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The Food Party!

By Laura Stec

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About this blog: I've been attracted to food for good and bad reasons for many years. From eating disorder to east coast culinary school, food has been my passion, profession & nemesis. I've been a sugar addict, a 17-year vegetarian, a food and en...  (More)

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Peace Through Hummus

Uploaded: Nov 21, 2015

What are you thankful for? That’s the question many of us will discuss this week around the Thanksgiving table. I was thinking about it last week. The first thing that popped into my head was, “ I’m thankful to not be Syrian.”

Hmmm.

All week I’ve been wondering if we should close the borders. But is it true that 90% of refugees are elders, women and children? Refusing people in won’t eliminate terrorism. And government can’t solve it alone.

If we want real safety - the responsibility falls on us to welcome people in and assimilate them. Diversity is always strength. Give people a chance to educate their children, find community, and live in peace, and they become our peaceful warriors. Who better as silent “boots on the ground” then people of the same culture as our enemy? If it was me in a new land, I’d ratt out the idiot criminals who made me uproot everything and travel halfway around the world with nothing, just to escape needless violence and oppression.

Anyways, blah, blah, blah... How do we get to know people of different worlds and find connection? Food is a good start. Understanding is fun when we talk culture via food. So in that spirit I looked all week, but couldn't find anyone Syrian to exchange some good, old fashioned dietary diplomacy.

But we are not giving up. The Food Party! wants to learn more about Syrian culture though food. We are in search of a delicious dish - a recipe with a story. If you are Syrian living in the U.S, I'd love to ask what you are cooking for Thanksgiving, or even if you celebrate the holiday? I think it is our best meal, a great balance of flavors and textures. What seasonings or dishes might you add to make it more culturally significant? Za'atar Turkey anyone?

While the search continues here’s my best shot,

Hummus Trio and a Thanksgiving wish.

May we build peace and understanding through food.



Hummus Trio

Buy or make hummus (food process to taste and preferred consistency: one can garbanzo beans and a little of the juice, 2 garlic cloves, pinch cumin, olive oil, lemon juice, salt). Divide into three batches.

Keep one in the original state, food process one with cilantro till green.

Food process the third batch with roasted red pepper till red. Hey, great for Christmas too!

Garnish and serve with pita.

Democracy.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by Betty hump, a resident of Sylvan Park,
on Nov 21, 2015 at 3:29 pm

I'm thankful to not be big/Fat - most usually make me upset even if they aren't doing anything wrong, I just blame them. Like why is the line moving so slow? Cashier is big girl, I blame her- then I look at the bigger picture (no pun intended) and
I see a attractive chick buying all kinds of fruits and produce.....the cashier doesn't no all the codes! Oh, whoa is me.....

I'm not the cook of the house, but do like hummus and I'm making this to surprise her. Thanks I never new it was so easy


Posted by Call me chuck, a resident of Cuesta Park,
on Nov 22, 2015 at 9:56 am

The first thing that popped in my head was, this year I'm thankful to not be homeless, I have never been nor do I plan on being homeless. The cold old nights and the loneliness , I can't imagine the fear of living on the streets! It's like a kill or be killed mentality and if you don't have it you will be eaten alive by the streets at night. I know one of the most dominant homeless person and he doesn't consider himself any different then thet guy who drives a tesla to google. Believe it or not he thinks he is better! He roams the streets in black leather jacket and is not scare of anything, watch out, as the holidays get closer crime goes up and the streets don't sleep. Believe that


Posted by Lovely, a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood,
on Nov 22, 2015 at 9:08 pm

Beautiful. Peace through food. Happy Thanksgiving.


Posted by RW, a resident of another community,
on Nov 23, 2015 at 12:46 pm

Betty hump is thankful to not be fat? Oh brother.


Posted by Steve, a resident of Shoreline West,
on Nov 23, 2015 at 3:57 pm

I am thankful for the 'k' key working on my keyboard.

"doesn't no all the codes!"
"I never new it was so easy"

and that I am not otherwise language-impaired.

"Oh, whoa is me"
"moving so slow"
"a attractive chick"


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of another community,
on Nov 23, 2015 at 4:30 pm

I know RW - I wasn't sure what to do with that.


Posted by Haha, a resident of Jackson Park,
on Nov 23, 2015 at 4:32 pm

Ugh oh, we have a grammar guy, sorry not all of us have perfected a imperfect d language that was created 1000 years ago. Gut a lif loooozer


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of another community,
on Nov 23, 2015 at 4:40 pm

Please note - The Food Party! is an insult-free blog. Lively debate around issues we disagree with is terrific. It makes for a good party. Lazy writing based in being inconsiderate does not. Thank you for your cooperation.

Signed,

The Management


Posted by really?, a resident of Menlo Park: other,
on Nov 23, 2015 at 5:23 pm

really? is a registered user.

'Hummus where the heart is.'


Posted by Different, a resident of Menlo Park: Stanford Weekend Acres,
on Nov 23, 2015 at 10:50 pm

You changed your post. It's different now than when you posted a few days ago. Why?


Posted by Laura Stec, a Mountain View Online blogger,
on Nov 24, 2015 at 8:35 am

Laura Stec is a registered user.

Good catch Different. I often edit posts during the week, usually tightening them up. But this week I struggled with how to talk culture. It's hard to do it right. I want to ask a question, but I want to be respectful..... There's a new show on KQED - So Well Spoken. I've been thinking I wasn't interested - but now I know I should be listening more!


Posted by really?, a resident of Menlo Park: other,
on Nov 24, 2015 at 10:24 am

really? is a registered user.

There's a great River Cafe recipe of Fresh Fava beans, parmasean, lemon, and olive oil. Go for it!


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of Portola Valley: Westridge,
on Nov 24, 2015 at 10:46 am

We want more than an internet recipe though, really. We want the story - the connection - that dietary diplomacy. I want to cook with a Syrian and through the conscious effort, saute our differences and unfamiliarities into something delicious and community-building.

You may think I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.


Posted by USA, a resident of Old Mountain View,
on Nov 24, 2015 at 2:07 pm

USA is a registered user.

I tried it, but the red hummus attacked the green hummus.


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of Portola Valley: Westridge,
on Nov 24, 2015 at 9:47 pm

Oh no USA! What was the resulting color? Must have been a mess!


Posted by Plane Speaker, a resident of Crescent Park,
on Nov 26, 2015 at 9:05 pm

I'm thankful for ... when I look around in the media, in the news, on the streets
so many people are angry, ready to fly off the handle, hating, looking for any
reason to attack or disagree, steal, get snooty, dis someone else, rip off another
person, find a way to trick and fool ... what I am really thankful for is that this
world turns and goes around, and keeps going, and year after year, century
after century a new day comes around and we all get another chance to try
to do better.

I hope it all doesn't catch up to us before we figure it out.


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of Portola Valley,
on Nov 27, 2015 at 8:18 am

Plane Speaker - you gave me goose bumps. Happy Thanksgiving.


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