Forget hand bumps of caviar. Springing for pasture-raised organic eggs these days is the real flex; that is, if you can find them in the grocery store. Eggs are expensive right now, and inflation isn’t the only culprit. Apparently a bird flu outbreak has contributed to the high prices with millions of birds needing to be culled.
Still, we can’t get enough eggs. Americans eat an average of 300 eggs per year per person. Whether you like them poached, fried, scrambled, deviled, or in a cake, eggs have a seemingly infinite number of uses. You can use egg whites to clarify stock, as a face mask, and for a myriad of other uses if you are feeling like channeling your inner hippy.
As a savory breakfast kind of gal, eggs are an essential part of my morning plate (or afternoon, or midnight…eggs can happen at any time of day!). As a kid, my mom made me soft boiled eggs for breakfast. So simple and delicious – two soft-cooked eggs in a small bowl with salt and pepper. And hard boiled eggs for an afternoon snack – cut in half and sprinkled with salt and pepper, maybe some hot sauce.
In college, I cracked an egg into my almost cooked instant ramen and crowned it with a slice of american cheese and a drizzle of sriracha. I considered myself a fully formed adult when I started using egg cups for soft boiled eggs. Boil some water and, when bubbling gently, carefully lower your room temp eggs into the water. Cook and swirl for one minute so that the yolk settles in the center, and then cook for an additional 3 minutes and thirty seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer your eggs to the egg cups, narrow end down. Cut the very top off the eggs with a sharp knife and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Use buttery toast cut into spears to transport the egg goo to your mouth. Then more salt and pepper, and use a spoon to scoop the white out. Chef’s kiss!
Egg yolk also makes for a creamy vinaigrette or a luxurious pasta sauce. Spaghetti carbonara anyone? Save the whites for meringue. Ha! Who am I kidding? When was the last time I made a meringue? NEVER, actually. Sure, I save the whites in a plastic container with the date written neatly on top. They sit in the fridge until I discover them a month later and toss. Egg whites only keep for a week in the fridge (several months in the freezer though). Honestly, I don’t feel bad about it. The white is kind of bs. Even the crows leave that behind.
Times may be tough for egg lovers, but my egg-thusiasm shall not be cracked! Please enjoy these snaps from a few recent egg-centric meals. And let’s take a moment to appreciate all those egg-layers that make our breakfasts brighter.
Adventures of a Hungry Ginger 