If you visit a sesame seed field in late summer after dark, you will hear the loud "popping" of sesame plants exploding and spilling their ickle seeds. This characteristic is thought to be the origin of the phrase "Open Sesame". The ancient Chinese burned sesame oil for   light, and used the soot to make ink. Old wives recommended chewing a tablespoon of sesame seeds a day to regulate the 'menses'. The ickle seeds are full of vitamin A, E and protein. They also contain three times more calcium than milk. In the US one third of the crop is purchased by McDonalds for their sesame seed buns. These purchases set the market pricing each August. JS

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