Wizard Recipes

We tend to think of eggs as breakfast food. And indeed the archetypal American breakfast almost always features them. But the standard plate of eggs, bacon, ham, what have you-a direct descendant of the typical English breakfast-now seems a bit over the top.

Many of the modern alternatives -from micro wave and toaster-cooked “treats” to overly sweetened dried cereal-are far worse, making you yearn for the days when a crust of bread left over from dinner, toasted and served with butter or jam or cheese, plus maybe a piece of fruit, was standard. Still, there’s no denying that a luxurious breakfast of eggs, pancakes, or something even more complex, along with breakfast meat, is a treat that many people look forward to all week. And preparing it is neither difficult nor time-consuming. Breakfast is an extremely flexible concept - in many parts of the world soups and stews are the norm - so this chapter is flexible as well. In it you’ll find not only what most Americans consider “normal” breakfast dishes but also a broad consideration of the egg and a variety of dairy dishes, including techniques for making your own cheese, something - like bread - all cooks should tackle at least once.

The Basics of Cooking Eggs

In our recipes is everything you need to know about cooking eggs. Beginning cooks can use this as a primer and a reference; those with experience may find some helpful tips here. (My method of hard-cooking eggs, for example, has changed over the years.)

If you do nothing else, try baking eggs , a technique that works perfectly for a crowd and is pure luxury. Really, boiled eggs should be called “poached,” because the water should never be at a real boil; all boiling does is bounce the eggs around the pot and crack the shells. The degree of doneness is only a matter of timing, but room-temperature eggs will cook in about a minute less than those straight from the refrigerator. If you’re cooking more than one egg, make sure you use a saucepan big enough for the water to circulate freely. You’ll also need to extend the cooking time to the maximum in each of the following recipes.

Slow and Low or Fast and High?

Eggs are so tolerant of a wide range of conditions that in many cases you can cook them in a hurry or quite leisurely; the only real rule is not to overcook or they will toughen. For example, for years I made my favorite scrambled eggs lovingly and leisurely, taking 40 minutes to do so ( here is a delicious recipe for The Best Scrambled Eggs). Then I discovered I could get just about the same texture by cooking them quickly, stirring constantly, and removing them from the heat the instant they threatened to overcook (here you can find the recipe for  Everyday Scrambled Eggs). Both ways work fine; the first requires more patience, the second more attention.

It’s important to be aware that eggs should never become completely hard; even “hard-boiled” eggs should have yolks that remain somewhat creamy. Often it’s easier to avoid toughening when you use low heat. Fried eggs stay tender and become evenly firm over medium to low heat; boiled and poached eggs develop better texture and are less like to be damaged in water that bubbles only gently. But you can cook quickly and keep eggs tender and soft, as in real omelets ; again, it just takes attention

BACON Besides being delicious on its own, bacon lends incomparable flavor to many dishes, such as chowders and other soups, baked beans and collard greens, and savory custards and tarts. There are many types; look for bacon that is free of nitrates and other artificial ingredients.

Thick-sliced bacon, along with its melted fat, provides not only flavor but also a hot dressing for wilting spinach or other greens. The subtler flavor of Canadian bacon (which is also lower in fat and calories than American-style bacon), is an essential component of eggs Benedict.

Pancetta, a traditional Italian bacon, is cured but not smoked; it is highly flavorful and slightly salty, and a small amount is all it takes to flavor pasta sauces and other dishes. All bacon can be tightly wrapped and kept for up to three weeks in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer.

BUTTER Unsalted butter has the purest flavor. It is ideal for all types of cooking, especially baking. European- style butters are also good for baking, especially pastries and shortbread, as well as for spreading at the table. They have a higher percentage of butterfat (typically 83 percent compared to 80 percent) and a richer, more distinctive taste.

CHEESE

Of all the many types of cheese available, the following are among the more versatile. Of course, it’s also nice to keep a supply of favorites, such as Cheddar and Muenster, for making grilled cheese or for quickly putting together an appetizer to share with unexpected guests.

Fontina cheese is a cow’s milk cheese with a mildly sweet, nutty, buttery flavor. Smooth and shot through with tiny holes, fontina is a very good melting cheese and is excellent on pizza and in hot sandwiches.

