Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Golden Treasure Inside is Hid



I occasionally wonder if my obsession with cooking an egg to the perfect state of creamy golden-ness is normal. 

I mean my day isn't completely ruined when I crack open the shell to see it has cooked past nirvana to pale solid crumbly-ness...mostly. And don't even get me started about my day if the white were still runny. Just. Don't.


Every fall I want to have soft boiled eggs on toast for breakfast again but I haven't made any since the early spring and have completely forgotten the nuances of how to cook them perfectly. How long do I boil them for? Did I let them cook for ten minutes or less? Uuuuggh.  It happens every year and it bugs the shit out of me. Why soft boiled eggs?!? Why are you so tricksy? I love you so much! If only I could see the yolk cook so I can know exactly when they reach perfection!!


Oh wait. 

I can.

Crack it open and bake that fucker. Take that shell of mystery and chuck it in the trash. 

Turn your oven to 350 degrees. Butter a ramekin (or if you don't own such things a small oven safe cup or if worse comes to worse a trusty muffin tin) and crack an egg into it. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper and set in in the oven for 10-15 min (just enough time for a quick shower!). Leave the butter dish out to soften. At the ten minute mark toast your bread and peek at your baking eggs. You can give the pan a jiggle to see how the whites are setting and if your yolk is still liquid. Keep peeping and BOOM there it is. The white is solid, the yolk is deep gold and molten. Butter your toast and using a spoon scoop out half of the egg to spread on the bread. Sigh happily.


If you want to get pinkies up you can pour a little cream on top of your egg, just remember that when you jiggle check it the cream will still be liquid over the top so don't overcook your egg on accident! Paprika or parsley is also a nice addition as seen here, a fancier dinner version to accompany a book on French cooking.


And you should read that book on French cooking, but only if you've read Julia Child's My Life In France. Consider it the prequel to Ann Mah's Mastering the Art of French Eating.


Each chapter focuses on a traditional French dish and it's history while also bringing up a wide range of topics on life, love, food, and identity. I tore through it and hope you do too so we can discuss.


I've got a few more food books lined up to read and am taking suggestions. I whine all summer long about "how I'm not reading anything right now and it's horrible wah wah" when the truth is I want to do anything but read during the summer. I've got 5 months of shitty weather to read as many books as I want in, why would I waste the good weather?? duh.

But it's already Phase 2 of fall, my light jacket and scarf have been replaced with a heavier long coat and fuzzy scarf. Its time for books, and knitting, and soft boiled eggs. My Mumbles just turned 4 years old and the next post will be Thanksgiving. Time is flying and I'm just trying to keep up. See you next time! Go bake an egg.