'Pea' shake? 'chick' it out
Somehow, the hummus drink is a hit
Meet the “world’s first hummus shake.”
Or, as most people would prefer to call it, “something that sounds so gross it’s the last thing I’d ever want to sip.”
After all, hummus is a Middle Eastern spread made from ground chickpeas and sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon and garlic.
It’s awesome for sticking chips into and munching. But the thought of slurping it through a straw had us gagging.
But things change. And The Hummus & Pita Co. — including New York locations in Tribeca, Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen — are rolling out the drinks on May 13.
Yes, they’re fully prepared for you to nearly heave before you reach for the off-putting concoction.
When people hear “hummus milkshake, they always have a scowl on their faces,” said Hummus & Pita Co. Chief Operating Office Matt Shepard.
You can relax. There’s no olive oil, garlic or lemon. The basic shake ingredients include chickpeas, tahini, banana, dates, and almond milk. It’s the latest innovation from Hummus & Pita Co., which has served dessert hummus in flavors of chocolate, cake batter and cookie dough for more than a year. Founder Dave Pesso acknowledged that he was actually shocked by the store’s new shake. “When I finally found the perfect combination of ingredients for the hummus shake, which superbly mimic the flavors and textures of a real shake, I even surprised myself,” said Pesso. He calls the item “new and unexpected.” It’s arrives right on time for International Hummus Day on May 13. Free samples of the new shake will be handed out to all guests in-store then. A buyone-get-one-free promotion runs through May 20. Shakes are $5 at all store locations, and are made in batches like soft ice cream. They’re available in five vegan, gluten- and dairy-free flavors — original, chocolate, strawberry, pistachio, and butter pecan. “Chickpeas are great,” says New York nutritionist Lisa Young. “They pack protein, fiber, iron. They’re very healthy.” And while she takes the Fifth on whether the words “hummus milkshake” made her scowl, she noted that “it’s easy to overdose and eat too much when it comes to milkshakes. As you sip,” she added, “you forget there are calories.”