Goat cheese Made from goat’s milk, this soft and creamy cheese is usually sold in logs or disks; French goat cheeses are often called chevre. Goat cheese is particularly good in egg dishes, salads, sandwiches, and savory tarts, as well as paired with fresh fruit as a light snack or dessert.

Aged goat cheeses are more pungent and often have a rind; they are harder in texture and not generally a good substitute for fresh in recipes (but they are delicious as a snacking cheese). Keep fresh goat cheese, loosely wrapped, in the least cold part of the refrigerator. It should not be frozen, but you may want to pop it in the freezer for five or ten minutes to make it easier to slice.

Gruyere is another wonderful melting cheese, and is traditionally used in making croque-monsieurs.

Parmesan This popular cheese is a hard, dry cheese made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow’s milk. The finest of the many kinds of Parmesan is Parmigiano-Reggiano (the name should be printed on the perimeter of the rind), produced in the Emilia- Romagna region of Italy.

Known for its sumptuous flavor, this cheese can appear at any point of the meal, from hors d’oeuvres to dessert. A good alternative is Pecorino Romano. For the best flavor, buy wedges of cheese (instead of already grated) and grate just before using or serving. To keep Parmesan, wrap it in parchment paper and then plastic, and store it on the bottom shelf (or in the cheese bin) of the refrigerator.

EGGS Eggs come in many sizes; large is the most common and the size most often used in our recipes. Shell color has nothing to do with flavor or nutritional value, but is determined by the breed of the hen.

When buying eggs, check to make sure the eggs are clean and free of cracks, and look on the carton for an expiration date. To store, refrigerate eggs in their original carton; it will help protect the delicate, porous shells from cracking and absorbing odors. Eggs are freshest within a week of purchase, but will keep longer (up to a month).

There is an old saying that “The egg is to cuisine what the article is to speech.” Like the little words that help to provide a sentence with structure, the humble egg is taken for granted.

Without eggs, cakes would be tough and flat, custards wouldn’t set, a meringue would be just a pile of sugar, soufflés wouldn’t puff, mayonnaise wouldn’t thicken, meat loaves would crumble, and breakfast just wouldn’t be the same.

The egg is an  indispensable, invaluable ingredient that no kitchen can do entirely without. It is a good source of protein, iron, and vitamins. And while whole eggs and egg yolks are relatively high in fat and cholesterol, egg whites are completely fat and cholesterol free.

SALMONELLA  AND EGGS

Raw eggs pose a health concern because they can be contaminated with salmonella, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning. Salmonella is killed at 160°F, so be sure to cook eggs to at least that temperature (this is easily reached with scrambled eggs, “over-hard” fried eggs, custards, and other favorite egg dishes).

Certain people, such as the elderly, infants, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems, are especially susceptible to infection and should not eat undercooked eggs. After handling raw eggs, thoroughly wash your hands and any utensils that have come in contact with the eggs with hot, soapy water.

Pasteurized eggs Available in the dairy case, these eggs are free from salmonella, E. coli, and listeria. Cook them the way you would any other eggs.

Egg substitutes These products, which are pasteurized and salmonella free, are used by people with special dietary needs. Liquid egg substitute (colored egg whites) can be substituted for whole eggs, but don’t expect the rich flavor real eggs deliver.

Dehydrated egg whites and meringue powder No need to overcrowd the refrigerator with cartons or to separate fresh eggs for meringue recipes. Just follow the reconstituting directions on the package.

CHOOSING  EGGS

As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, eggs that are sold are sized and graded. An egg’s grade is based on many factors, including the appearance of the shell, the quality of the interior of the egg, and the size of the air pocket at the top of the egg (usually determined by candling, a process in which the egg is held against a strong light to illuminate its interior). The grades are as follows:

Grade AA eggs With firm, high yolks and thick whites, they are the best choice for frying, poaching, and cooking in the shell.

Grade A eggs Fine all-purpose eggs with whites that are thinner than those of Grade AAs. They are good for baking.

Grade B eggs These have the thinnest white. They are rarely available to the consumer. The chalaza, the thin white cord that attaches the yolk to the shell, is especially prominent in a very fresh egg and disappears as an egg ages. (When making a custard, you may want to strain the custard to remove the chalazae, which become hard when cooked.).The size of an egg is determined by its weight.

