Get ready to time travel. The kitchen creation from this column dates back some 10,000 years.

Humans have been delighting in the digestion of chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, in the form of hummus since way before the birth of Christ. Chickpeas were used in Palestine before 4000 B.C. and were one of the earliest crops cultivated in Mesopotamia.

Hummus is also a cornerstone staple of modern Mediterranean fare — which is one of the healthiest and life-preserving diets around.

So it’s no wonder hummus has been around for the ages: It’s nutritionally sound — packing in fiber, iron, vitamin C, folate, vitamin B6 and a hearty dose of protein — it’s inexpensive and easy to make; it’s versatile as an appetizer or main course; it’s easy on the tummy and tastes scrumptious.

I’m a nutrition-freak foodie who cherishes whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies sans any chemical fertilizer, pesticides or hormones, so I’ve had a hummus fetish and a love affair with Mediterranean foods for at least 10 years.

Unfortunately, food free of industrialized hokum is increasingly hard to find in the United States. But if one can travel to the birthplace of all that’s healthy and pure, to say a Mediterranean region, a smorgasbord of the finest fare awaits.

I was given the opportunity to travel Turkey for a few weeks in September 2007.

I’m still speechless at the bounty of foods displayed each day for my utter enjoyment: grapes (the way they used to be: sweet and small) olives of every variety, nuts, tomatoes that were still as red and sweet on the inside as they were on the out (um, when allowed to grow to maturity that’s how a tomato is supposed to look and taste), lentil, rice, eggplant, zucchini and the most tender lamb dishes.

But the highlight was the hummus.

I used to work at a cafe and we’d make our own hummus. I even invented my own recipe. But an archetype should never be imitated. For those who can’t travel the world enjoying the likes of real food, I purchased a cookbook on my trip in 2007, and it’s with absolute joy I share the gift of a been-around-for-thousands-of-years hummus recipe.

Hummus: 2 1/4 cups chickpeas (buying the chickpeas in bulk saves plastic packaging and is much cheaper), 1 teaspoon carbonate, 3 1/2 ounces crushed sesame seed (tahini), juice from one lemon, 1/2 cup olive oil and salt according to individual taste.

Place the chickpeas in warm and salty water the night before. The next day, when ready to make hummus, boil the chickpeas being sure to ladle off the froth that forms on top. When the chickpeas are tender add the carbonate. Let cool and remove the chickpea skin, which comes off easily when tender. Next add the lemon juice, salt, olive oil and sesame seed (tahini), and mash or puree (a blender is a good tool) until a smooth pasty-type texture is reached.

Enjoy with pita bread, as a sandwich base, a dip for veggies or chips or however you please. Other flavors can also be added: Parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic and roasted peppers are all good additions.

PAIRING HUMMUS WITH WINE, BENSON RECOMMENDS: “This is a tough one,” he says. “Experts usually say drink wines from the indigenous area, (Israel), but they might be difficult to find. Probably going to be a white, but a lighter red like Pinot Noir could work also.

For sparkling wine , try Segura Viudas Brut Reserve from Spain, $7.99. Or Pinot Grigio, a full-bodied Alois Lageder Riff from the Venezie area of Italy, $11.99.

For red lovers, try the Castle Rock Mendocino 2007 or Louis Latour Valmoissine from France, $14.99.”