Unscrambling the Egg

by Mark R. Vogel

To determine the freshness of an egg submerge it in water. Eggs have an air pocket that grows with time. Fresh eggs will lay flat on their side in water. As they age the one end will start to rise. If your egg floats, don't eat it.

For scrambled eggs, heating the pan before adding the eggs will reduce sticking.

Egg whites lose their integrity with age. Thus, fresh eggs are best for poaching since the white will disperse less. Adding vinegar and/or salt to the water will further reduce its diffusion.

Older eggs are best for hard-cooked eggs. (Culinary professionals avoid the term hard-boiled since the eggs are not actually boiled). The higher pH of older eggs allows the shells to peel easier.

Thus, don't add vinegar to the water for hard-cooked eggs. Over cooking causes greenish blemishes, the result of a reaction from the iron in the yolk with the sulfur in the white. For perfectly hard-cooked eggs, warm the eggs in hot tap water.

This reduces the chance of them cracking. Then place them in cold water and bring to a boil. The instant it boils remove them from the heat and allow them to steep, covered, for 12-13 minutes. Then submerge in cold water to stop the cooking.

Tired of the usual methods for preparing eggs? Try a frittata, i.e., an Italian omelet. Unlike a French omelet where the egg is folded over the ingredients, the ingredients are actually mixed into the eggs.

This recipe comes from Lynne Kaplan, a chef who owns the Victoria House Bed & Breakfast in Spring Lake, NJ. For a gourmet B&B check them out at victoriahouse.net.