Eggs are graded jumbo, extra large, large, medium, and small. All of the recipes in this book use large eggs unless otherwise noted. Using the right size egg is important, especially in recipes that call for a large number.

An eggshell’s color is determined solely by the breed of hen. Cooks in the Northeast often prefer brown eggs, but they are no different from the white variety. It is important, however, that the eggshells be clean and uncracked; never buy cracked eggs. Before purchasing eggs, move them in the carton to make sure they haven’t cracked and stuck.

In addition to being a popular breakfast food, eggs are a symbol of beginnings. Primitive humans recognized the egg as the beginning of life, and it became a symbol of spring and fertility.

Eggs have four main parts:

Shell - As the name suggests, this is the fragile and porous outer covering. The shell is made mostly of minerals - calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and calcium phosphate.

Shell membranes - These are layers of protein fibers that stick to the shell. They provide additional protection for the egg’s insides, preventing mold and bacteria from getting in, for example.

Albumen - This is the white of the egg. It is almost all protein and water.

Yolk - The yellow bull’s eye of the egg, the yolk is made of a substance called “vitellus.” It can be a pale yellow or dark yellow. About 30 percent of the yolk is fat, and about 16 percent is protein. The remainder is made up of solids.

Eggs provide an inexpensive source of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamins A and B12, folic acid, and phosphorus. They are an excellent source of riboflavin.

The egg is also said to be a complete protein, because it contains a complete count of essential amino acids. The white supplies more than half the protein in an egg. The yolk supplies the fat, along with the remaining protein, and most of the calories.

Eggs are also graded and are classified by both size and quality. The best are grade AA or A, both of which are related to the level of freshness and the quality of the shell at marking. Most recipes are based on large eggs. Nutritionally, there’s no difference between brown eggs and white eggs.

Different colored eggs come from different varieties of hens. The most common egg used for food today is the chicken’s egg, although eggs from other fowl can be bought in specialty stores.

Preparation Tips

When selecting eggs, check the container for any cracked or broken eggs and eliminate them from the carton. Place the carton in the refrigerator for up to 5 weeks. Do not place eggs in the designated egg holders in the door of older refrigerators.

It is too warm for the eggs there because they get a blast of hot air each time the door is opened. The egg carton helps keep eggs from absorbing odors from other foods and helps keep the eggs fresh.

When adding eggs to a mixing bowl, break the egg in a separate dish to make sure the egg is not rotten.

Serving Suggestions

Eggs serve many purposes in cooking and preparing food, including a leavening agent in baked goods, a base for mayonnaise, and a thickener in sauces and custards.

Served alone, eggs can be poached, boiled (soft or hard), fried, scrambled, or made into an omelet. From a safety standpoint, it is recommended that both the yolk and the white be cooked until firm. Because they are made mostly of water and protein, eggs are best cooked over low heat.

Like milk, eggs are often spoken of as a perfect food. Still, as has been pointed out, they are not a perfect food for man, but they are of especial nutritive value and should be used freely in the diet just as long as their cost neither limits nor prohibits their use.

An idea of how they compare with other nutritious foods can be obtained if you think that eight eggs are equal in food value to 1 quart of milk or 1 pound and 5 ounces of beefsteak. A better understanding of their food value, however, can be gained from a study of their composition.

Since an egg is an undeveloped chick that requires only the addition of warmth to develop it into a living, moving creature made of muscles, bones, and blood, it is evident that this food contains considerable tissue-building and energy-producing material.

The exact proportion of this material, as well as the other substances found in eggs, is given in the food chart shown in Essentials of Cookery, Part 1. The chart relating to the composition of eggs points out that the edible portion of the whole egg consists of 73.7 per cent. of water, 14.8 per cent. Of protein, 10.5 per cent. of fat, and about 1 per cent. of ash, or mineral matter.

The protein, which is chiefly in the form of albumen, and the fat are the most digestible of these elements, while the mineral constituents are as valuable for the growing child as for the chick.

When the total weight of an egg is taken into consideration, the shell constitutes about 11 per cent., the yolk 32 per cent., and the white 57 per cent. The composition of the yolk and the white differs somewhat, the yolk having the greater food value, a fact that is also clearly indicated in the chart.

