The unsolved mystery of the sesame seed bun
Infotainment
By LUKE MORITZ
Have you ever ordered a burger and brought it up to your mouth to take that first, juicy bite only to notice the top of the bun is littered with sesame seeds, preventing you from being able to take the bite until you pick off each one individually?
I haven’t either, but I am sure some people suffer from sesameseedophobia. Whether or not you have this serious and probably made-up fear, the fact that buns have sesame seeds on them has always intrigued me (well, at least since last week).
What is the purpose of having sesame seeds on the top of a bun? It does not seem like they have any kind of purpose whatsoever. They just sit there smugly, saying to themselves they are finally going to get eaten. If you think about it, sesame seeds don’t often have the opportunity to carry out the higher purpose of all foods: to be eaten. They have salads, but not too much else.
They might also be put on top of bread products as decorations, but how many people do you know who decorate anything with sesame seeds? All it is is a dry, white seed. When I see sesame seeds lying around in someone’s house, I think to myself, “Wow these people didn’t vacuum up after eating their salad or bun.”
Taste could be one reason sesame seeds are put on top of buns. With all the other ingredients included on a hamburger, sesame seeds don’t really make that much of a difference in taste.
How many people actually choose their burger for the sesame seeds on the top? “Yes, I’d like a double-bacon cheeseburger with extra sesame seeds on the bun please.” I’ve never heard this uttered in a restaurant before, but I guess it could happen.
Then there are the reasons that all the conspirators cite for having those little seeds on the buns. First, there is the alien theory that eating the sesame seeds helps E.T. and others track you so you make an easier abduction target. Second, the government theory is that our federal government uses sesame seeds to control us. Last, the health theory says that they are included on the top of the bun because they are healthy.
Whatever the reason, sesame seeds on the top of buns are an important societal issue that must be considered. I believe it is important to know what you are eating and why you are eating it. Next time you are eating a bun loaded with sesame seeds, realize they may not be there for the reasons you think. Of course, that is just my opinion.
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