Our family, culture, and early years can have an incredible impact on our cooking and meal planning. Zouhair Mkais, owner of Hello Hummus, says that he owes a lot of his culinary expertise to his childhood in Casablanca, Morocco.
Zouhair’s mother taught him her favorite Moroccan dishes and a love of food, and he carried this knowledge with him to the United States. A couple of years ago, with the encouragement of his girlfriend, he began packaging and selling several hummus recipes at area farmers markets.
Hello Hummus has been selling at markets for the last three years, and recently expanded to six locations. Zouhair believes that these venues provide a tremendous service to our communities.
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What farmers market item would you want to be, and why?“Bread. It’s tied so directly to my cultural experience and my memories.” Zouhair’s mother used to take him to the community ovens to bake fresh bread. He also says that Pittsburgh winters are the perfect time to bake his own Moroccan bread for eating alongside his favorite tagine, a type of stew. |
He argues that people should go to farmers markets because they allow individuals to connect with vendors who are passionate about good food and can offer a wealth of knowledge about farming. Furthermore, Zouhair notes that farmers markets are frequently being branded as “destination experiences,” with music, children’s activities, and more prepared food to eat while you shop or to take home. Customers don’t just shop at Pittsburgh farmers markets; there is an entire environment and atmosphere for them to enjoy.
Zouhair’s childhood also influenced his support of Just Harvest’s Fresh Access program. His mother took him to the open markets daily.
The experience of bringing home fresh produce, and using it to make an incredible meal, had a tremendous impact on him. “I think that everyone should have that experience, and Just Harvest helps to make that happen,” says Zouhair.
You can find Hello Hummus’ wide-range of recipes at the following Fresh Access farmers markets:
Monday: East Liberty – 3:30pm-7:00pm
Tuesday: South Side – 3:30pm-7:00pm
Wednesday Peters Township – 3:00pm-7:00pm
Thursday: Market Square – 10:00am-2:00pm
Saturday: Bloomfield – 9:00am-1:00pm
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