The white contains a larger proportion of water than the yolk, but the yolk contains the most of the fat and more protein and mineral matter, or ash, than the white. In addition, the chart shows that the number of calories to the pound of whole egg is 700, of egg yolk is 1,608, and of egg white is 265.

PROTEIN IN EGGS

The nature of the food substances in eggs is of nearly as great importance as their amount, for they not only determine the value of this food in the body, but influence its cooking. That protein is present in both the yolk and the white is apparent from the fact that they coagulate when heat is applied.

Because eggs are high in protein, containing 14.8 per cent. of this substance, they may be regarded as equivalent to a meat dish, and it is only when they are extremely high in price that they cannot be frequently substituted for meat to advantage.

They are often used to take the place of milk, too, for eggs and milk are more alike in nutritive value than any other two protein foods; but, of the two, milk yields the cheaper form of protein. Like meat and milk, eggs are rich in all those food materials which enter into the construction of bone, muscle, and blood.

FAT IN EGGS

A study of the food chart previously mentioned will show that eggs contain proportionately almost as much fat as protein and that nearly all this fat is found in the yolk. Since fat produces more heat or energy, weight for weight, than any other food substance, and since eggs contain neither starch nor sugar, it is evident that the fat of this food is the main source of the energy-producing material.

Fat in eggs occurs in the form of an emulsion, or tiny particles, and, like the fat of milk, is very readily digested. It is for this reason that both of these foods are particularly well adapted to the diet of both children and adults.

The presence of quantities of protein and fat and the absence of carbohydrate in eggs indicate that the proper thing to combine with this food, in order to have a well-balanced meal when eggs are eaten, is carbohydrate in some form.

MINERALS IN EGGS

Eggs are especially valuable for the mineral salts they contain, chief among which are lime, phosphorus, sulphur, iron, potassium, and sodium. For this reason, the addition of eggs to any kind of diet supplies a large amount of the minerals that are needed for bone, blood, and tissue building.

A favorable point concerning the minerals found in eggs is that they are not affected to any extent by cooking. Therefore, in the preparation of any dish, if eggs are added to other foods, that dish will contain an additional amount of mineral salts, plus the nutritive value of the eggs

Eggs are of great importance in the diet, and to appreciate this fact fully the true nature of this food must be understood. For domestic use, the eggs of guinea hens, turkeys, ducks, and geese occasionally find favor, but as eggs laid by hens are the kind that is commonly used, it is to such eggs that this article is devoted.

A hen’s egg may really be considered as an undeveloped chicken, because it contains all the elements required to build the body of the chick and provide it with the energy it needs to pick its way into the world.

When it emerges from the shell, it is fully developed, and in a short time it begins an independent existence, seeking and finding its own food. The fact that eggs store so much nutritive material explains to some extent why they are a valuable source of food for man and why they are used so extensively.

However, as in the case of milk, the elements that eggs contain are not in just the right proportion for the sole nourishment of a human being, so they must generally be used in combination with other foods.

Most persons are familiar with the appearance of eggs, but in order that satisfactory results may be obtained in their selection, care, and cooking, it will be necessary to look into the details of their composition.

As is well known, an egg consists of a porous shell lined with a fine, but tough, membrane that encloses the white and the yolk and serves to protect them. The yolk is divided from the white by a delicate membrane, which permits it to be separated from the white when an egg is carefully broken.

This membrane extends to each end of the shell in the form of a small cord, and it is so fastened to the shell as to hold the yolk evenly suspended. The porous nature of an egg shell is required to give air to the developing chick, but it is this characteristic that permits eggs to spoil as they grow old and are exposed to air, for through these minute pores, or openings, the water in the egg evaporates and air and bacteria enter. Of course, as the water evaporates and is replaced by air, the egg becomes lighter.

Because of this fact, the freshness of eggs can be determined by placing them in water. When they are fresh, they will sink in cold water, but as they decompose they become lighter and will float.

Since it is known that the spoiling of eggs is due to the entrance of air through the porous shell, it may be inferred that their decay may be prevented either by protecting the shell so that air cannot enter or by keeping the eggs at so low a temperature that bacteria cannot grow.

Although stored eggs always deteriorate more or less, both of these methods of preservation have proved very satisfactory, the former being used largely in the home and the latter finding its solution in cold storage.

