The English word "sesame" traces to the Arabic "simsim", Coptic "semsem", and early Egyptian "semsent". The earliest recorded use of a spice comes from an Assyrian myth which claims that the gods drank sesame wine the night before they created the earth.

The common sesame seed is Sesamum indicum, native to the East Indies. Usage dates back to 3000 B.C. Over 5,000 years ago, the Chinese burned sesame oil not only as a light source but also to make soot for their ink-blocks. African slaves brought sesame seeds, which they called benné seeds, to America, where they became a popular ingredient in Southern dishes.

Sesame is an annual herb which can grow as high as seven feet tall, though most plants range two to four feet. The white to lavendar-pink flowers are similar in appearance to foxglove. They mature into pods containing the edible sesame seeds, which burst with a pop when the small seeds are mature. The magic words "Open sesame" may have come from this.

Since this process scatters the seeds, the pods are often harvested by hand before they are fully ripe. Sesame seed hulls are removed since they contain 2 to 3 percent oxalic acid, which can interfere with the absorption of calcium and give a bitter flavour. Harvesting season is between September and April.

Brunnen-"is that what you meant by the fine art of overstatement to effect sarcasm?G