tons of hummus, but on May 8th 2010 Lebanon broke the world record for the largest bowl of this delicious dip.
This record more than doubles the last record of 4 tons, held by Israel, who broke the former record of 2 tons held by Lebanon, who broke the modest record of 700 lbs. held by Israel. This, in short, is the history of the Big War Of Hummus between the neighboring countries.
Behind this food fight is a deeper dispute. It touches on deep national sentiments and boils down to the question: whose hummus is it anyways?
According to Fadi Abboud, president of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Lebanon has been loosing tens of millions of dollars a year (!) because Israel is marketing dishes like Tabbuleh and hummus to the US market as if they were its own. Mr. Abboud threatened Lebanon “would file an international lawsuit against Israel for violating its food copyright”.
The truth is, no one is really sure where the origins of the hummus lay. Chickpeas were cultivated about six thousands years ago and were used widely in the Middle East ever since. Archeologists found the first evidence of hummus in Israel from the time of the crusaders.
Hummus is widely spread across the Middle East, Enjoyed every day in small cafes and private houses in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Yet it is in Israel that it became a national obsession. Small hummus joints are filled with diners, each one of them is an expert of the hummus science and a devotee of the one place he’ll swear by. It’s either the Galilee hummus or the Jerusalem kind, with or without fava bean, topped with warm chickpeas or served clean. Even with the “swallow, don’t chew” attitude of many of these establishments, encouraging you to make room for the next diner, you’ll see people sitting on sidewalks outside their favorite place, gleefully holding a bowl of warm hummus topped with olive oil in one hand and a fresh pita bread in the other.
Hummus polls, countless articles and even a hummus blog help Israelis articulate their passion in words. And the longing to try the famous Damascus hummus remains one of the biggest incentives for peace in the Middle East.
Things were different in the region before the state of Israel was established. Jews lived in peace usually, within the Arab people for as long as 2,500 years. The local and the Jewish cooking were naturally similar, using the same vegetables, spices and methods, with neighbors exchanging recipes and sharing tastes. Both as traders and as immigrants Jews brought with them new ingredients and cooking traditions to a new place, effecting the local cuisine. The kitchens influenced each other, so who can say what belongs to whom?
The conclusion is that our two people are closer than they’d like to admit, that they share the same foods, and that maybe this is a good thing. And as messy as a food fight involving hummus may sound (don’t try this at home!) it’s still cleaner than previous wars were.
I cannot say that if we just eat more hummus together everything will be fine, because there’s still that small conflict to solve. But it kind of gives a little hope.
As of May 21st 2010 Israel is holding the world record of the largest falafel ball. Really. Anyone’s up for the challenge?
*Originally appeared on NPR’s Kitchen Window.