Hummus a Trois

Ok, so I posted my hummus method on Wednesday, and several healthy eaters responded and a conversation ensued. I had so much hummus talk that I needed to walk that talk. And in keeping with my "a Trois" theme that's been evolving... here ya go!

Hope you enjoy, and get your garbanzo on!!!

Hummus a Trois

I used my basic recipe for hummus and then started my play time... kinda like a toddler with Play Dough...

Mediterranean

For the Mediterranean, I made the basic recipe and finished it with:

1. Diced Red Onions
2. Sliced Calamata Olives
3. Olive Oil with Blood Orange
4. A dusting of Smoked Paprika

And then I made another basic batch...

Roasted Red Pepper

For this one I did the following:

1. Pureed Roasted Red Peppers into the hummus
2. Finished it with Capers
3. Minced Italian Parsley
4. Drizzled Hickory Smoked Olive Oil on top

And for the final one...

Lime Jalapeno and Cilantro

I made the basic batch and added cilantro and fresh Jalapenos, and used lime juice instead of lemon, and finished it with:

1. Olive Oil with Persian Limes
2. Minced Fresh Jalapenos
3. Minced Fresh Cilantro

Of course I used my beloved Temecula Olive Oil Company olive oils...

Hickory Smoked, Fajita Frenzy, Blood Orange

I've blogged several times on Temecula Olive Oil Company - it's a great story on seriously hand-crafted, extra virgin, cold-pressed oils and a couple other artisanal foodie stores in Old Town Temecula.

And of course, what's a meal in the LOFT without wine? 

Palumbo 2010 Viognier

Here's a little info on this wine, and following that some basic information on Viognier.

Palumbo Family 2010 Viognier

This 2010 Viognier is 100% stainless steel aged and has wonderful bright expressions of aromatics, stone-fruit, nuances of honey, a big round mouth-feel along with a clean minerally finish. This wine was a nice encompassing bridge for the Hummus a Trois because of its clean, fruity characteristics.

Viognier

Like Chardonnay, Viognier is one of the great wine grapes of the world. It’s truly French, and truly versatile—and like the Chardonnay, a wine maker’s dream grape.  The Viognier grape is the premier white grape of the Rhone region of France. It is considered one of the oldest known grapes; some think it originated in Damatia, but many others believe it started in Rome and migrated along the Roman trade routes to Southern France.

The Viognier grape can be difficult to grow, but does well in warm Mediterranean climates like Southern California. Viognier wines are so amenable for wine makers that they can be made in many different styles: oaked, un-oaked, with secondary fermentation, without secondary fermentation. The one thing for sure is, they are always nuanced beautiful wines. They are subtly aromatic, clean, but not too acidic, and usually bursting with summer stone fruits like peaches, apricots, and nectarines, followed by tropical notes of pineapples, and often sweet apples and pears joining in the dance.