essay about cooking eggs

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Six brilliant student essays on the power of food to spark social change.

Read winning essays from our fall 2018 “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” student writing contest.

For the Fall 2018 student writing competition, “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” we invited students to read the YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,”   by Korsha Wilson and respond to this writing prompt: If you were to host a potluck or dinner to discuss a challenge facing your community or country, what food would you cook? Whom would you invite? On what issue would you deliberate? 

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these six—on anti-Semitism, cultural identity, death row prisoners, coming out as transgender, climate change, and addiction—were chosen as essay winners.  Be sure to read the literary gems and catchy titles that caught our eye.

Middle School Winner: India Brown High School Winner: Grace Williams University Winner: Lillia Borodkin Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Literary Gems Clever Titles

Middle School Winner: India Brown  

A Feast for the Future

Close your eyes and imagine the not too distant future: The Statue of Liberty is up to her knees in water, the streets of lower Manhattan resemble the canals of Venice, and hurricanes arrive in the fall and stay until summer. Now, open your eyes and see the beautiful planet that we will destroy if we do not do something. Now is the time for change. Our future is in our control if we take actions, ranging from small steps, such as not using plastic straws, to large ones, such as reducing fossil fuel consumption and electing leaders who take the problem seriously.

 Hosting a dinner party is an extraordinary way to publicize what is at stake. At my potluck, I would serve linguini with clams. The clams would be sautéed in white wine sauce. The pasta tossed with a light coat of butter and topped with freshly shredded parmesan. I choose this meal because it cannot be made if global warming’s patterns persist. Soon enough, the ocean will be too warm to cultivate clams, vineyards will be too sweltering to grow grapes, and wheat fields will dry out, leaving us without pasta.

I think that giving my guests a delicious meal and then breaking the news to them that its ingredients would be unattainable if Earth continues to get hotter is a creative strategy to initiate action. Plus, on the off chance the conversation gets drastically tense, pasta is a relatively difficult food to throw.

In YES! Magazine’s article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson says “…beyond the narrow definition of what cooking is, you can see that cooking is and has always been an act of resistance.” I hope that my dish inspires people to be aware of what’s at stake with increasing greenhouse gas emissions and work toward creating a clean energy future.

 My guest list for the potluck would include two groups of people: local farmers, who are directly and personally affected by rising temperatures, increased carbon dioxide, drought, and flooding, and people who either do not believe in human-caused climate change or don’t think it affects anyone. I would invite the farmers or farm owners because their jobs and crops are dependent on the weather. I hope that after hearing a farmer’s perspective, climate-deniers would be awakened by the truth and more receptive to the effort to reverse these catastrophic trends.

Earth is a beautiful planet that provides everything we’ll ever need, but because of our pattern of living—wasteful consumption, fossil fuel burning, and greenhouse gas emissions— our habitat is rapidly deteriorating. Whether you are a farmer, a long-shower-taking teenager, a worker in a pollution-producing factory, or a climate-denier, the future of humankind is in our hands. The choices we make and the actions we take will forever affect planet Earth.

 India Brown is an eighth grader who lives in New York City with her parents and older brother. She enjoys spending time with her friends, walking her dog, Morty, playing volleyball and lacrosse, and swimming.

High School Winner: Grace Williams

Apple Pie Embrace

It’s 1:47 a.m. Thanksgiving smells fill the kitchen. The sweet aroma of sugar-covered apples and buttery dough swirls into my nostrils. Fragrant orange and rosemary permeate the room and every corner smells like a stroll past the open door of a French bakery. My eleven-year-old eyes water, red with drowsiness, and refocus on the oven timer counting down. Behind me, my mom and aunt chat to no end, fueled by the seemingly self-replenishable coffee pot stashed in the corner. Their hands work fast, mashing potatoes, crumbling cornbread, and covering finished dishes in a thin layer of plastic wrap. The most my tired body can do is sit slouched on the backless wooden footstool. I bask in the heat escaping under the oven door.

 As a child, I enjoyed Thanksgiving and the preparations that came with it, but it seemed like more of a bridge between my birthday and Christmas than an actual holiday. Now, it’s a time of year I look forward to, dedicated to family, memories, and, most importantly, food. What I realized as I grew older was that my homemade Thanksgiving apple pie was more than its flaky crust and soft-fruit center. This American food symbolized a rite of passage, my Iraqi family’s ticket to assimilation. 

 Some argue that by adopting American customs like the apple pie, we lose our culture. I would argue that while American culture influences what my family eats and celebrates, it doesn’t define our character. In my family, we eat Iraqi dishes like mesta and tahini, but we also eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast. This doesn’t mean we favor one culture over the other; instead, we create a beautiful blend of the two, adapting traditions to make them our own.

 That said, my family has always been more than the “mashed potatoes and turkey” type.

My mom’s family immigrated to the United States in 1976. Upon their arrival, they encountered a deeply divided America. Racism thrived, even after the significant freedoms gained from the Civil Rights Movement a few years before. Here, my family was thrust into a completely unknown world: they didn’t speak the language, they didn’t dress normally, and dinners like riza maraka seemed strange in comparison to the Pop Tarts and Oreos lining grocery store shelves.

 If I were to host a dinner party, it would be like Thanksgiving with my Chaldean family. The guests, my extended family, are a diverse people, distinct ingredients in a sweet potato casserole, coming together to create a delicious dish.

In her article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson writes, “each ingredient that we use, every technique, every spice tells a story about our access, our privilege, our heritage, and our culture.” Voices around the room will echo off the walls into the late hours of the night while the hot apple pie steams at the table’s center.

We will play concan on the blanketed floor and I’ll try to understand my Toto, who, after forty years, still speaks broken English. I’ll listen to my elders as they tell stories about growing up in Unionville, Michigan, a predominately white town where they always felt like outsiders, stories of racism that I have the privilege not to experience. While snacking on sunflower seeds and salted pistachios, we’ll talk about the news- how thousands of people across the country are protesting for justice among immigrants. No one protested to give my family a voice.

Our Thanksgiving food is more than just sustenance, it is a physical representation of my family ’s blended and ever-changing culture, even after 40 years in the United States. No matter how the food on our plates changes, it will always symbolize our sense of family—immediate and extended—and our unbreakable bond.

Grace Williams, a student at Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, enjoys playing tennis, baking, and spending time with her family. Grace also enjoys her time as a writing editor for her school’s yearbook, the Pioneer. In the future, Grace hopes to continue her travels abroad, as well as live near extended family along the sunny beaches of La Jolla, California.

University Winner: Lillia Borodkin

Nourishing Change After Tragedy Strikes

In the Jewish community, food is paramount. We often spend our holidays gathered around a table, sharing a meal and reveling in our people’s story. On other sacred days, we fast, focusing instead on reflection, atonement, and forgiveness.

As a child, I delighted in the comfort of matzo ball soup, the sweetness of hamantaschen, and the beauty of braided challah. But as I grew older and more knowledgeable about my faith, I learned that the origins of these foods are not rooted in joy, but in sacrifice.

The matzo of matzo balls was a necessity as the Jewish people did not have time for their bread to rise as they fled slavery in Egypt. The hamantaschen was an homage to the hat of Haman, the villain of the Purim story who plotted the Jewish people’s destruction. The unbaked portion of braided challah was tithed by commandment to the kohen  or priests. Our food is an expression of our history, commemorating both our struggles and our triumphs.

As I write this, only days have passed since eleven Jews were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. These people, intending only to pray and celebrate the Sabbath with their community, were murdered simply for being Jewish. This brutal event, in a temple and city much like my own, is a reminder that anti-Semitism still exists in this country. A reminder that hatred of Jews, of me, my family, and my community, is alive and flourishing in America today. The thought that a difference in religion would make some believe that others do not have the right to exist is frightening and sickening.  

 This is why, if given the chance, I would sit down the entire Jewish American community at one giant Shabbat table. I’d serve matzo ball soup, pass around loaves of challah, and do my best to offer comfort. We would take time to remember the beautiful souls lost to anti-Semitism this October and the countless others who have been victims of such hatred in the past. I would then ask that we channel all we are feeling—all the fear, confusion, and anger —into the fight.

As suggested in Korsha Wilson’s “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” I would urge my guests to direct our passion for justice and the comfort and care provided by the food we are eating into resisting anti-Semitism and hatred of all kinds.

We must use the courage this sustenance provides to create change and honor our people’s suffering and strength. We must remind our neighbors, both Jewish and non-Jewish, that anti-Semitism is alive and well today. We must shout and scream and vote until our elected leaders take this threat to our community seriously. And, we must stand with, support, and listen to other communities that are subjected to vengeful hate today in the same way that many of these groups have supported us in the wake of this tragedy.

