Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-27
Table and Kitchen.
Eggs Are Food Akin to Fish, Flesh
and Fowl

and Fowl
Although eggs are so universally used,
| and hold a conspicuous place on every hotel
and restaurant bill of fare, the methods of
cooking are not as numerous, or in many
cases as dainty, as the nature of this class
of food will permit.
The most common, because considered the
most wholesome and convenient ways of
cooking them, are boiling, poaching and
frying. and the result varies through all
the several degrees of good, bad and IN
different There seems to be as little GER
tainty about cooks performance in this
line as there is in regard to the condition
and quality of the egg.
Some authorities give a high estimate Of
the food value of the egg, while others hold
quite the opposite view, even going SO far
as to consider 1t very poor adult food, al
most destitute of taste well lacking
In food value, although they concede that
its organic substance, the "phosphorized in
gradients which are mainly materials in
tended for the construction of the brain
and nerves Of the chick, make suitable,
easily digested food for the young human
also.
Eggs, while heterogeneous and fatty, con-
tain no starch or sugar, and they therefore
combine suitably with articles which sup
ply these ailments. Eggs are not spoiled by
long Keeping, but are not nearly digeSti-
BILE as fresh ones, and not suitable for
many ways of cooking them, although for
some methods, such as poaching, egg
may be too fresh when new-laid eggs can be
procured. There is little danger of the city
dweller having to guard against this con-
tlngency but quite the reverse. However,
it is we'll to know that this possibility will
explain, in some cases, the failure which
results in spite of all the care of a skllful
egg poacher.
One who prides themselves in their art
should select eggs that are two days old,
a c hn l1i noO 10 ~
milky.
For poaching successfully the white of
the egg must be firm and clear like jelly,
so that when it is placed in the hot water
it sets at once into a round Smooth-edged
white patty. just sufficiently hardened to
form a white, translucent jelly, with the
yolk showing through a thin, transparent
veil.
Boiling an Egg.
The principle of boiling an egg is more
difficult to carry out than it's simplicity
warrants, account of the many different
ideas and likings in regard to the degree to
which egg should be boiled.
The fact is. very few people would fancy
an egg which is properly very soft boiled
as they frequently order it. They would
consider 1t quite underdone, part of
the egg is set, while the yolk is merely
heated through. To very soft boil, place
the egg in boiling water for two minutes,
then remove and Immediately serve; on
opening it you will find thin coating of
curdled white next the shell, while the re-
mander of the white is thick and milky, but
not set and the yOlk is simply warm. The
three-minute boil is the preferred way and
considered the most digestible, while the
egg has more flavor than when boiled long
er. In three minutes the white will be COM
| pletely set, but not solid, but the yOlk re-
mains fluid. The solid boil requires longer
| than three and less than ten minutes, while
the hard-boil may be continued until the
white passes the hard, elastic, shiny stage
and both white and yolk reach granular
| consistency, which stage is considered more
| digestible by some, but less good in taste.
The fact is, while mathematical rules may
| be laid down and observed in cooking eggs
| in laboratory or cooking school even
| on the breakfast table, where it is assumed
| that all the controlling conditions are I'M
| derstood and but one egg is cooked at a
time, these rules are not entirely practical
| in the Kitchen when any number of eggs
| and different likings must be considered.
| The cook must depend largely upon her in
| tuitiyeness,' gained by practice and desire
| of success, in obtaining the desired result.
! Boiling an egg, therefore, win remain more
| or less game of chance in the hands of the
| average cook.
| Poached Eggs. 49,
On the other hand, poaching eggs is quite
the reverse. This process is boiling the egg
! with the shell removed. And yet it must
| not be understood that possible failure can
| not attend this method as well. The prfn-
| cpal rule to be observed, however, is select
| Ing eggs in proper condition as to age. This
| accomplished, the road to success is as fol-
! lows: Half fill your frying pan with clear
| boiling water and place over the fire; add a
| little salt and vinegar; break an egg care
| fully into cup; place the pan where the
! water will keep below the boiling point ;
! slip In the egg; then break another and
| quickly add in the same way and continue
to add as many the pan will hold with
out crowding. Let them stand until the
whites are set, then place where the water
VIII come to boil. then directly remove
| the eggs with a slice straining ladle;
trim the ragged edges; a large cake cutter
| can be used for this purpose, and place
| each egg on dainty round of nicely toasted
pread. The eggs may be kept in good shape
by placing muffin rings in the pan Of boil
ing water and dropping the eggs into them.
| Ih1s toast may first be spread with an
chovy paste or butter. mushroom or Wor-
cestshire sauce or a little curry sauce or
| grated cheese, before the eggs are placed on
| the slices Such dishes are nice for a sim
| pie luncheon, as they are tasty and quite
substantial for a light meal with cup Of
| coffee or cocoa and a salad
Fried Eggs
| These are perhaps more frequently called
| for by the wayfarer than any other food
| After an exhaustive study Of the restau-
rant menu the average traveller will COM
promise on 'Oh. gimme fried eggs" Not
| an unpalatable or unattractive dish from
the hands Of a skillful "egg cook" but.
ike the boiled or poached egg a dish
| easily spoiled.
The ordinary way is to break the egg into
nat frying pan. allowing the eggs to
spread as they will; this gives them a rag
| ged, unsightly appearance, not pleasing to
| DAINTY eaters. At small cost one can OBJ
tain pan which has little wells into which
each egg is broken, similar to the poacher.
IN thls way the eggs are kept in good
| shape. preventing the whites from thinning
out into dry, uneven edges and getting too
hard This same utensil is used for baking
eggs In the oven. Do not brown the egg or
| iry II 100 long unless you are fond of chew
| ing tough food. A little Drowned butter
may be poured over the eggs as sauce
when they are done, adding little vinegar
20 give 1t zest, or while the eggs are cook
| ing baste them continually with the fat in
the pan, but do not turn them. A properly
| tried egg is scarcely distinguishahle from a