In Search of Tahini

I love to try recipes and a big recipe book came with my son’s new Magic Bullet blender. I decided to make homemade hummus. The recipe is fairly easy, except for one elusive ingredient, tahini paste. Tahini paste is actually ground-up sesame seeds. After checking the ethic foods aisle and the spices and dressings aisle, I asked a Publix supermarket employee where to find it. He took me to the produce section, but couldn’t find it there. Then, he said, “Wait a minute, let me go up front and ask someone.” Minutes later, while I hung out in the produce section, he came back around from the other side of the store and said it’s on aisle three (the ethic foods section). I followed him and we both searched again. No luck. Of course, I didn’t really know what I was looking for. He thought it was in a tube. I thought it might be in a jar. It might have been easier to make my own, but searching for sesame seeds might be another story. Then, he left to ask another employee who came down the aisle and pointed right at the seven-ounce yellow can on the top shelf. I thought it was a bit expensive at $7.49, but felt obligated to buy it. So, we’re going to be making a lot of hummus.
Whether you make your own tahini paste or buy a can, the hummus recipe is:
1 can (14 oz.) of chick peas a.k.a garbanzo beans drained
1/3 cup chicken stock
3 cloves of garlic (I put in 4 and it was too garlicky)
2 Tbs. lemon juice
3 Tbs. tahini paste
Blend. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a bowl, drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with warm pita bread triangles. Wa-la, just like the Greek restaurant.