Sabra Adventure [part 2]

How cruel of me to leave off with such a tasty teaser…but before I get to the new flavors, let me continue with the day’s happenings…

 

After our photography session we headed into the test-kitchen (slash science lab?) to meet with Sabra’s Executive Chef MaryDawn Wright.

 

Seriously, check out the nerdy equipment!?!  Anyone need to centrifuge something while whipping something else up on the stove?  I wonder how often they put hummus in test tubes…

 

It was extremely cool to see the behind the scenes where hummus is sampled, new flavors are developed, recipes are tested, and the quality of each batch is checked and re-checked.

As I was taking everything in, my mind was racing and my stomach was doing somersaults.  So excited! 

 

I got to try fresh off the line chickpea paste and tahini. 

Let me say, they are definitely better once combined!  No offense to the tahini lovers out there, but it’s not my fave on it’s own.  MaryDawn pointed out how it has such a mouth drying quality, which I immediately recognized.

Apparently that’s one of it’s key properties that plays a role in how it interacts with the chickpea paste…sucking all the liquid up to create Sabra’s signature thick creamy texture.

On their own, the chickpeas were very meaty (and in desperate need of some fat!).  It was really neat to try the two main ingredients separately before trying the final product because it made me realize how Sabra really has perfected the combination.

 

BRAND NEW HUMMUS.

You guys!!  I was the. first. person. to try this.  Fresh off the line.  My life is complete. 

Side note: because they are a certified green facility, we were using paper spoons made from recycled materials for the samplings.  No plastic spoons!  You can read more about Sabra’s eco-friendly facility, packaging, and more here.  [They have been certified as such since 2010 under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification program]

 

Back to the hummus…next we learned about how crazy high their standards are.  In addition to the flavor, they rate every thing from the “nipple” (that pointy part in the center) to the ridges to the scattering of spices.  And boy are they picky!  Now I know why I’ve never had a lemon of a tub!!

  

Compare the flat guy on the right with it’s pathetic excuse for a nipple to the curvaceous Scarlet Johansen of a figure on the left.  They must feel so objectified! 😛

Next up was the best part of the whole day (in my opinion).  NEW FLAVORS!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, May I present to you the brand new Sabra flavor…Asian Fusion!

Truth be told, I was kinda skeptical of the idea of infusing Asian flavors in hummus.  It seemed odd – but then I’ve been known to put Sabra on every single thing I can get my hands on – so I’m not one to judge hummus pairings. 

Anyway, after MaryDawn pointed out the thought process (sesame seeds being a major component of both hummus and Asian food), I totally got it.  And then I tried it.  And then I REALLY got it. 

It was so complex!  And really different from anything I’d tried before, while still maintaining that signature Sabra taste.  The most notable were the ginger flavors, which danced around my tongue.  Definitely a uniquely awesome  hummus.  I truly loved it and immediately imagined it as a great ingredient for stir-frys.  The top part has a veggie medley with carrots (my favorite thing to dip in hummus).  Carrots and ginger?  It’s like they made it for me!

The Asian Fusion flavor is being shipped out to stores now, so keep your eye out for it.

The real highlight for me was the Seasonal flavor.  At first, I was told it was still a secret and I couldn’t share it with you guys, but I’m no good with secrets.

Drumroll please…

 

Sabra’s Seasons Finest Rosemary and Olive Oil!!

I honestly don’t know where to begin with this one because it blew. my. mind.  It was herb-y and authentic and creamy.  100% delicious.  Like silky smooth, melt in your mouth, delicious. 

I was so in love with it, I had many many more tastes of it over the rest of the day.  Sad part is, it’s not hitting the shelves until the holiday season.  Come November, I’ll have to stock up!

After that we tried the new Garden hummus flavors, including the Tuscan and the Southwest varieties. 

Being a Sabra fiend, I’d already taste tested them and (over)analyzed them.  Tex-Mex flavors just go so naturally with hummus.  Chickpeas + beans + salsa + avocado is like magic, am I right?  It’s definitely Kyle’s favorite.

  

Then MaryDawn wanted us to try hummus in a warm dish, so she cooked up an eggplant and hummus combo.  She had charred the eggplant on the stove top the previous day and left it overnight so the smoky flavor would penetrate the flesh.  For us, she simply tossed it in a paella pan with oil and hummus and voila!