This terrible shooting is not the first of its kind, and if conflict and loathing are permitted to grow, I fear it will not be the last. While political change may help, the best way to target this hate is through smaller-scale actions in our own communities.

It is critical that we as a Jewish people take time to congregate and heal together, but it is equally necessary to include those outside the Jewish community to build a powerful crusade against hatred and bigotry. While convening with these individuals, we will work to end the dangerous “otherizing” that plagues our society and seek to understand that we share far more in common than we thought. As disagreements arise during our discussions, we will learn to respect and treat each other with the fairness we each desire. Together, we shall share the comfort, strength, and courage that traditional Jewish foods provide and use them to fuel our revolution. 

We are not alone in the fight despite what extremists and anti-semites might like us to believe.  So, like any Jew would do, I invite you to join me at the Shabbat table. First, we will eat. Then, we will get to work.  

Lillia Borodkin is a senior at Kent State University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Child Psychology. She plans to attend graduate school and become a school psychologist while continuing to pursue her passion for reading and writing. Outside of class, Lillia is involved in research in the psychology department and volunteers at the Women’s Center on campus.   

Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester

As a kid, I remember asking my friends jokingly, ”If you were stuck on a deserted island, what single item of food would you bring?” Some of my friends answered practically and said they’d bring water. Others answered comically and said they’d bring snacks like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or a banana. However, most of my friends answered sentimentally and listed the foods that made them happy. This seems like fun and games, but what happens if the hypothetical changes? Imagine being asked, on the eve of your death, to choose the final meal you will ever eat. What food would you pick? Something practical? Comical? Sentimental?  

This situation is the reality for the 2,747 American prisoners who are currently awaiting execution on death row. The grim ritual of “last meals,” when prisoners choose their final meal before execution, can reveal a lot about these individuals and what they valued throughout their lives.

It is difficult for us to imagine someone eating steak, lobster tail, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream one moment and being killed by state-approved lethal injection the next. The prisoner can only hope that the apple pie he requested tastes as good as his mom’s. Surprisingly, many people in prison decline the option to request a special last meal. We often think of food as something that keeps us alive, so is there really any point to eating if someone knows they are going to die?

“Controlling food is a means of controlling power,” said chef Sean Sherman in the YES! Magazine article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” by Korsha Wilson. There are deeper stories that lie behind the final meals of individuals on death row.

I want to bring awareness to the complex and often controversial conditions of this country’s criminal justice system and change the common perception of prisoners as inhuman. To accomplish this, I would host a potluck where I would recreate the last meals of prisoners sentenced to death.

In front of each plate, there would be a place card with the prisoner’s full name, the date of execution, and the method of execution. These meals could range from a plate of fried chicken, peas with butter, apple pie, and a Dr. Pepper, reminiscent of a Sunday dinner at Grandma’s, to a single olive.

Seeing these meals up close, meals that many may eat at their own table or feed to their own kids, would force attendees to face the reality of the death penalty. It will urge my guests to look at these individuals not just as prisoners, assigned a number and a death date, but as people, capable of love and rehabilitation.  

This potluck is not only about realizing a prisoner’s humanity, but it is also about recognizing a flawed criminal justice system. Over the years, I have become skeptical of the American judicial system, especially when only seven states have judges who ethnically represent the people they serve. I was shocked when I found out that the officers who killed Michael Brown and Anthony Lamar Smith were exonerated for their actions. How could that be possible when so many teens and adults of color have spent years in prison, some even executed, for crimes they never committed?  

Lawmakers, police officers, city officials, and young constituents, along with former prisoners and their families, would be invited to my potluck to start an honest conversation about the role and application of inequality, dehumanization, and racism in the death penalty. Food served at the potluck would represent the humanity of prisoners and push people to acknowledge that many inmates are victims of a racist and corrupt judicial system.

Recognizing these injustices is only the first step towards a more equitable society. The second step would be acting on these injustices to ensure that every voice is heard, even ones separated from us by prison walls. Let’s leave that for the next potluck, where I plan to serve humble pie.

Paisley Regester is a high school senior and devotes her life to activism, the arts, and adventure. Inspired by her experiences traveling abroad to Nicaragua, Mexico, and Scotland, Paisley hopes to someday write about the diverse people and places she has encountered and share her stories with the rest of the world.

Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo

The Empty Seat

“If you aren’t sober, then I don’t want to see you on Christmas.”

Harsh words for my father to hear from his daughter but words he needed to hear. Words I needed him to understand and words he seemed to consider as he fiddled with his wine glass at the head of the table. Our guests, my grandma, and her neighbors remained resolutely silent. They were not about to defend my drunken father–or Charles as I call him–from my anger or my ultimatum.

This was the first dinner we had had together in a year. The last meal we shared ended with Charles slopping his drink all over my birthday presents and my mother explaining heroin addiction to me. So, I wasn’t surprised when Charles threw down some liquid valor before dinner in anticipation of my anger. If he wanted to be welcomed on Christmas, he needed to be sober—or he needed to be gone.

Countless dinners, holidays, and birthdays taught me that my demands for sobriety would fall on deaf ears. But not this time. Charles gave me a gift—a one of a kind, limited edition, absolutely awkward treat. One that I didn’t know how to deal with at all. Charles went home that night, smacked a bright red bow on my father, and hand-delivered him to me on Christmas morning.

He arrived for breakfast freshly showered and looking flustered. He would remember this day for once only because his daughter had scolded him into sobriety. Dad teetered between happiness and shame. Grandma distracted us from Dad’s presence by bringing the piping hot bacon and biscuits from the kitchen to the table, theatrically announcing their arrival. Although these foods were the alleged focus of the meal, the real spotlight shined on the unopened liquor cabinet in my grandma’s kitchen—the cabinet I know Charles was begging Dad to open.

I’ve isolated myself from Charles. My family has too. It means we don’t see Dad, but it’s the best way to avoid confrontation and heartache. Sometimes I find myself wondering what it would be like if we talked with him more or if he still lived nearby. Would he be less inclined to use? If all families with an addict tried to hang on to a relationship with the user, would there be fewer addicts in the world? Christmas breakfast with Dad was followed by Charles whisking him away to Colorado where pot had just been legalized. I haven’t talked to Dad since that Christmas.

As Korsha Wilson stated in her YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” “Sometimes what we don’t cook says more than what we do cook.” When it comes to addiction, what isn’t served is more important than what is. In quiet moments, I like to imagine a meal with my family–including Dad. He’d have a spot at the table in my little fantasy. No alcohol would push him out of his chair, the cigarettes would remain seated in his back pocket, and the stench of weed wouldn’t invade the dining room. Fruit salad and gumbo would fill the table—foods that Dad likes. We’d talk about trivial matters in life, like how school is going and what we watched last night on TV.

Dad would feel loved. We would connect. He would feel less alone. At the end of the night, he’d walk me to the door and promise to see me again soon. And I would believe him.

Emma Lingo spends her time working as an editor for her school paper, reading, and being vocal about social justice issues. Emma is active with many clubs such as Youth and Government, KHS Cares, and Peer Helpers. She hopes to be a journalist one day and to be able to continue helping out people by volunteering at local nonprofits.

Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Bittersweet Reunion

I close my eyes and envision a dinner of my wildest dreams. I would invite all of my relatives. Not just my sister who doesn’t ask how I am anymore. Not just my nephews who I’m told are too young to understand me. No, I would gather all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins to introduce them to the me they haven’t met.

For almost two years, I’ve gone by a different name that most of my family refuses to acknowledge. My aunt, a nun of 40 years, told me at a recent birthday dinner that she’d heard of my “nickname.” I didn’t want to start a fight, so I decided not to correct her. Even the ones who’ve adjusted to my name have yet to recognize the bigger issue.

Last year on Facebook, I announced to my friends and family that I am transgender. No one in my family has talked to me about it, but they have plenty to say to my parents. I feel as if this is about my parents more than me—that they’ve made some big parenting mistake. Maybe if I invited everyone to dinner and opened up a discussion, they would voice their concerns to me instead of my parents.

I would serve two different meals of comfort food to remind my family of our good times. For my dad’s family, I would cook heavily salted breakfast food, the kind my grandpa used to enjoy. He took all of his kids to IHOP every Sunday and ordered the least healthy option he could find, usually some combination of an overcooked omelet and a loaded Classic Burger. For my mom’s family, I would buy shakes and burgers from Hardee’s. In my grandma’s final weeks, she let aluminum tins of sympathy meals pile up on her dining table while she made my uncle take her to Hardee’s every day.

