__hummus could save your life today__
~~food is quite sacred, hummus even more so-- apparently even when it's a joke~~
basic hummus intro: I've been hummus obsessed for the past 20 odd years, which I think puts me at the master level of hummus eating. I thought that my childhood hummus spirit quest ignited by my epicurean minded family friends had climaxed when I continually overdosed on hummus bowls in tel aviv-- but to my pleasant surprise Marat proved, that in hummus, there are always new beginnings.
side story continuation: I was tipped off to witzHummus by my best friend wilson, who isn't to be mistaken with a volleyball, though he is equally important to my existence as the volleyball version of him in castaway. so, of course my first trip to witz was great. good ingredients, proper recipe portions, and what-have-you for making a good dish are certainly important, but love can only be infused by those that carry it, & my first bite instantly teleported me back to tel aviv, at which point I inhaled the entire plate. then witz was closed for a few days, which I assume is when Marat spends his time conjuring magical spells on his beans and tahina. I spent that time curled up in the corner of my room crying, I didn't know what to do, what to eat, or who I was.
on a slightly more serious note, the next day that witz happened to finally be fucking open again, I found myself in the mitte for the purpose of buying a raincoat for the looming weather. this was probably the worst mistake of my trip, as I was surrounded by vacuous tourists, and at the point of exhaustion, I ducked into a joint to grab a bite. I ordered a hummus pita thing, & only ate it because of my need for sustenance. at that point I realized that witz had ruined me, and with the knowledge of its existence, all other hummus in berlin was now irrelevant and borderline inedible.
on a slightly slightly more serious note, I walked over to witz to cleanse my hummus taste buds. for other reasons, beyond just shitty hummus and annoying tourists, I wasn't having a good day, but as I stumbled into witz, I could sense my fate changing. to my change in fortune, I got the freshest of batches, and even though the drink I desired was sold out, he made me his own concoction to fulfill my thirst. I ate and drank in prayer while listening to lively chatter between Marat and a friend who had stopped by for a bite. time moved more slowly, my bearings caught up to my frazzled state, and no longer did I feel the need to run away from everything.
I'm not sure what it is about food that is so important-- but I'm surprised there aren't more discussions of alchemy and metaphysics when it comes to the power of hummus. additionally, it certainly isn't a coincidence that each time I have been to witz there has been a collection of beautiful interesting people there basking in hummus induced revelry. it is a special place & I will always remember it & I might go every day that I can. read more