A knowledge of how eggs can be preserved, however, is of great value, for if there were no means of preservation and eventual marketing, the price of eggs would at times rise to actual prohibitive limits.

That eggs as an article of food are growing in importance is indicated by the fact that their production has come to be a large and widely distributed industry. Owing to the private consumption and sale of eggs, an accurate statement of the number of eggs produced is difficult to give.

Still, in a report, the United States Bureau of Agriculture estimated the value of the yearly egg production at something more than three million dollars, with an allowance of about 210 eggs, or 17-1/2 dozen, per capita each year, or 4 eggs a week for each person.

These figures, however, are only suggestive of the production, use, and value of eggs, for as the population increases so does the use of eggs. In fact, they are proving to be almost indispensable to the cook, the baker, the manufacturers of certain foods, and many others.

With the increase in the demand for eggs has come a corresponding steady advance in the money value of this product and, consequently, an increase in its price. The housewife who would practice economy in cookery can readily see, therefore, that with reference to the number of eggs required and the ways in which they are used, she must choose carefully the recipes and methods she employs.

If the eggs are always considered a part of a meal, their use is seldom an extravagance, even at such high prices as they sometimes attain. On the other hand, if a dessert that requires the use of many eggs is added to a meal that is itself sufficient in food value, it is not unreasonable to regard such use of eggs as an extravagance.

A point that should be taken into consideration in the use of eggs in the diet, especially when their price seems very high, is that there is no waste matter in them, unless the shell is regarded as waste.

Therefore, they are often more economical than other foods that can be bought for less money. It must not be understood, however, that eggs are used only as an article of diet.

They are also a very important food ingredient, being employed in the preparation of many kinds of dishes. For instance, they are often used to thicken custards, sauces, etc.; to clarify soups and jellies; to lighten cakes, puddings, hot breads, and other baked mixtures; to form the basis for salad dressings; and to combine or hold together many varieties of food.

Contrary to popular opinion, there is no law that says one must have eggs or cereal or pancakes or pastries for breakfast and must not have shrimp curry or chili or spaghetti and meatballs.Although most of us would think these last suggestions rather strange for the morning meal, there is probably no food that someone, somewhere, does not enjoy for breakfast.

No doubt many Japanese, who have soybean soup, sour pickles, and rice for their first meal of the day, think Western breakfast habits are strange.

However, the egg remains a favorite breakfast food, even as we become more adventurous and explore ethnic cuisines. For such apparently simple items, eggs are used in many ways in the kitchen and require special study. We examine not only the usual breakfast preparation but other egg dishes as well,such as soufflés and custards.

COMPOSITION

A whole egg consists primarily of a yolk, a white, and a shell. In addition, it contains a membrane that lines the shell and forms an air cell at the large end, and two white strands called chalazae that hold the yolk centered.

1. The yolk is high in both fat and protein, and it contains iron and several vitamins. Its color ranges from light to dark yellow, depending on the diet of the chicken.

2. The white is primarily albumin protein, which is clear and soluble when raw but white and firm when coagulated.The white also contains sulfur.

The white has two parts: a thick portion that surrounds the yolk, and a thinner, more liquid portion outside of this.

3. The shell is not the perfect package ,in spite of what you may have heard.Not only is it fragile but it is also porous, allowing odors and flavors to be absorbed by the egg and allowing the egg to lose moisture even if unbroken.

GRADES AND QUALITY

Grades

In the United States, eggs are graded for quality by the U.S.Department of Agriculture.The three grades are AA, A,and B.

The best grade (AA) has a firm yolk and white that stand up high when broken onto a flat surface and do not spread over a large area. In the shell, the yolk is well centered, and the air sac is small.

As eggs age,they lose density.The thin part of the white becomes larger, and the egg spreads over a larger area when broken. Also,the air sac becomes larger as the egg loses moisture through the shell.

Maintaining Quality

Proper storage is essential for maintaining quality. Eggs keep for weeks if held at 36°F (2°C) but lose quality quickly if held at room temperature. In fact, they can lose a full grade in one day at warm kitchen temperatures. There’s no point in paying for Grade AA eggs if they are Grade B by the time you use them. Store eggs away from foods that might pass on undesirable flavors or odors.

Grades and Use

Grade AA is the best to use for fried or poached eggs. Lower grades spread out too much to produce a high-quality product. For hard-cooked eggs, use either Grade A eggs or Grade AA that have been held a few days in the refrigerator. Very fresh eggs are difficult to peel when cooked in the shell.

