Hummus. It is at once standalone dish, a snack, a sauce, and a vegan substitute for butter. Hummus was born and is eaten most widely in the Middle-East, but today the whole world knows of this delicious treat. There was even a short film shot in 2005 about two competing restaurants – one Israeli and one Palestinian – that have been making hummus for decades and vie over “who is more important and which hummus tastes better”. The film won an Oscar, but that was for the movie. The Oscar for the best hummus will undoubtedly go to Vladimir Pavlov! Host of The Geography of Taste, Vladimir will fill you in on the secrets to making hummus and share his own version of the iconic food – with tomato salsa and crunchy cauliflower! On Russian Travel Guide.