In her article on cooking and activism, food writer Korsha Wilson writes, “Everyone puts down their guard over a good meal, and in that space, change is possible.” Hopefully the same will apply to my guests.

When I first thought of this idea, my mind rushed to the endless negative possibilities. My nun-aunt and my two non-nun aunts who live like nuns would whip out their Bibles before I even finished my first sentence. My very liberal, state representative cousin would say how proud she is of the guy I’m becoming, but this would trigger my aunts to accuse her of corrupting my mind. My sister, who has never spoken to me about my genderidentity, would cover her children’s ears and rush them out of the house. My Great-Depression-raised grandparents would roll over in their graves, mumbling about how kids have it easy nowadays.

After mentally mapping out every imaginable terrible outcome this dinner could have, I realized a conversation is unavoidable if I want my family to accept who I am. I long to restore the deep connection I used to have with them. Though I often think these former relationships are out of reach, I won’t know until I try to repair them. For a year and a half, I’ve relied on Facebook and my parents to relay messages about my identity, but I need to tell my own story.

At first, I thought Korsha Wilson’s idea of a cooked meal leading the way to social change was too optimistic, but now I understand that I need to think more like her. Maybe, just maybe, my family could all gather around a table, enjoy some overpriced shakes, and be as close as we were when I was a little girl.

 Hayden Wilson is a 17-year-old high school junior from Missouri. He loves writing, making music, and painting. He’s a part of his school’s writing club, as well as the GSA and a few service clubs.

 Literary Gems

We received many outstanding essays for the Fall 2018 Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye.

Thinking of the main staple of the dish—potatoes, the starchy vegetable that provides sustenance for people around the globe. The onion, the layers of sorrow and joy—a base for this dish served during the holidays.  The oil, symbolic of hope and perseverance. All of these elements come together to form this delicious oval pancake permeating with possibilities. I wonder about future possibilities as I flip the latkes.

—Nikki Markman, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

The egg is a treasure. It is a fragile heart of gold that once broken, flows over the blemishless surface of the egg white in dandelion colored streams, like ribbon unraveling from its spool.

—Kaylin Ku, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Princeton Junction, New Jersey

If I were to bring one food to a potluck to create social change by addressing anti-Semitism, I would bring gefilte fish because it is different from other fish, just like the Jews are different from other people.  It looks more like a matzo ball than fish, smells extraordinarily fishy, and tastes like sweet brine with the consistency of a crab cake.

—Noah Glassman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School,  Bronx, New York

I would not only be serving them something to digest, I would serve them a one-of-a-kind taste of the past, a taste of fear that is felt in the souls of those whose home and land were taken away, a taste of ancestral power that still lives upon us, and a taste of the voices that want to be heard and that want the suffering of the Natives to end.

—Citlalic Anima Guevara, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

It’s the one thing that your parents make sure you have because they didn’t.  Food is what your mother gives you as she lies, telling you she already ate. It’s something not everybody is fortunate to have and it’s also what we throw away without hesitation.  Food is a blessing to me, but what is it to you?

—Mohamed Omar, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

Filleted and fried humphead wrasse, mangrove crab with coconut milk, pounded taro, a whole roast pig, and caramelized nuts—cuisines that will not be simplified to just “food.” Because what we eat is the diligence and pride of our people—a culture that has survived and continues to thrive.

—Mayumi Remengesau, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Some people automatically think I’m kosher or ask me to say prayers in Hebrew.  However, guess what? I don’t know many prayers and I eat bacon.

—Hannah Reing, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, The Bronx, New York

Everything was placed before me. Rolling up my sleeves I started cracking eggs, mixing flour, and sampling some chocolate chips, because you can never be too sure. Three separate bowls. All different sizes. Carefully, I tipped the smallest, and the medium-sized bowls into the biggest. Next, I plugged in my hand-held mixer and flicked on the switch. The beaters whirl to life. I lowered it into the bowl and witnessed the creation of something magnificent. Cookie dough.

—Cassandra Amaya, Owen Goodnight Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

Biscuits and bisexuality are both things that are in my life…My grandmother’s biscuits are the best: the good old classic Southern biscuits, crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Except it is mostly Southern people who don’t accept me.

—Jaden Huckaby, Arbor Montessori, Decatur, Georgia

We zest the bright yellow lemons and the peels of flavor fall lightly into the batter.  To make frosting, we keep adding more and more powdered sugar until it looks like fluffy clouds with raspberry seed rain.

—Jane Minus, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Tamales for my grandma, I can still remember her skillfully spreading the perfect layer of masa on every corn husk, looking at me pitifully as my young hands fumbled with the corn wrapper, always too thick or too thin.

—Brenna Eliaz, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

Just like fry bread, MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) remind New Orleanians and others affected by disasters of the devastation throughout our city and the little amount of help we got afterward.

—Madeline Johnson, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

I would bring cream corn and buckeyes and have a big debate on whether marijuana should be illegal or not.

—Lillian Martinez, Miller Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

We would finish the meal off with a delicious apple strudel, topped with schlag, schlag, schlag, more schlag, and a cherry, and finally…more schlag (in case you were wondering, schlag is like whipped cream, but 10 times better because it is heavier and sweeter).

—Morgan Sheehan, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Clever Titles

This year we decided to do something different. We were so impressed by the number of catchy titles that we decided to feature some of our favorites. 

“Eat Like a Baby: Why Shame Has No Place at a Baby’s Dinner Plate”

—Tate Miller, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas 

“The Cheese in Between”

—Jedd Horowitz, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Harvey, Michael, Florence or Katrina? Invite Them All Because Now We Are Prepared”

—Molly Mendoza, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

“Neglecting Our Children: From Broccoli to Bullets”

—Kylie Rollings, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri  

“The Lasagna of Life”

—Max Williams, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

“Yum, Yum, Carbon Dioxide In Our Lungs”

—Melanie Eickmeyer, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

“My Potluck, My Choice”

—Francesca Grossberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Trumping with Tacos”

—Maya Goncalves, Lincoln Middle School, Ypsilanti, Michigan

“Quiche and Climate Change”

—Bernie Waldman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Biscuits and Bisexuality”

“W(health)”

—Miles Oshan, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

“Bubula, Come Eat!”

—Jordan Fienberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School,  Bronx, New York

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5 Most Popular Ways to Cook Eggs — Basic Cooking Skills

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You can’t go wrong with eggs at breakfast, but how do you decide how you want them cooked when they’re all so tasty! There are so many different methods available when it comes to making eggs, and they all serve a unique purpose. I’ve narrowed down the vast list of options to the 5 most popular ways to cook eggs. The more I learn about eggs, the more I’m blown away at how versatile they are and want to master new techniques.

Let’s set our hearts on breakfast and learn something new!

This post is part of our Basic Cooking Skills series. Each week we will be doing a deep-dive into one basic cooking skill and a brand new recipe to accompany it to practice that newfound skill. Check back throughout the series for updates and new posts.

Please note this post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Nutritional Benefits of Eggs

Not only are eggs the perfect centerpiece for breakfast, they contain immense nutritional value. According to Keck Medicine of USC , eggs provide essential protein, various vitamins, and choleric benefits that are immense in number for a food of such small size.

It makes me feel good to know that my body is still getting nutrients when I sit down for an egg brunch with a side of crispy potatoes and a nice cocktail 😉 

Conversely, there are risks of consuming raw eggs. I’m definitely guilty of eating raw cookie dough or licking cake batter off the spoon, so it’s important to be aware of the potential risks and stay informed.

When preparing eggs, it’s important to keep in mind CDC guidelines to prevent catching any food illness from underprepared eggs. Pasteurizing eggs (heating them at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time) is recommended by the USDA as a method to drastically reduce the risk of food poisoning and does not affect the egg’s nutritional quality.

Interestingly, in cooking classes I have taken chefs have mentioned repeatedly how common it is among their peers to consume small portions of raw eggs in dishes. (We even made an aioli with raw egg in the class!) So while consuming raw egg may be more common than we think, children, the elderly, pregnant women, and immunocompromised should take extra caution and avoid it entirely.

Now let’s get cooking.

How to: Cook an Egg

When compiling research for this post, I landed on a post that lists over 100 ways to cook an egg . That’s insane!!

It can get pretty overwhelming, in my opinion, to wrap my head around all the various methods and know which ones are the most reliable.

I’ve narrowed it down to this shortlist of 5 of the most widely-used ways to cook eggs:

• Sunny side up 

Below you’ll find the entire guide to cooking eggs explaining the steps to complete each cooking method and how best to use each type of egg.

