Eggs.

It never ceases to delight me when egg shells are different colors. In kitchens I always say, "Whoever invented the egg, boy were they smart!"

They were surely on to something, wouldn't you say?

Think of all the things eggs do.

The egg is a perfect shape. The quenelle is a stylized mimicry of the egg. (Quenelle pronounced Keh-nell) Eggs are also hard to paint. And draw. And photograph.

A perfectly cooked egg is not as easy to find as you would think. Or poached. Or scrambled. Or turned into a light souffle, a perfect meringue, an ineffably smooth pot de creme, a creamy buttercream, a light and crunchy dacquoise, or a seamless sabayon/hollandaise.

Eggs are hard to master. One must study the egg to understand its mysteries. There are far more parts to the egg than yolk and white.

Here at Eggbeater we are the lifelong student of the egg.

Amazing that the egg can turn into a chicken. Or duck. Or penguin. Or hummingbird.

A vote has been cast for EGG WHITES to be the basis of the Sunday January 28 class.

Anyone else have a vote?

Comments

[ilva]

Looking at eggs has a calming effect on me. And I agree with what you write.

[lee]

When I was vegan for a year, it was eggs I found it hardest to live without.

[jen maiser]

I would add that when you are craving an egg, there is nothing else that will do. Unlike other foods where you can find a reasonable substitution, when you want an egg you want an egg. ;)

I never realized how elusive perfectly cooked scrambled eggs were until I had perfectly cooked ones at the hand of Anne Gingrass at Desiree (I miss that place so much!).

[Sean]

After reading through the egg section in On Food and Cooking, I was amazed to learn about the different parts of the egg itself. Now, I don't fry or poach an egg without first straining off the thin white through a slotted spoon. It makes for perfect, compact eggs every time.