In Ancient China, home of the opium poppy( Papaver somniferum), there is an old legend that Buddha, in order to keep from falling asleep, cut off his eyelids and where they fell to the ground there grew an herb that had a red flower, that was to give sleep and tortured dreams to all mankind.

Opion is Greek for poppy juice , that we now know as opiate, is made from the milky pods of the unripe capsules of papaver. Since ancient times opium was smoked to relive pain and cause sleep. In ancient Egypt it was used a an anesthesia before surgery, and in Persia is was fermented into wine to cause extreme euphoria. Mesopotamia used it as an hallucinogen to speak with the gods.

Today many cultures, especially in the Mediterranean, have incorporated the seeds into there culinary culture. Here in America we use them on bagles and pastries.