  Thanks for responding.  A spice is not merely something used to add flavor. Wine is used for flavor, but that doesn't qualify it as a spice. Parts of all sorts of fruits are used for flavor, but that doesn't qualify any as a spice. Cheeses are often used for flavor, but that doesn't qualify any as a spice. Giving or adding flavor alone is not the definition of a spice, since just about every ingredient in a recipe adds flavor.  Definitions of spices point out that they are *pungent* and *aromatic* and only a small quantity is needed. Additionally, spices are roots, barks, seeds (or seed-like fruits), whereas culinary herbs are aromatic leaves. A carrot is a root - this alone does not make it a spice.  So while poppy and sesame seeds are seeds, being a seed and having flavor aren't quite enough, in my opinion, to qualify them as spices. Rather, they are generally used like nuts, as in the uses i mentioned above. Chopped or ground nuts are sprinkled on the tops of pastries and added to breads the same way that poppy and sesame seeds are sprinkled on the tops of and added to the doughs of breadstuffs. In all their uses poppy and sesame seeds are used much like other nuts - for both flavor, texture, and crunch.  As i mentioned, poppy and sesame seeds are ground into pastes and used the way nuts are. In my study of various cuisines both historical and modern, i have never heard of any actual spices ground into paste and used as a pastry filling, because their flavors are much too strong, whereas poppy and sesame seeds, while flavorful, are mild. Spices are often used to flavor poppy seed pastes in sweets, and spices are often used to flavor sesame seed paste used in sweet and savory dishes. But the poppy and sesame seeds themselves are not spices.   