What are benne wafers made of?
Sesame Seed Cookies
Benne wafers are traditional cookies from Charleston, SC made with benne (sesame) seeds. Bite-sized and crunchy, they make excellent tea cookies and are ideal for wedding or shower favors or Christmas gifts!
What does benne wafers taste like?
The draw for me then, and now, is the combination of three flavors: the nutty taste of the toasted benne (sesame) seeds, a hint of salt, and the caramel sweet flavor from the brown sugar – a chewy crunchy dessert trifecta.
Where do benne wafers come from?
Benne wafers are from the “Lowcountry” of South Carolina. Sesame, a plant with a long history of cultivation, was probably first grown in Africa; enslaved West Africans in the 17th and 18th centuries called sesame “benne” and legend had it that eating sesame seeds brought good luck.
Are benne seeds the same as sesame seeds?
The benne seed is derived from the same plant as modern-day sesame seeds, Sesamum indicum. Like many heirloom ingredients from the South, benne has a fraught history. By the 20th century, that shift led to the milder-tasting seeds that are grown commercially today as sesame seeds.
What do you eat benne wafers with?
The Benne Wafer is a thin cookie, made with tasty toasted sesame seeds. There is a long standing culinary history in Charleston for this very unique sweet treat. Serve with Pimento Cheese as an appetizer or make bite-size ice cream sandwiches for desert.
What is Sea Island benne?
Enslaved Africans brought benne seeds from Africa to the Carolina Sea Islands in the early 18th century and cultivated them in hidden gardens for nearly a century as a staple food seed for rice cookery.
How do you eat benne wafers?
They can be eaten on their own, paired with a cup of coffee, or you can ruin them with a little chocolate ( please don’t tell me if you do this ). They are divine when made into a refreshing, bite-sized, ice-cream-style sandwich with a dollop of lime sherbet between two wafers.
What is benne seed used for?
Sesame seeds are a good source of healthy fats, protein, B vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and other beneficial plant compounds. Regularly eating substantial portions of these seeds — not just an occasional sprinkling on a burger bun — may aid blood sugar control, combat arthritis pain, and lower cholesterol.
What is benne oil?
Extracted from the seed of landrace West African benne (Sesamum indicum), benne oil is an aromatic oil that, from 1810 to 1890, was preferred for salads and frying in the southern US. The bitter flavor of oils produced from the plants in that family disqualifies it from culinary use.
Do sesame seeds make you gain weight?
Sesame seeds are excellent for gaining weight and very easy to include in your daily diet. Sesame seeds are available everywhere, so if you’re looking to put on some pounds, add them to your grocery list right away.
Does sesame seeds cause gas?
If you have frequent bloating, make sure you’re eating foods that contain magnesium. Common magnesium-rich foods include collard greens, chard, kale, spinach, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.
Is Gingelly oil good for massage?
Another practice often used in Ayurveda, is using Gingelly oil for splits in the skin of the feet (often caused when being over-worked and on your feet too often). Regular massaging of Gingelly oil into these areas can help make a difference to the skin and help encourage repair and texture of the skin.