Catering

We cater for private functions, weddings, and special celebrations.
Our style is of Ottoman cuisine influenced by the current Melbourne food scene

The Origin of Hummus

The honest truth is that no one really knows for sure the origin of Hummus. That being said, though, based on historical information, hummus likely originated from ancient Egypt. The earliest known written recipes for a dish resembling hummus bi tahina are recorded in cookbooks written in Cairo in the 13th century.
Another theory dates back to bible times, a theory, widely attributed to author Meir Shalev, claims that hummus was first mentioned in the old testament.
On the first time Ruth and Boaz had met in Bethlehem, he offered her what seems to have been an ancient form of hummus: “And at meal-time Boaz said unto her, ‘Come hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar” (Ruth 2-14).
Vinegar is a slight mistranslation. The original word in ancient Hebrew is “Hometz” which not only sounds a bit like “Hummus”, but also resembles the word “Himtza”, the Hebrew name of chickpeas. Chickpeas were and are abundant in the Middle East and are still commonly eaten. In fact, the word hummus in Arabic means chickpeas.
The Great Ottoman Empire created a huge network of trade partners for centuries which may explain why many of the foods in Turkish, Greek, Arab and Israeli cuisines are similar, if not identical. Stuffed grape leaves are an excellent example of a dish that is popular in those cultures. The dessert, baklava, is another favorite. You can see how many foods “crossed over” during the height of the Ottoman Empire.
Regardless of where it originated from, hummus is a delicious dish that’s enjoyed by all cultures. It’s become a great example of a “crossover” food, so much so that some people find it so common now that they don’t even realize its roots.