The Best Buns Aren't in a Bag

I always viewed the hamburger bun as a neutral edible container that served merely as an acceptable way to eat with one's hands. The burger was the main event; the bun, preferably lightly toasted, was simply a textural housing to absorb some of the meat's juices. More often than not I discarded the bottom part of the bun. I therefore considered it pointlessly over the top to include it in my book "The Bread Bible."

All that changed the day I happened to have a small amount of extra bread dough on hand, the remnants of a large loaf that wouldn't fit into the bread pan. Instead of making a mini-loaf, I shaped it into a bun, baked it until golden brown and used it for a Wagyu beef burger. To my astonishment, the bun was even better than the very expensive beef. I haven't bought hamburger buns since.

Beyond burgers, these soft, mellow, wheaty buns are firm enough to contain other fillings, such as soft-shell crabs or tuna salad. And doesn't lobster salad deserve the very best accommodations?

You can:

· Mix the dough first thing in the morning or as late as 1 p.m., and the buns will be ready for dinner by 6; or

· Refrigerate the dough in a large, oiled resealable plastic food storage bag until the next day (to give it a more open crumb and extra flavor); or

· Store the baked, cooled buns in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

To serve, split them and toast lightly.

Cookbook author Rose Levy Beranbaum's blog is athttp://www.realbakingwithrose.com.