Guide to Cooking Eggs

1) boiled eggs.

Equipment Needed

• Cooking pot

There are a lot of varying opinions on the proper way to boil eggs. I’ve tried to change up the process a little to test out different tips, but there’s one way that never fails me.

Place eggs in a pot and fill with water . Submerge the eggs completely and ensure there is water above them too.

Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.

While the eggs are cooking, prepare a large bowl with ice water. Place the eggs directly into the ice bath and let sit for another 10 minutes.

Peel the skin of off the eggs and enjoy!

Hard vs. soft

The length of time that eggs rest in the hot water affects their doneness.

10 minutes will cook the yolk completely, referred to as hard-boiled eggs .

A cook time of 5-8 minutes only cooks the yolks partially, referred to as soft-boiled eggs .

Which type of boiled eggs you want will depend solely on what your plans are for them.

What recipes can I make with boiled eggs?

Hard-boiled eggs are easier to slice into smaller pieces and crumble the yolk because they are fully cooked.

Salad toppings, potato salad, and deviled eggs are some of the most common ways to enjoy hard-boiled eggs, as well as just eating them plain as a healthy snack.

Soft-boiled eggs are not as easy to cut and the soft yolk is more difficult to handle. They’re best served with a starch to help soak up the yolk.

You will find them mostly in dishes like ramen, on toast, with noodles or rice, or even over a salad.

2) Scrambled Eggs

Arguably the most popular way to cook eggs: scrambled!

There’s some nostalgic about enjoying simple scrambled eggs for breakfast. And with a few fun add-ins, classic scrambled eggs can be taken to a whole other level.

Heat a nonstick pan to medium or medium-low heat. Melt butter and add enough olive oil to ensure the entire pan is covered.

Crack the desired amount of eggs into a small bowl. Mix in a splash of milk or cream, shredded cheese, and salt & pepper. Whisk thoroughly until completely combined (I like to use my stand mixer to make sure they’re really whipped).

Pour the eggs into the pan. As the eggs start to cook, gently hold the outer pieces of egg into the middle.

Keep stirring and moving the cooked parts of the egg until it no longer “floods” (the liquid of the egg moving around — it should now be thickened) and everything is cooked through.

If you’d like to mix in other ingredients for a scramble, ensure they are cooked separately and toss into the eggs when they are about 90% done.

Similarly to boiled eggs, hard scrambled eggs are when the eggs are cooked completely through and no longer have a dewey look.

Scrambled eggs are considered soft when they are still a little moist but aren’t runny.

What recipes can I make with Scrambled eggs?

Enjoy scrambled eggs outright with toast and bacon, add into a breakfast burrito, mix with country ham and green onions, or stir into fried rice.

The opportunities for scrambled eggs are numerous and you can’t beat the ease of scrambling on the stovetop!

3) eggs Sunny Side-Up

Sunny-side up eggs are the eggs you see in movies being served at old-school ’50s diners and are very camera friendly.

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-low heat.

Crack the egg directly into the pan. I still find it tricky juggling multiple at once in the same pan without them running together, but it’s doable!

Cover with a lid and let it cook undisturbed. The lid will trap the heat trying to escape from the pan and will help cook the top of the egg.

The whites of the egg will cook quickly and may start to crisp on the edges. The yolk takes a little more time, but once it’s no longer translucent it’s ready to serve.

Eggs. made sunny-side up are very similar to over-easy eggs but there are slight differences

Instead of using a lid to trap steam to cook the top of the eggs, for over-easy you actually flip the entire egg over. and cook it face down for a few brief minutes.

What recipes can I make with Sunny-Side Up eggs?

Toast is the #1 companion of sunny-side up eggs!

The inside of the yolk will be a little runny so having a starch to sop it up is preferred.

Toast, hash browns, grits, or on top of a breakfast bowl are some of the most widely-used ways to enjoy sunny-side up.

4) Shirred Eggs

Equipment needed:

• Heavy cream

This method of cooking is unique in that it is baked in the oven!

Only recently did I learn about shirred eggs and loved the idea of individual baked egg cups!

Eggs are mixed with cream and baked to create a dense custard that can be enjoyed with lots of toppings.

Using ramekins for individual servings, grease thoroughly. Crack 2 eggs into each ramekin and add heavy cream. Add a dash of salt and pepper and bake.

Bake until the edges are set but the middle moves slightly, around 12-14 minutes.

What recipes can I make with Shirred eggs?

Ramekins are perfect for individual breakfast servings and each can be uniquely topped.

Top with parmesan cheese and green onions for a classic touch.

Line the ramekins with prosciutto and top with sliced tomatoes for a little Italian flare.

Heat dried herbs into the cream and stir in veggies for a fresh take.

I always thought that poached eggs were TOO fancy for me but boy was I wrong!

Poached eggs cook in hot water alongside a splash of vinegar. The vinegar helps science do its thing and allows the egg to coagulate and solidify. How cool!

Heat a few inches of water and bring it almost to a boil. Pour in a tbsp of vinegar.

Crack each egg into a small bowl and carefully lower the bowl into the water and pour in the egg. Carefully swirl a large spoon in the water around the egg to help form a round shape.

Multiple eggs can be poached at once but it can be a little tricky to keep them from cooking into one another.

Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the egg and place in a tea towel and serve. If not eating immediately, place in an ice bath to stop the egg from cooking.

Like other forms of eggs, poached eggs pair perfectly with starches. The yolk is runny and is soaked up with bread or potatoes.

Top a breakfast hash with poached eggs and chimichurri, or create eggs benedict with an english muffin and hollandaise.

Poached eggs are a quick way to bring your breakfast to the next level!

Implement Your New Skill

Coming next week is a tried and true breakfast recipe that I LOVE and is a keeper in my house. Come back next week to check it out!

The possibilities when preparing eggs are endless! What are you favorite ways to enjoy eggs? Is there a new method you’d like to try? Share in the comments below!

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72 thoughts on “5 most popular ways to cook eggs — basic cooking skills”.

Ohh I have never heard of stirred eggs and will need to give them a try!

I learned about them recently and couldn’t wait to try it out!

I am an egg girl, without question! My favorite way is poached but I usually go with scrambled for my breakfast. (Easier clean up!) I’ve never tried shirred, though it sounds a bit like using a coddler? Thank you for sharing your methods.

I love poached too but sometimes it’s a little too much work lol. Shirred is really just baked, but I think coddled eggs are fairly similar to poached eggs!

Must try stirred and poached eggs. Great post!

Shirred is a little more error proof but making poached eggs makes you feel really accomplished. Thank you!

I absolutely love poached eggs especially at brunch but didn’t realise how easy it was to make at home. I definitely want to try it one day. I also really want to perfect a nice soft boiled egg for ramen x

http://thesydneysider.com/

I love your cooking tip posts, they’re always so helpful! My favourite kind of eggs is ‘dippy’ egg to dip bread into xx

Thank you so much, I love getting feedback about them. That sounds like a tasty way to enjoy eggs!

I am a huge fan of eggs but never heard of shirred one! Will have to absolutely try it out! Thanks for sharing x

This is such a helpful post. I really struggle with cooking eggs and find boiled eggs the most difficult to get right. I’m definitely going to try the method you’ve mentioned.

I hope it’s helpful for when you next boil eggs!

I hope you like it! It’s a different way to enjoy brunch 🙂

I have eggs every morning for breakfast – I love them! And they totally fill me up till lunchtime too. I usually have scrambled (although I do mine in the microwave) but occasionally I’ll have a fried egg sandwich or poached eggs on toast with avocado!

YUM that toast sounds amazing!

I absolutely love eggs, In fact I had eggs for lunch. I have to admit to never hearing of Shirred before. Although I have baked eggs before minus the cream and it is lovely x

It was a new cooking technique to me too!

Such a great post. I’m going to show my oldest daughter this. She can’t boil an egg!? Some great advice for the novice cook too who’s just starting out on their own.

I hope it is helpful! I was lost in the kitchen as a college student so I try to keep that in mind when writing 🙂

This has me very inspired to want to try poached eggs. I always find them intimidating!

I hope you give them a try! The first time I attempted it I had several eggs so I could try a bunch of times in case I messed up 🙂

I can’t get enough of eggs – these are great options!

Thank you! And me too,I love eggs everyday!

I love boiled eggs & scrambled eggs are so easy to make in the morning for breakfast. I didn’t know about shirred eggs so thank you for teaching something new!

Thanks so much!

I love eggs. I could eat them everyday, and this post makes me want to boil some.

Me too, they’re great for meals, snacks, and everything inbetween!

