Dealing with a German Supermarket: Hummus

You know something is wrong when you spot a pot of hummus in a supermarket and find this exciting. This is what happens when you try and master a German supermarket. Don’t get me wrong, I have commented enough times on how I love the
fresh, seasonal goods in Germany and there is no doubt that supermarkets over here are improving! When I very first moved to Berlin (yes, even in Berlin!) I would be lucky to find a packet of tortilla wraps… and the idea of stocking curry powder (any kind, there is no room for being fussy) or Thai red curry paste was totally out of this world. So how do we deal with a German supermarket? It’s simple. Just go back to basics and compromise by replacing a certain ingredient with something else and never, ever rely on the supermarket having a certain ingredient again. I made this mistake one too many times and ended up having a full basket of goods but one vital part of the meal not in my basket – for example red curry paste. This just resulted in me thinking up another quick meal or having to dash to the local Asian store to stock up on more paste.

When I was recently in my local supermarket I was surprised to find a pot of hummus. This was a staple part of my student diet, a quick lunch with the family before heading out for the afternoon or served as a side dip at a picnic. It is a real classic in any British supermarket. Of course, in the UK you can find any kind of style hummus – mexican style, with chilis, with jalapenos, with coriander – you name it. Yet you cannot beat a standard pot of hummus and who doesn’t like some pitta, hummus and a bit of salad for a lazy Saturday lunch? This is something I missed about German supermarkets and now they have it. Let’s hope it stays that way…

I found this article on ‘How hummus conquered Britain’ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15148342) by first being introduced in the late 1980s and was a growing trend in the 1990s. I remember when I was younger and my Mum buying pots of hummus, pitta and making a salad for a Saturday lunch time treat. It has only taken German supermarkets another 20 years to start to catch on…