Parisians are...well - complicated. And to get a glimpse of who they are, and why they do what they do, Olivier Magny in, Stuff Parisians Like, casts an analytic eye on his fellow compatriots.

Some of you may have come to Paris to attend one of his wine-tastings at the very popular Ô Chateau wine bar and restaurant. And if so, you know what a sharp and keen mec Olivier is. In chapters ranging from why cherry tomatoes so important to Parisians, to why it's imperative to have non-French friends if you're Parisian, to how "moderation" (no more, no less) is the keyword in life in this city, there are some extremely wry observations in this book.

Stuff Parisians Like has not only had success in American, but in France, where Parisians are just as widely critiqued & analyzed – if not more so – than outside of the country. And when I saw a Frenchwoman reading the book last week, I asked her how she liked it. "Très drôle!" ("Very funny!") The chapters are short and snappy, making it a good summer read.

When I was in Israel, I had the most amazing hummus, which is made from Bulgarian chickpeas, which don't have the tough skins that other varieties do. I wanted to replicate the incredibly smooth hummus I had in Israel and when I plucked off the chickpea skins, my hummus was identical to what I had in Israel. The process takes a few extra minutes, but it's worth it. Believe me.

1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas (rinsed and sorted)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
9 tablespoons tahini
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chickpea cooking liquid

Put the chickpeas in a large saucepan and cover them with water, about four times their volume, and add the baking soda.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a vigorous simmer, and cook for 1 to 2 hours with a lid ajar, until the chickpeas are very, very tender. Remove from heat and pour them into a colander set over a bowl, to reserve the cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle, remove the loose skins from the chickpeas.

In a food processor, grind together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt until completely smooth. (You can use a blender, and if so, add the 1/3 cup chickpea cooking liquid along with the tahini.) Set a handful of chickpeas aside, then add the rest of the peeled chickpeas and grind for at least a minute, until completely smooth.

Taste, and add additional lemon juice or salt, if necessary. If it's too thick, add a bit more of the cooking liquid until it's at the desired consistency.

To serve, spread in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the reserved cooked chickpeas and perhaps some toasted nuts. Serves 6 to 8 people.