Grade B eggs are suitable for use in baking. If you are certain they have developed no strong flavors, they may be used for scrambled eggs, where the firmness of the whole egg is less important.

MARKET FORMS

1. Fresh eggs or shell eggs.

These are most often used for breakfast cookery .

2. Frozen eggs.

• Whole eggs
• Whites
• Yolks
• Whole eggs with extra yolks

Frozen eggs are usually made from high-quality fresh eggs and are excellent for use in scrambled eggs, omelets, French toast, and in baking. They are pasteurized and are usually purchased in 30-pound (13.6-kg) cans. These take at least two days to thaw at refrigerator temperatures.

3. Dried eggs.

• Whole eggs
• Yolks
• Whites

Dried eggs are used primarily for baking. They are not suggested for use in breakfast cookery.

Unlike most dehydrated products, dried eggs are not shelf-stable and must be kept refrigerated or frozen,tightly sealed.

Sanitation

In recent years, cases of salmonella food poisoning have been caused by raw or undercooked eggs. As a result, cooks have been made more aware of egg-related sanitation concerns. Pasteurized egg products are used in more operations.

EGG SUBSTITUTES

Egg yolks, in addition to being high in fat, are also high in cholesterol. Efforts to reduce cholesterol in the diet have led to the development of commercial egg substitutes.

These are of two types:

1. Egg substitutes that can be used to make such dishes as scrambled eggs, omelets, and custards are made of pasteurized egg whites with the addition of a blend of ingredients to substitute for the yolks, such as vegetable oil, milk solids, vegetable gums, salt, emulsifiers, and vitamin additives. They are sold in bulk liquid form,usually frozen,and can be substituted, ounce for ounce,for whole liquid eggs in most egg preparations.

2. Eggless egg substitutes contain no egg product. They are made of flours or other starches, plus vegetable gums and stabilizers, and, sometimes, soy protein. They are intended for use in baked goods only and are not suitable for use in breakfast egg preparations or custards. If they contain no milk products (read ingredient lists on individual products),they may be used in vegan diets.

GENERAL COOKING PRINCIPLES

The most important rule of egg cookery is simple:Avoid high temperatures and long cooking times.In other words,do not overcook.This should be a familiar rule by now. Overcooking produces tough eggs,causes discoloration,and affects flavor.

Coagulation

Eggs are largely protein,so the principle of coagulation is important to consider.

Eggs coagulate at the following temperatures:

Whole eggs,beaten about 156°F (69°C)

Whites 140° to 149°F (60° to 65°C)

Yolks 144° to 158°F (62° to 70°C)

Custard (whole eggs plus liquid) 175° to 185°F (79° to 85°C)

Note that whites coagulate or cook before yolks do. This is why it is possible to cook eggs with firm whites but soft yolks. Note also that when eggs are mixed with a liquid, they become firm at a higher

temperature.However,185°F (85°C) is still much lower than the temperature of a sauté pan or skillet over high heat.

As the temperature of coagulation is reached, the eggs change from semiliquid to solid,and they become opaque.If their temperature continues to rise, they become even firmer. An overcooked egg is tough and rubbery. Low temperatures produce the best-cooked eggs.

If egg-liquid mixtures such as custards and scrambled eggs are overcooked,the egg solids separate from the liquids, or curdle.This is often seen as tough, watery scrambled eggs.

Sulfur

The familiar green ring you often see in hard-cooked eggs is caused by cooking at high temperatures or cooking too long.The same green color appears in scrambled eggs that are overcooked or held too long in the steam table.

This ring results when the sulfur in the egg whites reacts with the iron in the yolk to form iron sulfide, a compound that has a green color and a strong odor and flavor. The best way to avoid green eggs is to use low temperatures and short cooking and holding times.

Foams

Beaten egg whites are used to give lightness and rising power to soufflés, puffy omelets, cakes, some pancakes and waffles, and other products.The following guidelines will help you handle beaten egg whites properly

1. Fat inhibits foaming.

When separating eggs, be careful not to get any yolk in the whites. Yolks contain fats. Use very clean equipment when beating whites.