I love that you go into so much depth on a topic that a lot of people just assume others know about! I can’t count how many new cooks and those recently moved out on thier own who could find this info very useful! We love eggs in our household, mostly because our chickens keep us on a constant supply of them.

Thank you so much, that’s so sweet!

Eggs are always a staple in our house, due to their versatility. This is a great post for beginner cooks!!

I love how versatile they are too!

Love all these tips! Looking forward to giving them a try!

I hope it’s helpful!

I have never heard of shirred eggs before, but they sound versatile and delicious! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

I love your cooking tip posts!! this is amazing! i usually eat mine boiled but these look so amazing!

Thank you so much!

The Shirred eggs look great. A nice reminder of the different ways to prepare eggs. I eat eggs almost every morning, I need variety. Thanks,

I crave variety too! Thanks for reading

Boiled Eggs are my absolute favourite way to have eggs. I have also recently tried scrambled eggs for the first time and they were super yummy too. There are so many great ways to cook eggs.

Scrambled is definitely my go-to!!

Shirred Eggs are new to me…will try that recipe. Thank you for sharing so wonderful things about eggs.

Thanks for reading!

My favorite ways to make eggs are scrambled and omelettes. I’d never heard of shirred eggs before. Thank you for sharing!

Yummm omelettes are also great!

I’m not the biggest fan of eggs ever (it’s a texture thing for me), but my husband LOVES them and eats them constantly – and my sister has a farm so we get fresh eggs pretty regularly. I definitely need to learn my way around them since it’s such a family ordeal 😉

That sounds awesome to get fresh eggs like that! I used to not like the texture either but then I was won over by the flavor from some great meals 🙂

I love these suggestions! Eggs can be so good for you, and I have omelettes and scrambled eggs a lot for lunches 🙂 thank you for sharing x

I usually only have eggs at breakfast but would love them more at lunch!

Interesting post! I’ve never heard of shirred eggs before, I’m tempted to try them now! Thanks for sharing x

I hope you enjoy them if you do!

I’d never heard of shirred eggs before but it sounds lovely 😍 I often bake or cook my eggs and if sunny side up works, I definitely prefer that! 😁 learned a lot about how to do it better though, thank you!

That’s great to hear, thank you!

My favorite eggs are scrambled 🙂

Oooh I’m such a big fan of eggs – scrambled or fried eggs are usually my go to but I’ve never heard of shirred eggs! Definitely going to have to check those out!

Never tried shirred!

Wonderful post! I’m always looking for ways to spice my breakfast, and I found the perfect post. I’ve never tried poached eggs, and I gotta try them now. One of my favorites is the classic omelet, or scrambled. Thanks for sharing all these great ways to cook eggs!

Poached eggs are so fun to try! I hope this is helpful for when you try!

We used full boiled eggs/hard boiled eggs in gravies sometimes, and it tastes great. Once I have eaten shirred eggs at my American colleague’s home, and they were awesome. I never baked myself; now thanks to you, I can try!

I love cooking eggs and they should be so easy, but there are certain tricks that make it not that simple 🙂 Wonderful hints for people who are new at cooking eggs.

I love eggs, especially scrambled, sunny side up, or atop avocado toast of course, as a great protein source. I love your post because it also gives great ways to cook eggs. I have always wanted to try poached eggs, so thank you for sharing the ease of the process!

Great post! Boiled, Sunny side up (more over easy) and scrambled are my favorites for sure. I have eggs almost every morning. Gotta have the protein. Love your pinnable images you included. I’m still trying to figure out how to do that. Yours are beautiful!

We eat a ton of eggs in my house! I also have never heard of shirred eggs but it sounds creamy and delicious! Thanks for pulling this together!

Eggs! Yum. Shirred sound interesting. I’ll have to try it sometime. I love all kinds of eggs. Now you have me wanting some soft boiled but I’ll have to stick with the hard boiled that hubby made in InstantPot yesterday. Off to grab my snack….

Yum! It’s amazing how eggs taste great so many different ways!

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It’s rally interesting how easy it is to cook eggs that turn out less than yummy. I love this and l love your approach to teaching us different way to cook eggs!

Thank you, I really appreciate that!

Mmmmm, I love eggs Benedict, but poaching is tricky. I’ll try your method, though, and give it another go. Meanwhile, scrambled egg it is!:)

I do love eggs, haha! I’m still working on boiling my egg ‘just’ right, since I do like my egg soft boiled but not too soft, haha – but I’m slowly getting there.

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The 13 Most Common Egg Cooks

Home | Blog | Cooking | The 13 Most Common Egg Cooks

Posted on: March 23rd 2018

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Soft-boiled eggs, hard-scrambled eggs, soft-scrambled eggs, creamy scrambled eggs, omelets and frittatas, sunny-side-up eggs, over-easy eggs, over-medium eggs, over-hard eggs.

• Poached Eggs

Basted Eggs

Do different ways of cooking eggs affect their nutritional value, so, what should i order.

Why can’t someone just tell you about the best ways to order an egg? Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a comprehensive guide to how to order eggs and different ways to cook eggs, along with instructions for how to cook them in the comfort of your home?

If you frequently find yourself flummoxed in restaurants or bored of the one single way you know how to cook eggs, we’ve got good news for you. We’ve made a guide to teach you everything you need to know about how to cook eggs. Here, we’ll talk about all the different egg cooks you’ve heard of, but might not actually know about. Not only that, but we’ll also go over the basics of how to cook eggs in all these different ways.

And don’t worry. We don’t expect you to be a professional chef, or even an experienced one. With a little knowledge, anyone can cook eggs in any of these ways. All you need is a stovetop, a frying pan or a saucepan and a little determination. If you’ve got these things, you’re more than prepared.

So what are the best ways to cook eggs? Let’s take a look at some tried-and-true favorites.

Find Sauder’s Eggs Near You

Hard-boiling eggs may be the easiest way to cook them, though it still might be unfamiliar to some. If you’ve never experienced this delicious egg cook before, now’s the perfect time to try it. As a bonus, it’s probably the most straightforward way to prepare eggs out there.

A hard-boiled egg is one that’s been cooked inside its shell in a pot of boiling water. The term “hard” refers to both the outer egg white and the yolk inside. After a bit of boiling, these both gain a much firmer consistency.

To make a hard-boiled egg, fill a pot or saucepan with enough water to cover about two inches of your eggs. Once the water is boiling, place your egg or eggs into it. Let them sit and boil for 10-12 minutes. That’s all you have to do.

Once they’ve been boiling for a little over 10 minutes, take them out and let them cool off a bit. The shells should peel off fairly easily at this point. You can peel them gently with your hands, since the shell should just fall away without too much resistance. If you’re nervous or if the shell is being stubborn, however, try submerging the eggs in ice water immediately after taking them out of the boiling water. The shells should be much easier to remove after this.

Hard-boiled eggs taste great by themselves with just a sprinkle of salt. Or, if that’s not your style, try slicing them up and adding them to a salad. Either way, you’ll be a pro at making these after just one or two times.

Making a soft-boiled egg requires a nearly identical process as making a hardboiled one. The only difference is the length of time the egg needs to cook. For a soft-boiled egg, cut the cooking time in half.

The full process starts by filling a pot with enough water to cover about two inches of your eggs. Once the water boils, gently drop your eggs in and set a timer for six minutes. After the allotted time, take them out and put them straight into an ice bath.

The result of the six-minute boil is that the egg white gets cooked through, but the yolk remains runny. As you might guess, this is why the eggs are called “soft-boiled.” You might also hear these referred to as six-minute eggs, but don’t get confused: It means the same thing.

There are a couple of different ways to eat these tasty eggs. You might see them served in egg cups, complete with the shell intact. All you do is carefully tap the eggshell with your spoon to crack it and scoop out the delicious insides with your spoon. Another way to eat soft-boiled eggs is to have them on toast with a dash of salt, pepper, hot sauce, ketchup or any other favorite seasonings. You can even add them to a heavy bean soup if you like.

Like hard-boiled eggs, these tasty eggs are easy to make individually or in bulk. If you do decide to boil a lot of eggs at once, you can pop them in your fridge to store them until you’re ready to eat them. No matter how you choose to enjoy these eggs, they’re always a delicious and easy option.

Wait, wait, wait, you might be saying. I know what scrambled eggs are, but what’s a “hard” scramble? Don’t worry, it’s a lot less complicated than you might think. Just as hard-boiled and soft-boiled eggs are the same thing, except for the cooking times, so are the different varieties of scrambled eggs.

