open sesame 0
My son goes to a peanut-free school due to kids with allergies. So, no peanut butter sandwiches. My wife bought a nice sesame cream in Japan and asked me if sesame is a nut or not. Good question.
Strictly speaking, a “peanut free environment” does not include
coconuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds or nutmeg. There is a “sesame allergy” that has to be specifically mentioned in order for this alert to kick-in.
That said, folks who are allergic to nuts are advised to be suspicious of sesame seeds.
So just what the heck is sesame anyway, and where does it come from? Sesame is a seed (not a nut) and comes from a plant. In the wildest of weird coincidences this plant is called the — ahem– sesame plant.
On an interesting side note, rumor has it the sudden popping sound made when mature sesame seed pods split open is where we get the saying “Open sesame!”