The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-20
IN THE NATTER OF EGGS.
FIVE HUNDRED WAR; or COOKING
THEM DESCRIBED BY an ". C. A.
A Book written by Adolphe Meyer, the H.
lustrious Chef OF tho Union Club-P1ain
Eggs and Eggs In the Highest style OF

A Book written by AdoIphe Meyer, the IL
1ustrious Chef OF tho Union Club-Plain
Eggs and Eggs In the Highest style of
Culinary Art Interesting Information.
Men exist who will go into n restaurant-even
a hiGh-class restaurant. where the walters have
feelings of professional pride-and say:
Bring mo SOM eggs. Any kind will do" .
Imagine the establishment OF such n person
II the waiter should reply:
W have 500 ways Of preparing eggs, sir.
viii you kindly choose one of them2"
In this statement the waiter would he well
within the truth II his chef were up to date. for
there Ia no longer any excuse for ignorance in
the matter of eggs. ANY chef may have mt his
command 500 ways and moro. by n study Of a
book recently published by Adolphe Meyer.
the chef Of the Union Club. and a member
Of the Cooking Association of London. which
gives him the proud privilege OF appending the
letters NJ. G. A. 10 his signature. a privilege of
which he avails himself'on the title page OF his
book. The volume Is entitled Eggs and How
TO Use Them"
Mr.. Meyer takes his eggs seriously. as bents
an NJ. c. A. He considers them. from n histori-
cal point Of view, in their bearings on
health, from n statistical standpoint. as
n basis for culinary achievements. and.
In fact. he seems to have exhausted their
possibilities OF use except as missiles. In the
condition in which the egg is best fitted for this
purpose. however. it Is OF only negative inter-
est to the author. and he confines himself to
telling how 1t may be'detectcd when in'that un-
desirable state. 1t Is with the egg known to
as extra fresh" that the distin-
guished eN-chef OF the Union Club deals. None
other, as he distinctly states. need apply. -
Written history, says the author. goes not
back Of the time when the egg was known and
held in high honor. The ancient Egyptians re-
gardcd II IA a sort of religious symbol. The
Greeks gave II an important part in their sacri-
fees. and the Romans not only knew and hand
ed down to posterity twenty different rrepara-
tions OF this food for the table. but also con-
suited the egg as an omen and gave II n place
in their celebrations to the gods. As early as
1865 the English had evolved no fewer than
sixty-fve methods OF cooking eggs. as related
in Robert NAYS Accomplished Cook" some OF
them quite elaborate. such us the sixteenth way.
for instance. which the author particularly
mentions. This is the Turkish mode Of max
ing an omelette." said omelette to be garnished
with the hinder part OF a hare "or any other
venison," minced bacon. pistachIo nuts. hazel
nuts. chestnuts. crusts OF bread, sliced, and
sweet herbs. the dish in which this delectable
II somewhat alarming combination was served
being decorated with fried sippets Of bread and
slices Of lemon. The Accomplished Cook"
| also gives Int recipe LOT the tl1DJ EGG OF GlleS
Rose. chef to Charles III. OF England. which
was formed by separating. boiling and COM
bining again the yolks and whites Of fifty or
more eggs and inclosing the result in n COM
posite shell made of the original shells melted
in vinegar. then spread around the connection
ana hardened in cold water. As an example OF
extravaganza the author cites Wards ''nufs
poches Il lessence de canards." with the fol-
owing recipe. which is hardly likely to find
favor in these days:
Roast twelve ducks UNDERGONE; score them
down to the bone. press oil the Juice out of
them and put the juice under fifteen poached
eggs"
Passing on to a consideration OF the value of
eggs as food. Mr.. Meyer quotes learned au-
thorities to prove that they are not only en-
tremely nourishing. but excellent brain food
as well. He admits. however. hat there are
MANY persons so unfortunately constituted
as to be unable to eat eggs with comfort. and
such he advises. with a tinge Of pity. not to at
Tempt to cultivate a taste. With these people
out, there are still plenty left to keen the mar
ket UP. as twenty-five and a half million dozen
eggs come to the markets Of this city alone an
nually. and the yearly expenditure for eggs
in this country is estimated to be about $780,
OOO.OUO. IL is quite evident from these fig
ures that the hen will not go out Of business
immediately.
Passing on to the practical side OF the sub
ject. in cooking eggs, follow the ancient rule
for'hares, and first get your'eggs. The authors
rules for telling what Kind of eggs you are get
ting are valuable enough to deserve n place on
the walls Of every kitchen. One way. and the
most common, though not the surest. except in
the case of an expert. is 10 hold the egg in front
OF a bright light and look at it through n roll of
brown paper. II srosh it will be TRANSPARENT:
il stale or decomIoScd, it will appear dull and
cloudy. A second method Is thus described:
Another way % testing an egg is to place it
in n solution of salt and water. in which there
are ten ounces OF water to one ounce of salt. If
the egg is fresh. 1t will sink slowly TO the bot
sink, and nd a o bad egg = vii i foat % on the i'9E sarf IA %.!H'
viii, feel cold: il stale. warm, MANY methods
scribed' The author recommends covering
them. with, some Greqsy substance, or with n
Should he stored with the small end nppermest'
and should never be packed in muSty straw. as
the flavor is sure to dcteriorate If they are thus
article. and this quality is put to account by
gourmets; who pack eggs in trutiles for two
dozen orso distinctly different methods Of pre-
and MIR. Meyer gives the following directiops;
for achieving the best results:
water: plunge in the eggs and leave them for
five to eight minutes without boiling The
eggs, will lower the-temperature of the water.
and bring it to about $50. that is, 30' less than
the boiling point. The white will then be,ofa
creamy consistency, and more apt TO blend
with the yolk. and also be elsier of digestion.'
Poached eggs. which the author describes
as eggs boiled without the she'll" give the
cook n wide variety OF treatment to choose
from. Ninety nine separate methods OF pre-
pairing eggs - that they come under the gem
eral head OF 'pOached" are given In this book.
The general recipe is as follows:
Have three quarts of boiling water in n
shallow pan; salt 1t slightly and drop into iu
three or four eggs: do not allow the water to
boil any longer and leave the eggs in ID about
three minutes. until the white is firm then
take them out. trim them and serve on toast.
or as directed"
The French method includes a tablespoon
full Of vinegar to give the egg a good shape.
but Mr: Meyer objects 70 this on the ground
elaborate recipes for ,pOached eggs given in
this treatise are as follows:
"A Ia BOnnefOy-Make a Duree OF half gam
and half pate, de foie gras to which add some
chopped %trufles; heat the PURGE and put i'm
some china cases: serve the poached eggs on
top and cover with yeloutS sauce reduced with
game stock.
IL Ia RTsse-Eggs on caviar toast. garnlshed
IA