While slightly more difficult than boiled eggs, scrambled eggs are still easy enough for even an inexperienced home chef to pull off. Crack as many eggs as desired into a bowl, add a little milk and whisk it all together. Pour this mixture into a frying pan and let it sit until it begins to grow firm. Then, it’s all about scraping it around with a spatula. Break the hardening egg mixture into little pieces are you continually move it around the pan. Keep repeating these motions until the eggs no longer seem to have any liquid in them.

The main caution when making hard scrambled eggs is not to let them become too dry. While they shouldn’t be moist, they shouldn’t be bone-dry, either. No one wants to eat entirely dry eggs. It’s also important to keep the eggs moving around the pan. You don’t want to let them stick to the pan and burn.

One of the great things about these eggs is how versatile they are. You can eat them plain, add shredded cheese or mix in other tasty treats like sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms. You can add salt, pepper, ketchup, hot sauce or any other seasonings you like. You can eat them as a stand-alone dish, or as part of a sandwich or stir-fry — the only limit is your imagination.

You might also hear people refer to this cooking style as “wet” scrambled. They’re almost exactly like hard-scrambled eggs, but with one difference. You take the eggs off the heat and serve them while they still have a little moisture left in them.

Other than this difference, the preparation is the same as hard-scrambled eggs. Mix them in a bowl, pour them into a pan and wait for them to start to coalesce. Then, just keep mixing and flipping them until they’re as cooked as you like them.

With hard- or soft-scrambled eggs, it really comes down to preference. Some people like their scrambled eggs on the dry side, while others like them with a softer consistency. No matter what you prefer, there are dozens of ways to get creative with how you serve and eat them. Eat them plain, or on toast or a bagel. Add goodies like cheese, spinach, onions, mushrooms or whatever you like.

When making either type of scrambled eggs, remember: The key to success is to keep them moving and not let them stick to the pan.

You might not be able to order this style of eggs at most restaurants, but it’s certainly worth giving these a try at home after you’ve mastered ordinary scrambled eggs. Of all the different ways to cook an egg, this method comes right from Gordon Ramsay himself , but don’t let that intimidate you into thinking it’s too hard. Anyone can make these delicious and oh-so-creamy eggs.

Crack your eggs into a pan over medium heat and add one small dab of butter for each egg. Use a spatula to start stirring, breaking the yolks and letting them combine with the egg whites and butter. Then, just keep stirring. Don’t hesitate to lift the pan off the heat briefly if it seems to be getting too hot, but just patiently keep stirring for four or five minutes. After this amount of time, the eggs should be starting to firm up and come together.

Just before you pull the eggs off the stove, add a splash of milk or sour cream. Stir it in, then scoop the eggs out and serve them plain or over toast. For the best results, sprinkle herbs or seasonings of your choice on top. Then see if these aren’t the tastiest, creamiest eggs you’ve ever eaten in your life.

While you might think of an omelet as something entirely different from scrambled eggs, the two methods of preparing eggs are actually more similar than you might think.

To make an omelet, start with your basic scrambled eggs preparation. Pour your egg mixture into the pan the same way you would for scrambled eggs. This time, instead of scooping and mixing your eggs up, let it sit. Allow it to cook this way, spread out over the bottom of the pan in a mostly flat circle. Then, when it seems cooked and firm, fold it over in half and scoop it out of the pan to serve it. In other words, an omelet is just scrambled eggs without the scrambling.

Of course, one of the main attractions of any omelet is all the goodies you can fold in. Add meats, veggies, cheese or anything you like to make your eggs extra-tasty.

A frittata is almost the same thing as an omelet. The only difference is that a frittata remains open, while the omelet gets folded in half before serving.

This is one variation of the fried egg that is practically guaranteed to get you smiling in the morning — both from its happy name and its friendly-looking appearance. It’s a very standard offering that will be available at most restaurants, but it’s also quite easy to make for yourself at home.

To make a sunny-side-up egg, crack your egg directly into a greased or buttered pan. Fry it until the edges begin to turn brown, but don’t flip it. Without ever turning it, keep frying your egg until it’s as cooked as you like it. Season as desired, and serve.

By not flipping the egg, the yolk stays slightly runny. Because of this unique facet of the sunny-side-up egg, you might also hear them referred to as “dipping” or “dippy” eggs. Many people like to eat these eggs with toast, dipping their bread into the semi-runny yolk.

Over-easy eggs are in the same family, if you will, as a sunny-side-up egg. Many of the steps are the same, but the over-easy egg includes a few extra steps. The end results are similar, but with a few crucial differences.

Begin in the same way, by cracking your egg into a greased pan. Turn the heat on, and let your egg fry until the edges begin to brown. Then, flip it over gently — without breaking the yolk — to cook the other side. However, for a true over-easy egg, don’t let it fry on the yolk side for too long. Scoop it out of the pan and onto the plate after just a few moments of frying.

Frying the yolk very briefly causes a thin film to form over the yolk. Underneath this film, the yolk is still a bit runny, and perfect for toast dipping. Depending on how long you like to cook your eggs, you might even let the egg whites stay a little runny as well. It’s a small difference between over-easy and sunny-side-up eggs, but a difference nonetheless. Whichever one you prefer, they’re both easy to make at home with just a bit of practice.

Here is yet another egg style in the fried egg family. Begin by cracking your egg into the pan and letting it fry until the edges start to turn golden brown. Then, flip it onto the yolk side, just like you did for your over-easy egg. The difference between the over-easy and over-medium egg is that you fry it just a bit longer on the second side. This lets the film over the egg yolk get a little thicker, while still allowing the yolk to maintain a runny quality.

The benefit of over-medium eggs — and the reason some people prefer them — is that they still have the runny yolk texture, while losing the liquid nature of the egg whites. People can still dip their toast in into their egg yolks, while also enjoying a firmer egg white.

There isn’t exactly a clear line between when an egg stops becoming over-easy and instead becomes over-medium. In fact, it’s very easy to accidentally make an over-medium egg when trying to make an over-easy one. But while there might not be clear boundaries between the two, generally you know which one is which when you see it. All it takes is a little practice and skill to learn how long to let the second side of your egg fry to cook one or the other.

This is the last egg in the fried egg family, and uses much the same cooking style as the others. Break the egg over your pan and let it begin to fry. With an over-hard egg, you’ll want to break the yolk, usually with a fork or spatula. Fry the egg until the edges brown, then flip the egg and fry the second side as well. By the time this egg is cooked, neither the white nor the yolk should be runny. Don’t forget to add a little extra flavor by adding your favorite seasonings.

Although this egg doesn’t allow for the same kind of toast-dipping experience, there are still plenty of delicious ways to eat it. Over-hard eggs are good plain, and even better on a toast sandwich, using either bread or bagels. They’re also a staple at many restaurants, and are very simple to make by yourself at home. With practice, you’ll even be able to keep the yolk from dripping as you flip the egg, maintaining an aesthetically pleasing picture.

Up until now, most of the egg cooking methods we’ve talked about have loosely fallen into family groups. There are the different ways to boil an egg, different ways to scramble an egg and of course, all the frying methods. Poached eggs are a little bit different, however, because they don’t fall neatly into any one category. Instead, they’re a kind of hybrid method.

Poaching an egg results in no hard edges. The shell is gone, but the egg remains whole, a bit like a boiled egg. Inside the cooked egg white, however, the yolk remains warm and runny.

You might assume you need an egg poacher to make this style of egg, but there are several different methods for poaching an egg without any special equipment.

• The whirlpool method: Heat a saucepan of water until it’s almost at a rolling boil, but not quite. Add a small splash of vinegar to your water. Next, take your egg and crack it into a small bowl. Swirl the water in your saucepan and carefully drop your cracked egg into the center of the whirlpool. The whirling motion of the water draws the egg white together. Leave the egg in the water for about five minutes, then remove it with a slotted spoon.
• The strainer method: Heat a saucepan of water, adding your dash of vinegar. Break your egg into a mesh strainer over the water. This way, the most watery parts of the egg whites will slide through the mesh and into the pot. Then, slowly and carefully transfer the egg into the boiling water. Let it cook for about five minutes before removing the egg with your slotted spoon.

Cooking a poached egg is a little more complicated than frying or boiling an egg, there’s no denying that. But it’s also something that is entirely doable as long as you’re willing to practice a few times. Most likely, you’ll ruin a few eggs during the learning process, but there’s no real harm in that. After all, you can always turn them into scrambled eggs.

What’s that, you can bake an egg? That’s right. While it might not be the most common or well-known way to serve eggs, it’s entirely possible and even quite tasty. You might also hear people refer to baked eggs as “shirred eggs.” This name comes from the particular flat-bottomed dish often used to bake the eggs.

