Sesame Seeds – Sesame seeds may be the oldest condiment known to man. They have a high oil content and are the main ingredient in tahini. You can buy them toasted or untoasted. We prefer to buy them buy them toasted for baking purposes because they are drier and will stick to what you are baking more easily. To toast your own sesame seeds, use a small nonstick pan over medium-low heat and spread sesame seeds in an even layer in the pan. Stir them every 30 seconds and continue to toast them until they are golden brown, about 4 minutes.

Tahini – This paste is made with hulled sesame seeds. It has a bittersweet, nutty flavor and a wonderful creamy texture. Tahini is an essential ingredient in many signature Middle Eastern dishes, among them hummus and baba ganoush. Some commercial tahinis are very bitter, often rancid, and have a chalky texture. If the tahini seems bitter, try adding some salt, which will help pull some of the bitterness out. As the sesame paste sits, the oil separates, so the mixture should be stirred before it’s used. We recommend storing it in the refrigerator after it’s opened.

We love the brand Tohum, which is a dark-roasted organic tahini from Turkey (tohum.com). It is available at specialty grocers or on Amazon. We also recommend the super-fresh tahini from Brooklyn Sesame, which you can order at brooklynsesame.com, and the ultracreamy Soom brand from Philadelphia (soomfoods.com), which you can find online from several sources.