Top 13 things I learned this year

Let me clarify. These are the top food trends I wrote about this year. A couple are definite head-scratchers one is more interesting than it is tasty, but most are downright delicious.

Simply hit the links and enjoy.

1. More than just chocolate-covered bacon: Meat as dessert.

2. A proud personal moment: The Utne reader blogged about my story on the Predatory Foodie. Me! In Utne!

3. Is eco-friendly farmed salmon too good to be true? I looked behind the label and was more confused than a virgin on prom night.

4. This story is about all the places that let us mix crap we like into our food (a.k.a. bespoke desserts), specifically, a new cookie shop called Sweet Flour Bake Shop.

5. Chick-friendly wine labels are the equivalent of breaking a fingernail. (It ain’t pretty.)

6. The food in Iceland is both disturbing and disturbingly delicious.

7. Toronto has great food too.

8. Meanwhile, the best food in Vancouver may just be in the suburbs.

9. A secret charcuterie web site.

10. Hummus: Now, more than ever.

11. Turkey for the holidays? That’s so 2008. Try this instead.

12. Recessionary times call for recessionary dining.

13. If there’s an apocalypse and some of us survive, we’ll be okay. Because cooking outside is so damned tasty.

Hummus

I finally saw You Don't Mess with the Zohan and thought it was fairly hilarious. It wasn't Sandler's best movie (that would be Punch-Drink Love or Billy Madison), but it wasn't his worst either. 

One of the funniest things to me was the Zohan's love of hummus; from brushing his teeth with it to his father stirring it into his coffee, and the Zohan using it to put out a four-alarm fire. And while it may not be used thusly in Israel, it really is that ubiquitous. And delicious. But tell me something: Was that really Adam Sandler's body in the movie? If so, colour me impressed. 

Still, I was sad to see in the credits that most of the Tel Aviv scenes were actually shot in Mexico, which makes sense money-wise, but the crew probably didn't have a clue what they were missing out on.

I hope they at least ate some hummus in Mexico. And if they didn't, they can now, thanks to this straight-forward recipe. I've made my hummus recipe a million times, and while I know that flavoured hummus (red pepper and the like) has long been available, I think it's a bastardization of a purely perfect nosh. 

Because if you ask me, You Don't Mess with the Hummus. 

HUMMUS

(serves 4-6)

1 small clove garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2 tsp salt

1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (reserve a handful for garnish)

1 Tbsp tahini (an oily sesame butter; stir before using each time)

1/2 cup good olive oil (reserve a drizzle for garnish)

1/4 cup cold water

a few dashes hot sauce (like Tabasco)

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp cumin

Method:

Using a food processor or hand blender, blend the garlic with salt, add chickpeas and blend to puree. Add tahini to the mix. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and process until smooth. Add water until hummus reaches a porridge-like consistency. Add hot sauce, lemon juice and cumin. Blitz again, then pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for about an hour. Before serving, drop a few chickpeas on top and drizzle with olive oil and a shake of cumin if you like. Serve with warm, soft pita, crunchy pita chips, or fresh veggies for dipping.