To prepare baked eggs, crack them into a flat-bottomed dish or pie tin and mix them with other ingredients of your taste to make a variety of unique and delicious dishes. You might mix in tomatoes and cheese, or different types of meat. The options are only limited by your creativity.

While we’re talking about ways to serve eggs that are a little bit off the beaten path, let’s talk about basted eggs.

Basting an egg refers to a process of frying an egg using liquid and steam. There are a few different ways to do this.

• The butter method: With your egg frying in a buttered pan, continually scoop extra liquid butter out of the bottom of the pan and pour it over the top of the egg. This cooks the egg white and yolk thoroughly without ever flipping the egg.
• The water method: Add some extra water to your frying pan and then put a lid over it. The water will turn to steam, effectively cooking both the egg and the yolk without having to flip them.

What makes the basted egg unique is that it allows you to cook an egg without browning any of the edges. The egg cooks thoroughly, with no risk of overcooking.

Are Eggs Unhealthy for Me to Eat?

You’ve probably heard that, even though they’re both delicious and supremely versatile, eggs are not exactly the healthiest food available. The problem most people point to with eggs is their very high cholesterol content. Just one good-sized egg alone contains an average of 186 milligrams of cholesterol . That number might not seem like a lot if you don’t know a lot about nutrition, so we’ll break it down for you.

Cholesterol is a waxy material your body needs to properly build healthy new cells. It’s not a bad thing in moderation. However, too much of it can cause lots of health problems. Our bodies naturally produce almost all — if not all — of the cholesterol we need to keep making healthy cells. That’s part of our liver’s job.

However, in addition to this, some of the food we eat contains cholesterol as well. While a little bit of extra cholesterol isn’t the end of the world, too much can be very problematic. Most health experts agree that you shouldn’t consume more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day. That means by eating even one egg in a day, you’ve already reached more than two-thirds of your daily recommended allowance.

The problem with too much cholesterol is that our bodies can’t use it all to build cells. Excess cholesterol begins to build up in the veins and arteries, clogging them and making it more difficult for the blood to travel to and from the heart. In time, this can lead to life-threatening complications such as a heart attack or a stroke.

However, while eggs might not be the healthiest choice, they’re by no means the worst thing you could eat. In fact, they have plenty of benefits as well. For instance, eggs are an excellent source of protein, especially for people on a low- or no-meat diet. Eggs also raise your levels of “good” cholesterol, while simultaneously lowering your levels of “bad” cholesterol.

Unsurprisingly, the key to eating eggs is the same as it is to eating most foods: moderation. Like almost all foods, eggs will not adversely affect your health as long as you exercise a little restraint. You can absolutely eat an egg or two with your breakfast on occasion. There is nothing wrong with this, and there are even health benefits to it. Just be aware eating two eggs for breakfast every day may not be the best course of action. As long as you practice restraint, however, don’t be afraid to enjoy your eggs with breakfast.

OK, so eggs contain a lot of cholesterol, and have the potential to cause problems for people who eat too much. But what about different ways of cooking eggs? Is one method of cooking an egg healthier than another? Is a hard-boiled egg better to eat than a sunny-side-up egg? Is there a difference at all?

As it happens, different methods of cooking an egg do actually have an effect on the nutritional value, or lack thereof, of an egg. With that in mind, let’s look at a few different methods of preparing eggs, in order of healthiness.

Poached eggs are the healthiest way to eat your eggs, mainly because the cooking process doesn’t require adding extra fat or oil. When you eat a poached egg, you are not ingesting any additional unhealthy ingredients. Instead, a poached egg is essentially the bare egg itself.

For maximum health benefits, make sure the egg is fully cooked through. This is because eggs contain biotin, a vitamin that helps your hair and nails become healthier, and your body can only absorb this nutrient if the egg is fully cooked.

Eat your poached eggs plain, or on some whole-wheat toast. Try adding some ham or salmon for an extra protein boost to help you start your morning off right.

• Boiled Eggs

This category refers to both hard- and soft-boiled eggs. Did you know boiling an egg is actually a fantastic way to make it more nutritional?

When an egg yolk meets high heat and oxygen, the cholesterol becomes damaged, meaning what was once “good” cholesterol is now “bad” cholesterol. But by boiling an egg, the yolk cooks without ever being exposed to oxygen, or even directly exposed to high heat, since its shell protects it during the cooking process.

The same principle applies whether you’re hard- or soft-boiling an egg, meaning you can choose either method and still enjoy the same health benefits. And because these eggs are so easy to cook and transport, they’re a great choice to make in the morning and carry with you for a protein-packed snack later in the day.

• Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled eggs are a fairly healthy option as well. The problem with scrambled eggs happens when you grease the bottom of the frying pan to keep your eggs from sticking, which adds extra fat and oil. To skip these extra calories, use a nonstick pan to scramble your eggs. Or, if that isn’t an option, use just a small amount of olive oil, coconut oil or butter.

An extra step you can take to ensure the healthiness of your eggs is to watch the heat. If you scramble your eggs on very high heat, only to leave them sitting around for a while afterward, the cholesterol in the yolks will be damaged and become unhealthy. For better results, cook them a little more slowly on low heat, and eat them immediately after.

If you want to make your scrambled eggs even healthier, add some veggies. The best thing about scrambled eggs is that you can add virtually anything to them and it only makes them more delicious. Try tossing spinach, mushrooms, onions and any other mix-ins you can think of into the pan. Not only will this make your eggs tastier, but it will also add a vitamin and mineral boost.

If you’re concerned about the health risks of eggs, one final solution is to ditch the egg yolk altogether and just eat the egg whites. The reason this works is that the yolk is the source of all the cholesterol. There are no health risks associated with the whites, meaning you can eat as many of these as you like.

The only downside of this solution is that the yolk also houses many of the nutritional benefits of the egg, such as vitamins D and A. So if you throw away the yolk, you’re getting rid of both the health risks and most of the health benefits all at once.

Though different ways of cooking eggs can increase or decrease the nutritional value or the health risks associated with it, these changes aren’t extremely significant. Yes, a boiled egg is healthier than a fried egg. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to eat a boiled egg every day for breakfast. It also doesn’t mean you’ll immediately experience a decline in your health after eating one of two fried eggs.

Eggs are like any other food. As long as you eat them in moderation as part of a balanced diet, you will be alright.

So what is the best way to cook an egg? Well, that’s the really fun question. The answer is, you should cook eggs however you like best. The world is full of new and exciting ways to cook eggs. Why not try them all? Why not learn what type of egg you like, which type is just OK and which type you absolutely love?

When it comes to eggs, the only proper thing to do is experiment with different cooking methods, seasonings and add-ins to discover your favorite egg recipe. Once you do that, be sure to stop back in and let us know what you’ve discovered.

Got Other Questions?

Maybe you’re an egg expert, or maybe this has been your first foray into the world of egg-preparing. Whichever of those options describe you, we know there’s a lot to learn about eggs. That’s why Sauder’s Eggs is here for you.

We sell our delicious and top-quality eggs to families and individuals throughout Pennsylvania. We’re passionate about providing the best eggs we can, from our family to yours. If you have any questions about where you can buy our tasty and fresh eggs, or if you have any questions at all, please contact us any time. We’d be delighted to hear from you.

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15 Different Ways to Cook Eggs

• February 26, 2021
• Kate's Kitchen
• Breakfast , Eggs

Eggs are arguably the quintessential breakfast food. Everybody knows that there are multiple ways to prepare your eggs, but when you saw the title of this article, you were probably thinking “there’s no way that there are fifteen different ways to cook eggs .”

Well, there are, and we’re going to prove it to you! In actuality, there are way more than fifteen ways to prepare eggs, but we don’t want to overwhelm you too much 🙂

1. Sunny-Side-Up Eggs

Sunny-side-up is one of the most recognizable styles of eggs. To cook your eggs sunny-side-up, crack the egg directly into a hot frying pan (make sure it is greased with butter or cooking spray) and let it cook.

Once the egg whites have cooked through, remove the egg from the pan without flipping it over. If you do flip a sunny-side-up egg , it becomes an over-easy egg. The runny yolks that are a staple of sunny-side-up eggs are perfect for dipping toast and English muffins into.

2. Over-Easy Eggs

This is an easy one. See what we did there? However, the “easy” in the name does not refer to this cooking method’s simplicity. The terms “easy,” “medium,” and “hard” actually refer to the state of the yolk after you stop cooking the egg.

Crack the egg into your frying pan , and let it fry until the edges are slightly brown. Then, flip the egg over and let the other side cook as well. Eggs cook fast, so remove the egg from the pan once a thin white film has appeared obscuring the yolk.

