poppy seeds
Tiny, crunchy seeds from the poppy plant, with a mild, faintly nutty flavor. Used both baked into breads and pastries for texture and speckled appearance, and mixed into savory butter or dressing bases -- like the poppy-seed-mustard spread used on baked ham sandwiches -- where they add a light crunch rather than a strong flavor of their own.
Buying guidance
Sold in the spice aisle, usually in a small jar or shaker; any brand is essentially the same product. Buy a size you'll use up within a year or so, since their oil content means they don't stay fresh indefinitely.
Substitutions
- Sesame seeds -- similar crunch, milder and slightly nuttier; a reasonable swap in most savory uses.
- Omit entirely -- fine in a spread or dressing, where the seeds mainly add texture rather than being essential to the flavor.
Tips & common mistakes
Because their oil content makes them go rancid faster than many other dried spices, an old jar can taste faintly bitter rather than freshly nutty -- worth a sniff or taste before using one that's been in the cabinet a long time.
Storage
Keep in a sealed container away from heat and light; refrigerating or freezing extends their freshness noticeably longer than leaving them at room temperature, since cold slows the oils in the seeds from turning rancid.