The beautiful poppy flower owes its notoriety to the opium that is obtained from the flower pod. The seeds, however, contain no morphine, although a tea made from poppy seeds is said to have mildly calming properties. Poppy seeds can be either black or white; the black are of higher quality and white seeds are sometimes dyed to pass as black. They have a delicious nutty flavor and are widely used to flavor breads, bagels, and pastries. Try adding a teaspoon of poppy seeds to melted butter and pour over cooked vegetables – lends intriguing flavor.
The poppy seed also yields a bland light-colored oil. It has been used in parts of Europe for salads and cooking, and as an adulterant of olive oil. It is also serves as a medium for oil painting.
