Instructions: Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in top third of oven and preheat to 450. Place sesame seeds in heavy small skillet. Stir over medium heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Cool.

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda into large bowl. Add yellow cornmeal and 3 tablespoons sesame seeds and stir to blend. Add chilled butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, sage and thyme in medium bowl to blend.

Add to dry ingredients and stir to blend well. Mix in cheese (dough will be slightly sticky). Gather dough into ball.

Turn dough out onto generously floured work surface. Knead dough about 6 to 8 turns, adding more flour if dough is too sticky. Roll out dough to generous 3/4-inch thickness. Using 2 1/4 inch diameter biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out biscuits. Reroll dough scraps and cut out additional biscuits. Place biscuits on 2 ungreased baking sheets, spacing evenly. Brush biscuits with additional buttermilk. Sprinkle biscuit tops with 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds.

Bake biscuits until golden brown, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, about 16 minutes. Serve biscuits warm.

Biscuits can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand about room temperature.

Rewarm biscuits in 350 oven just until heated through, about 5 minutes.

NOTES : African slaves smuggled sesame, or benne, seeds into the South and used them to accent soups, cookies, and candies, and to coat chicken and fish before frying. Here the seeds add crunch to delicate sage and thyme scented biscuits.

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