2. Mild acids help foaming.

A small amount of lemon juice or cream of tartar gives more volume and stability to beaten egg whites. Use about 2 teaspoons cream of tartar per pound of egg whites (20 mL per kg).

3. Egg whites foam better at room temperature.

Remove them from the cooler 1 hour before beating.

4. Do not overbeat.

Beaten egg whites should look moist and shiny. Overbeaten eggs look dry and curdled and have lost much of their ability to raise soufflés and cakes.

5. Sugar makes foams more stable.

When making sweet puffed omelets and dessert soufflés,add some of the sugar to the partially beaten whites and continue to beat to proper stiffness.(This will take longer than when no sugar is added.) The soufflé will be more stable before and after baking.

Eggs contain all 8 essential amino acids and proteins, and also all the needed substances for adolescentin and adult development. Along with the amino acids and proteins, eggs are also high in vitamins (A, B, D, E), minerals (Phosphor, Calcium, Iron) and oligoelements.

Advantages:

- proteins from eggs are better used by our organism that meat proteins. This happens because eggs are rich in vitamins and minerals.

- vitamin D in eggs plays an essential role in Calcium absorption from other ingredients and for bone development. Even though most of vitamin D is produced when exposed to sun, children, pregnant women and elders need high quantities of vitamin D, eggs being a very important source.

- 1 egg means 10% of the daily needed quantity of Selenium and contributes to the quality of sperm.

- eggs maintain the well functioning of the nervous system through its B6 and B12 content.

- protects blood vessels due to antioxidant properties conferred by Selenium and D vitamin.

Disadvantages:

- the egg yolk contains a lot of cholesterol. People with high triglycerides shouldn’t consume more than 1 egg weekly.

- hard boiled eggs can cause indigestion to gall bladder suffering persons.

- it can contain salmonella (especially in goose or duck egg), so don’t consume it raw. Cook it, and the germ dies.

- It doesn’t contain vitamin C or glucids.

• Eggs are one of the few nearly complete foods for a human body—nature designed them to be the sole source of food and nutrients to the fast-growing chick embryo. Their protein content is high, 13 percent (or 6 grams in each large egg). Even the egg shell is nutritious, 96 percent calcium carbonate, an essential element for building human bones (but how do we eat it?). If the kids get upset with bits of egg shell in their scrambled eggs, assure them that you are just trying to help them build strong bones.

• Once a favorite breakfast food in the  Anglo-Saxon world, egg consumption has steadily declined since the 1950s. Americans ate 402 eggs apiece annually in 1945 (1.1/day). By 1991 per capita consumption had dropped to 234 (0.6/day), but it is slowly rising again. In 1998 the annual consumption is 255 eggs. The major reason for the decline is all that   cholesterol in the yolk, a health concern to many people today. A large egg contains an average of 215 milligrams of cholesterol. Its total fat content is a moderate 5 grams or 10 percent of each egg. All the cholesterol and fat are in the yolk.

• Food scientists are working feverishly to reduce the cholesterol level of eggs, attacking the problem on several levels. One approach is to cut down on the development of cholesterol before the hen produces the egg. Biologists are putting laying hens on special to do that.
• Another approach is to chemically remove some of the cholesterol after the hen lays the egg. If we can take the caffeine out of coffee beans, surely we can reduce the amount of cholesterol in eggs to a tolerable level. It is just a matter of time. But to do this, biochemists have to remove the eggs from the shells and add chemicals that bind with the cholesterol, then remove the chemical together with the cholesterol. This part was easy. They ran into problem getting the eggs back into their original containers after they reduced the cholesterol. At this time they can only market the low-cholesterol eggs as scrambled or separated into yolks and whites.

• Genetic alteration of the hens is another approach they are working on. In early 1995, a small egg farm in the Milwaukee area introduced “designer” eggs with 25 percent less fat and 25 percent lower cholesterol using this technique.

It`s very simple! Add a pinch of salt to the water you will be boiling the eggs in (this also works for potatoes). They will remain in perfect shape after boiling. Also remember to bring eggs to room temperature before starting the process of cooking. This helps prevent cracking due to the sudden shock of temperature change that arises.

If you don`t have enough time, just take the eggs right out the refrigerator and put them in the pan, but add two three minutes to the cooking time. Also, remember not to crowd the pan, and that the water must cover the eggs.