The Perfect Turmeric Hummus Toast
I’ve located a sliced loaf, at Bodaega, that reminds of childhood and why I could not and would not abandon a love for bread. Still dense, but perfectly airy slices - nostalgic - and, also, not far from my apartment.
Good bread is the essential element to any good toast. It’s the foundation. Without a solid foundation, nothing works. Think houses, businesses, relationships and, yes, even something as simple as a fully loaded toast made at home. Finding good bread in Oaxaca isn’t as challenging as one might imagine, well, at least not for me because I am willing to walk and sample, two things most people are unwilling to do because pursuit of exploration means having a fiber of dedication. I’ve always been a woman who is willing to experience the glory of trial and error in pursuit of knowledge and, or, carbohydrates.
Here is what I’ve learned about Oaxaca and bread, beyond pan dulce and bolilos found in the markets of the Centro district. Blocks from my apartment, Boulenc has a Ciabatta that can make anything happen - from simple sandwiches to the perfect panzanella. There is a homemade pita bread from Punto Natural (the one located in Oaxaca Centro sells the pan pita while there is another in Colonia Reforma with breakfast and additional products) that makes anything from a gyro to a personal pizza possible on a weekend or weeknight. And, up a small hill, on a tiny street, en route to the Auditorio Guelaguetza, Pan Con Madre has a pan brioche to walk the distance for (over and over again) and I’ll even put up with the cafes strange bread baking hours to secure it. And, most recently, I’ve located a sliced loaf, at Bodaega, that reminds of childhood and why I could not and would not abandon a love for bread. Still dense, but perfectly airy slices - nostalgic - and, also, not far from my apartment.
Despite popular belief (my own included), my only option in Mexico is actually not tortillas, which is also a relief. I love my grannies in the market with tortillas, and delight in quesadillas on the street, fingers slick with salsa and a mouthful of quesillo - but as an Italian woman who has been living in Mexico part time (without an oven to bake her own) collecting pieces of my own heritage and recreating meals here - well - I realized, that’s home. Home really isn’t a place or loads of stuff, but what we’ve found and collected along a life long journey of making memories and storing them up inside of us. They can be cooked, unwrapped, unearthed, written about and experienced in any part of the world because they are a part of our human fabric. We can also always phone people when we need them or, better yet, romantically write or surprise a friend with a topless FaceTime if we’re really feeling eager.
The thing that’s odd about all of the bread lately is that in my adult woman life, I’ve never been a sandwich person. I guess I’m still not, truly. Though I enjoy them, I’d prefer to go for a fully loaded and flavorful salad with bread on the side. But given the heat, convenience and a want to connect to something deeper inside of me - I’m in my sandwich-ish era. So, I’ve been doing a kitchen dance with simplicity including vegetables, beans and what I’d like to add to my doughy, white, wonders of memory - to. make them satisfying, enriching and, well, elevated.
And, despite not having much space while packing my life into 3 suitcases, I willingly packed my immersion blender. She is a $12 no name brand, Amazon special that replaced my busted, expensive Cuisinart one after I returned from Mexico in 2023. She is strong and powerful, not fancy, maybe much like myself - hence my affinity for her.
When I left NY, this time, I had to pack even lighter. My kitchen equipment was the hardest part of letting go. Memories of cooking, my business, meals made in that kitchen, friends at my table - well - they flooded my heart and mind as I packed, but I quickly realized it was only stuff that I was passing on. The moments could and still do bubble up inside of me, like a heart burst open with confetti, like eyes the first time they meet someone or taste something new Memories are always alive if we want them to be. When I close my eyes and breathe I can transport myself back to many dinners, Sunday’s of preparing for the week, the music that played and reverberated throughout the apartment walls - while the walls of my heart continued to breakdown with love, giving and the gift of food. These memories have the never ending ability to make me smile, even when I’m alone. And, despite not having much space while packing my life into 3 suitcases, I willingly packed my immersion blender. She is a $12 no name brand, Amazon special that replaced my busted, expensive Cuisinart one after I returned from Mexico in 2023. She is strong and powerful, not fancy, maybe much like myself - hence my affinity for her. I knew if she came with me, we’d be able to make anything from a smoothie, to a cream, pesto or hummus. Alongside her, I wouldn’t miss my food processor and mega blender quite so much. I lovingly wrapped her in beautiful floral and jaguar printed tea towels and transported her to Mexico. Together she and I have brought Mediterranean flavors into my tiny temporary kitchen. Taking her with me was one of the best decisions I’ve made. The extra shoes, well, turns out they were not completely necessary.
