Perfectly Toasted Buns

Just look at these...

 

Have you ever seen anything quite so perfect?  So buttery?  So toasty?

For those not in the know (or not from around these parts), those are perfectly grilled "New England-Style" hot dog buns, ready and waiting for their dogs.  They're also known as "top-loaders".

Unlike regular American-Style hot dog buns, which are formed individually and cut on the side, New England buns are shaped as a single loaf, creased on top to delineate the buns, and then sliced after baking to produce separate rolls with an opening in the top to receive the hot dog (or other filling) and open-crumb cut sides.

The right way to serve a New England style hot dog bun is to toast it lightly on each of the cut sides on a griddle with butter...just as you see in the photo above.

In most of New England, these babies are also the only acceptable vessel to use when assembling a lobster roll.  While it may make more sense to use a larger sub or torpedo roll, hot dog buns are just the standard for some reason and you don't mess with a good thing.