There was a time when the idea of consuming anything made from mashed-up chick peas offended my naive sensibilities, not to mention my uncultured palate. I remember seeing a friend of mine order a bagel with a schmear of what I then considered offensive paste and wanting to gag.

But that was before I sampled this traditional Middle Eastern dish for myself. Once I did, I was hooked.

I discovered quickly that hummus pairs wonderfully with all manner of foods. Fresh vegetables, seasoned flatbread, triangles of pita or even corn tortilla chips all compliment it nicely. And using these various implements, I have tasted my way through any number of variations on this tahini-tinged chick pea theme. That includes everything from roasted red pepper, roasted pine nuts, basil and dill to Tribe of the Three Sheik’s mysterious “40 spices.” And garlic. Don’t forget garlic. (The only recipes I categorically refuse to try are those which involve olives of any kind. I despise olives.)

In general, I’d say what’s not to love about hummus. But over the last dozen or so years, I must admit that I’ve encountered a bit of “the good, the bad and the ugly.” I’m not sure if I’d go so far as to call myself a hummus connoisseur per se, but my palate is much more refined when it comes to judging the subtleties of this, one of my favorite dishes, than I did when I sampled it for the very first time.