Sesame Seeds
Sesame is classified as Sesamum indicum.

History tells us that sesame seed is the first recorded seasoning, dating back to 3000 BC Assyria. It grows widely in India and throughout the Orient. The seeds were brought to America by African slaves, who called it benné (pronounced behn-nee) seed, and it subsequently became very popular in Southern cooking. These tiny, flat seeds come in shades of brown, red and black, but those most commonly found are a pale grayish-ivory.

Sesame seed has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that makes it versatile enough for use in baked goods such as breads, pastries, cakes and cookies, in confections like the Middle Eastern 'halva' and in salads and other savory dishes. Sesame seeds contain vitamin E and calcium.