Sesame: Global Recipes + Stories of an Ancient Seed

ONE OF EPICURIOUS' BEST COOKBOOKS OF SPRING

With its delicious nutty taste, nutritional density, and long shelf life, the sesame seed is a tiny ingredient with an enormous cultural impact and a deeply rich history.

In Sesame, Rachel Simons, co-founder of Seed + Mill, celebrates the evolution, history, and diversity of this classic ingredient. Whether it's in the form of a seed, tahini (a ground sesame paste), sesame oil, or halva (a delicate, fudge-like candy made from sesame paste), readers will learn to incorporate sesame in 80+ traditional and modern global recipes, including Sweet & Salty Sesame Challah; Pear and Pistachio Breakfast Loaf with Sesame Streusel; Lemony Orecchiette with Sesame Pangrattato; Gomasio-Crusted Salmon Skewers; and Tahini Swirled Pavlova with Labneh, Berries & Halva Flakes.

Through vibrant photography, evocative storytelling, and contributions from a slate of noted chefs and food luminaries across the globe, including David Lebovitz, Molly Yeh, Nisha Vora, and Zoë François, Sesame is a loving culinary tribute to the sesame seed: how it has transformed dishes, how it has been translated by different culinary cultures, and how it has tied people and places together through generations.

Review Quotes

A clear, approachable guide to the world of sesame, from halva, tahini, and sesame oil, to togarashi, gomasio and furikake, with 80+ vegetarian-forward recipes, from the founder of popular tahini outfit Seed+Mill in New York's historic Chelsea Market.

"I had high expectations for the cookbook Sesame, written by Seed + Mill's co-founder Rachel Simons, but the book managed to exceed them. I had assumed the recipes in the book would be mostly Middle Eastern, but once I cracked it open I was delighted to find an exploration of sesame's use around the globe, in both modern and traditional ways, driving home the incredible versatility of the nutritious seed."--The Washington Post

About the Author

Rachel Simons is the founder of Seed+Mill, the first store devoted to sesame products in the United States. Their high-quality tahini and halva are favorites of chefs like Zoë François, Carolina Gelen, Dan Kluger, and Ayesha Nurdjaja. Seed+Mill products are carried in over 1700 stores, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, and beloved specialty stores across the US. Seed+Mill has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Food52, Bon Appétit, and more.