I found sunshine in making turmeric hummus, bright, golden, spicy and exactly what the day needed to alleviate darkness and welcome the possibility of light.
After securing my half loaf of bread on Sunday afternoon, I came home and dunked one piece in olive oil with salt, a true test of a breads ability to stand up on its own. On Monday, I woke up and it was pouring. I mean, raining buckets, and while the birds chirped, the sky was dark. I found sunshine in making turmeric hummus, bright, golden, spicy and exactly what the day needed to alleviate darkness and welcome the possibility of light. I recalled a curried couscous mom used to make as a summer side and took those flavor profiles and melded some of them into a salad. Lunch would be bright, spicy, sweet, crunchy and make full use of the immersion blender that I packed with me and took to Mexico as my faithful cooking companion.
Find your favorite bread, buy or make hummus (again, no judgement), and play with flavor. Let a memory of food transport you to another time, or be present where you are. Plate pretty, take small bites, eat well and know that you’re doing this for you. For the pleasure of feeding yourself well. For the pursuit of exploration and dedication.
Hummus toast isn’t fancy, but if you go out to a cafe or restaurant, you pay fancy prices. Why not make it at home? The secret to my golden, turmeric hummus can be found here (along with a classic hummus dip you might want to trip on as well) .
To decorate your toast and make it pretty, you’ll need some greens and color. If you have a well stocked kitchen, many of these ingredients will already be on hand, but if you need to go out and get them because you’re not stocked - you will meet no judgement here.
Find your favorite bread, buy or make hummus (again, no judgement), and play with flavor. Let a memory of food transport you to another time, or be present where you are. Plate pretty, take small bites, eat well and know that you’re doing this for you. For the pleasure of feeding yourself well. For the pursuit of exploration and dedication.
Turmeric Hummus
Adding turmeric to your hummus will be a flavor game changer! For a bright yellow color, spice zing and anti-inflammatory benefits - take a chance on turmeric!
Ingredients
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas drained and rinsed *liquid reserved
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of tahini
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon of turmeric
¼ - ½ teaspoon of salt
Black pepper
Liquid from beans as needed *if hummus is too thick
Method
Add all ingredients to a food processor fit with a steel blade and process until desired thick, creamy texture is reached (you can also use a tall jar and an immersion blender or a high powered blender to achieve the creamy hummus texture)
Spicy Sweet Salad
Ingredients (for 1 serving)
1 cup of arugula, washed, stems trimmed, leaves left in tact
A few thinly sliced pieces of red onion
2 T. of dried cranberries
1 T. of slivered almonds
1/2 an avocado, sliced
Juice of 1 small lime
1 T. of extra virgin olive oil
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. salsa macha, note below
Salt to taste
*Spice is optional but preferred for a heat/sweet combo in this dressing and pairing with the turmeric hummuc. Salsa macha is found here in Oaxaca, but depending upon whether or not you like spice and you’re access to it - you can use a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or the tiniest dot of Sriracha, even dried red pepper flakes do
Method
-Place arugula, red onions, cranberries and almonds in a bowl and put aside
-To a small glass jar or measuring cup (mug or anything you have that’s tiny to whisk in) add lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, honey, a speck of spice (optional) and a healthy sprinkle of salt
-Using a fork or small whisk, mix all dressing ingredients and drizzle over the bowl of greens (above)
-Slice avocado and put aside
Toast Assembly
Lay down one thick slice of bread
Smother in turmeric hummus
Gently place the dressed salad on top of the toast
Add sliced avocado
Provecho!