Saturday, January 8, 2011

Sunny with a Chance of Toast

 I have a confession folks, I don't like the white of eggs.
 I don't care if the white is firm or runny, I'm not eating it. It doesn't matter if the egg is boiled, fried or poached. Bottom line, if I see anything that resembles the white of the egg, I'M NOT EATING IT! I am aware that it really doesn't have a taste. It may really come down to the texture of the thing. Whatever the reason, is not the point. The fact of the matter is, that due to this peculiar culinary dislike of mine, I have spent most of my life finding the perfect egg. I don't mean organic, free range or any of those popular labels, although I do prefer a local farm raised egg. If given a choice, I will also pick the brown egg every time. To me they just taste better. But when I say The Perfect Egg, I mean the best way the egg can be prepared that will ultimately lead me to the golden, delicious center with the least amount of dissection. I have cooked eggs in a variety of ways and here are the results of my quest;
Hard Boiled- This has always seemed to be the easiest way to eat an egg as I am able to remove the white and keep the yolk intact. The problem with this method is that the yolk is usually over cooked. If I reduce the boil time, the yolk and the white are too runny and become too involved with each other.
Scrambled- This is also an easier way for me to eat eggs. However, the eggs must be beaten with vigor and scrambled well in the pan to rid the sight of any egg white.
Sunny Side Up- This has become my absolute favorite way to eat an egg. The downside? There is a ridiculous amount of dissecting time involved with this process. Not to mention the effect it has on those watching the process! The white is usually firm enough that I can cut it away from the yolk. I then gently remove that jelly-like film that coats the top of the yolk. After I have successfully done this without breaking the yolk, I flip the yolk over and remove the last of the white from what once was the bottom of the yolk. What I am left with is usually a golden, runny yolk ready for the dipping of buttered toast. White... free.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about all the different methods in which I can cook an egg with the best possible outcome. What I have come up with today is
                                          
This is what I call The Perfect Egg.
  This egg was a result of me thinking about the possibilities of an over poached egg. I figured if I over poached the egg, the white would be firm enough to remove but would also allow the yolk to remain intact. I have to say, I was hopeful but never thought the result would be this dreamy. There was a bit of dissection involved but the time required was certainly minimal. The yolk was a perfect balance of firmness and softness. It could hold its shape for the white removal but was supple enough for a good toast dipping. My quest may be over but the future is certainly sunny. 

4 comments:

  1. Funny post. Over very easy is how I like mine. I'm a toast dipper too, but I like the white part just fine :).

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  2. Thanks. Glad you got my humor! Was afraid I might be taken a little too serious :D

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  3. This is too funny! Especially because I just finished eating 3 egg whites while catching up on my blogging : ) of course I scrambled it with asparagus, onion and white cheddar...muy tasty! Oh, I really love "eggs in a hole" where you cut a hole in the center of your bread and crack the egg into, both cooking and toasting your bread at the same time...not sure if it would work with just the yolk?

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  4. I call "eggs in a hole" bird in a nest...have of course tried it with just the yolk and surprisingly it worked out just fine :) I haven't used that particular method in ages though. Guess you and I should team up for breakfast and polish off some eggs!

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