 

My eggplant definitely never tastes like that!  It was so so soft and rich. 

 

Served with warm pita bread…mmm…

You’d think we’d have been hummused out by then, but we were just getting started!

Our make-your-own sandwich adventure was very overwhelming for me. 

 

I had every flavor in front of me just begging to be devoured!

 

I went a little overboard and needed a second plate for the bread!

    

Sandwich making extravaganza!

I paired my newest obsession (the seasonal SECRET flavor) hummus with the guacamole, and some arugula tossed in olive oil and sea salt, as well as sliced tomatoes.

Little did we know this wasn’t even our lunch!  Ummm, oops?

 

We were all pretty stuffed when they announced the arrival of our “real” lunch, a sampling of local restaurant specialties. 

 

But in the spirit of adventure, I added some bites to my plate to try out.

  

As good as they were on their own, I went back to the other room’s sandwich station to (yup, you guessed it) add more hummus.  🙂

The green sauce on the eggplant was really good (no idea what it was), but the potatoes were definitely better once I added the Season’s Best Rosemary and Olive Oil to it.

After lunch, the owner of Spice Station, Bronwen Tawse spoke to us.  Having chatted with her throughout the day, I was already enamored, but her presentation was fabulous! 

 

And she brought presents!

 

I am so so excited to try out all these new-to-me spices!  She went over each one, describing where they are from and how to use them…I found the entire presentation fascinating.

 

This is Urea Biber, which I sampled straight up – it tastes like raisin skins!

For those interested, Spice Station has a location in LA and two in Montreal.  If you go to the LA location, you’ll probably get to meet Bronwen.  GO!  She’s a fountain of knowledge.

 

The last person we heard from was Sabra’s Chief Technology Officer, Tulin Tunzel. 

My favorite part of her presentation was when she talked about their efforts in sustainability.  I never even considered technology in farming, but if you think about the chickpea plants (they are like peas with 1 or 2 chickpeas per pod), it must take A TON of them to make any reasonable amount of hummus.   My own personal chickpea consumption is probably pretty sizeable.  Fortunately, they have professional agrologists telling them how to maintain the land and the crop – so people like me can enjoy tub after tub while still being Earth friendly.

 

I never thought I’d learn so much about chickpeas!  Honestly, the main thing I took away from Tulin was how dedicated Sabra is to making their hummus the best without compromising the land or their Gold Standards.

Finally it was time for the tour!

Geared up from head to toe!  Hair nets, eye goggles, and gloves, oh my!

[The poor men had to wear hair nets over their heads AND their chins!!]

We couldn’t take photos inside, but it was really something.  I saw each ingredient at each stage – from the raw chickpeas, to the cooked chickpeas, to the garlic churning, to the spices. 

I could have stood and stared at the machines squirting the hummus into the tubs all day long.  It was SO. FRIGGIN. COOL. 

I kept thinking about how crazy it was that I have been eating this for so long and now I was seeing it being made.  In real life.  So awesome. 

They had so many people at each stage, checking and rechecking the hummus, I thought they must be the luckiest people ever.  I asked if they got free hummus for life, but never got an answer.  Sticker not on straight?  I’ll handle that…

I practiced MAJOR self control, and didn’t try to put my mouth under the nozzle (they were super strict about safety and contamination and my sarcastic joking nature wasn’t exactly winning them over). 

And just like that, the day was over!

I left with more gifts from Sabra (as if the adventure wasn’t enough already!!!), including an apron, a shirt, coupons, a zip drive, and a loose left tea tumbler. 

Plus some treats for the flight home 🙂

I’m still in shock that I was lucky enough to have this opportunity.  Aside from very garlicky clothes, I came home with a completely renewed infatuation for this company.  I cannot sing their praises enough. 

I never thought anyone analyzed the various flavors of hummus and how they play out over each bite as much as I do – but Sabra does!  And that’s what makes them the best.

This was, for sure, one of the most memorable trips of my life.

And now I have a few questions for you that we debated ourselves:

Do you stir in the toppings at the beginning or do you leave it to dip into slowly over the course of consumption?  No mixing allowed in this house! Keep the middle part together.

Favorite hummus dip in?  Carrots.

Favorite non-Mediterranean cuisine to infuse with hummus?  Mexican.