Michelle Rhee knows Soul food?!

I like Michelle Rhee. There I said it. Maybe don't tell any public school teachers, though, okay? So I was interested to hear that she's in the know about some of the best soul food in DC, which happens to be located in a church basement. I must check this out.

Michelle Rhee’s Favorite D.C. Restaurants Run the Gamut

Hummble Sandwich

Summer...the most glorious season for produce...is gone. Well, at least the local peaches are gobbled up, and I go back to work/school on Tuesday. And shamefully, I didn't enjoy the glorious produce much this summer. Traveling kept me from making the farmers' market a weekly endeavor (Lord knows I tried!) as well as doing much of any grocery shopping.

Excuses, excuses, right?

Because my grocery store endeavors and cooking have been almost non-existent, tonight I made myself a Hummble Sandwich. Hummus, grated carrot, marinated artichoke hearts on a super thin whole wheat bun, open-faced. Get it, Humm-ble? Humm-us. Ok, I probably didn't need to spell that out for you. It is humble, but also good for me (you, too), amazingly filling, and quite attractive with zillions of bright orange shreds dangling off the edges. Mmm...almost makes me want another one. Oh, and did I mention...it's so cheap. Like, equivalent of a 25 cent pack of ramen noodles, perhaps. This might become my go-to-lunch this school year. I'm also starting to brainstorm variations and additions, thinly sliced cucumber, olives (if I could stand them), greens, tomato, chopped red onion, pickles, hard-boiled egg, ful made with fava beans (something new to me, but why not?!) ...do you have any ideas?

I've made hummus a few times, but have generally preferred the taste of some store-bought. My current favorite is Whole Foods store brand. I've tried many from Trader Joe's but can never remember if I prefer the one with tahini or without. (You should see me at the grocery store, ogling ingredient lists; it's ridiculous.) In researching accompaniments to hummus, I came across this article from the San Francisco Chronicle. My three take-aways are:
1) I must try making ful, slow-cooked fava beans with lemon and garlic, to eat with hummus.
2) Hummus should be made from dried chickpeas* than have been soaked overnight, not canned.
3) Hummus should be made with less and higher quality oil and processed longer. This sounds like a reasonable explanation of the key to thick and smooth (not grainy) hummus.
I know I said three, but...
4) Hummus needs cumin. My sister told me this a few weeks ago and I'm not sure why it seemed like a revelation.

Maybe the autumn squashes and the crisp breezes--don't think they're getting to DC anytime soon--will renew my resolve to get back in the kitchen, but for now I think I'll eat a few more Hummble Sandwiches.

Can I make one more excuse for not cooking? or not blogging? or maybe both? My camera broke a few weeks ago and I can't commit to another model. I want my camera back. I know how to work all the buttons! Why cook if I can't take a picture of it? Why blog if I can't post a picture? I know that's what you really want to see.

Excuses...


* i.e. chickpeas: A good friend once told me that she thought her dad made up the name "garbanzo beans" to be funny until she heard people call chickpeas garbanzos in college!