When sliced open, the egg yolk should be runny. If you cook the egg on its second side for too long, it will become an over-medium egg.

3. Over-Medium Eggs

Over-medium eggs are cooked slightly longer than over-easy eggs. You fry one side, flip it, and fry the other side until the egg whites are cooked all the way through. The final result of an over-medium egg is very similar to that of an over-easy egg.

4. Over-Hard Eggs

Over-hard eggs are the final evolution of the fried egg . The egg is fried, flipped, and fried again, but this time, the second side of the egg is cooked for much longer. Usually, until both the egg yolk and the egg white are cooked all the way through.

Some people also break apart their yolks when cooking eggs over-hard. This can be easily done by poking the yolk with a fork or spatula just before flipping the egg.

Because over-hard eggs are cooked all the way through and are not runny, they are the perfect choice for a fried egg sandwich!

5. Egg-in-a-Basket

An egg-in-a-basket is an alternative method of frying your eggs . To make one of these delicious concoctions, simply fry an egg in the middle of a slice of bread that has a hole ripped into it. What you’ll end up with is a piece of toast that has an egg fried into the middle of it!

Recommended Read Our Favorite Staple Breakfast Items Ranked!

Boiled Eggs

6. hard-boiled eggs.

Moving on from fried eggs , now we get to boiled eggs. The “hard” in hard-boiled refers to the consistency of the egg white and the yolk after the eggs have been boiled.

Hard-boiled eggs are incredibly easy to prepare. Simply fill a pot with boiling water (enough to cover your eggs by about two inches) and boil the uncracked eggs for about ten to twelve minutes.

Before you can eat hard-boiled eggs, they need to be cooled and have their shells peeled off. An easy way to do this is to transfer them to a bowl of ice- cold water after they have finished cooking.

Once they are cooled, gently tap the eggs against a hard surface to crack the shell. This allows for easy peeling. Hard-boiled eggs can be stored in your refrigerator for later use. We love to drizzle them in olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper!

7. Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a method of preparing and serving hard-boiled eggs. After the eggs have been boiled, cooled, and peeled, slice them in half lengthwise and remove the egg yolks using a small spoon.

Then, mix all the egg yolks together alongside other ingredients like mayonnaise and mustard. There are several ways to prepare deviled eggs , so experiment and figure out what you like best!

Mix in some of your favorite spices like paprika, chill the yolk mixture, and then spoon the mixture back into the egg whites . Yum! Deviled eggs are a perfect accompaniment for any social gathering.

8. Soft-Boiled Eggs

Soft-boiled eggs are not as popular as hard-boiled eggs, but they are arguably just as delicious!

Instead of boiling the eggs all the way through, cut their cooking time to around six minutes. This ensures that the egg whites are cooked, but the yolks are left runny.

Soft-boiled eggs act as an excellent topping for toast, and sometimes they are eaten straight out of the eggshell, served in small egg-shaped cups.

Scrambled Eggs

9. hard scrambled eggs.

Scrambled eggs are arguably the king of all eggs. They are one of the most common methods of preparing eggs at restaurants and are often served with bacon, sausage, hash browns, and toast. They’re also super easy to make too.

An egg that is scrambled means that the yolk and the whites are whisked together prior to cooking. Hard scrambled eggs are cooked in a greased pan all the way through and are served completely dry.

10. Soft Scrambled Eggs

Soft scrambled eggs are the same as hard scrambled eggs , except they are cooked for a shorter amount of time and on medium heat . Soft scrambled eggs are much moister than hard scrambled eggs and are slightly runnier.

Eggs cook FAST, so if you want to make great soft scrambled eggs , make sure to keep them constantly moving in a greased frying pan and do not step away from the pan .

If you let these eggs cook for too long or you cook them on anything higher than medium heat , they will quickly turn into hard scrambled eggs .

11 & 12. Omelets and Frittatas

We’re counting omelets and frittatas as two separate methods of cooking eggs. However, they’re so similar that they hardly warrant separate sections.

Omelets are an infinitely-customizable variation of traditional scrambled eggs . Omelets are scrambled eggs that are cooked into a stabilized form and filled with all kinds of ingredients including meats, cheeses, vegetables, herbs, and spices.

The omelet is folded back over onto itself, encapsulating the delicious ingredients within. Some people like to broil the top of their omelet after they have folded it over.

A frittata is essentially an open-faced omelet. It is still loaded up with ingredients, but it is not folded over onto itself. See? Completely different.

Recommended Read 5 Reasons to Wake Up On the Sunny Side of Breakfast with an Omelet

Other Methods of Preparing Eggs

13. basted eggs.

Basting is a method of cooking where juice or fat is continuously poured over a food (typically meat… think of a basted turkey) while it is cooking to keep it moist. 

One easy way to baste an egg is to fry it in melted butter and continuously scoop the butter on top of the egg. This makes it so you can cook the top of the egg without flipping it as you would with an over-easy egg.

If you pour the butter over the egg quickly enough, you can cook it all the way through before the whites start to brown. This result can also be achieved by poaching the egg . Speaking of which… 

14. Poached Eggs

Poaching an egg is similar to boiling an egg, except t it is cooked without its shell in simmering water (around 185-190 degrees). Poaching an egg is slightly more involved than other preparation methods, but with enough practice, it is rather easy as well.

Start by cracking your egg into a custard cup, and heat around one-and-a-half inches of water in a non-stick saucepan to a simmer.

The result should be similar to an over-medium egg but without the browned edges. You can either eat the egg immediately or place it in ice- cold water and store it in the fridge for up to eight hours.

Poached eggs are often served with ham or bacon on top of a toasted English muffin slathered in hollandaise sauce to create the endlessly popular eggs benedict . 

Eggs florentine is a less meaty version of eggs benedict that substitutes the ham for spinach. Or you can have your cake and eat it too by simply adding the spinach beneath the ham. Both are totally acceptable (we would never judge anyway).

Learn from Alton Brown how to cook a poached egg!

15. Shirred Eggs

Shirred eggs are also referred to as baked eggs . They are typically baked in a flat-bottomed dish alongside butter and other ingredients until the whites are cooked through and the yolks are still runny. Most of the time, shirred eggs are served in the dish they were baked in.

Come Visit Kate’s Kitchen!

There you have it! Fifteen different ways to cook eggs . There are actually more ways of preparing eggs that we didn’t even talk about, not to mention all the different dishes that you can make with eggs like quiches, breakfast burritos, and huevos rancheros!

If you’re hungry for some breakfast but don’t feel like making it yourself, come and visit us over at Kate’s Kitchen in Gladstone, Missouri, or Ronnie’s Restaurant in Lenexa, Kansas! Our ever-popular dishes are guaranteed to start your day off on the right foot.

Take a look at our breakfast menu!

Give us a call if you would like to place a to-go order!

Kate’s Kitchen… (816) 436-7200

Ronnie’s Restaurant… (913) 831-8600

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Stories / Guides and Tips , Recipes

How to Make Perfect Scrambled Eggs

January 11, 2018

Search Recipes

In his iconic tome, Beard on Food , which was first published in 1974, our namesake wrote prolific prose on a vast landscape of culinary topics, from the pleasures of oxtails to a lesson in chicken anatomy to how to perfect scrambled eggs, which we share with you below. Humorous, erudite, and timeless, this collection of essays remains an indispensable resource for the home cook.

When people invite you in for a quick meal, or if something goes wrong in the kitchen, they are apt to say, “Oh well, I’ll just scramble some eggs,” as if “just scrambling some eggs” couldn’t be simpler. As a matter of fact, scrambling eggs is one of the more complex kitchen processes, and there are various schools of egg scrambling. There are those who believe eggs should be scrambled in a double-boiler over simmering water, those who believe they should be scrambled quickly, and those who believe that it takes slow and most accurate timing to make the curds tender, delicious, and of varied sizes. Every person regards his particular fashion of scrambling an egg as a mark of his culinary skill, and so it is. My good friend Julia Child once demonstrated her theory of scrambling eggs on television. She lifted the pan from the burner and then lowered it, to adjust the heat and the scrambling process, then as the final moment arrived, she accelerated her tempo to make the eggs come to just the right point. Hers is an extremely good method, providing you have the patience and dexterity.

Scrambled eggs can be so delicious, so creamy and rich and eggy, if I may use the word, that it is too bad we don’t use them more. They combine well with many things—chopped sautéed mushrooms, finely chopped ham, crisp bacon bits, little slices of sausage, freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese, chopped herbs, finely chopped peeled and seeded tomatoes—as well as being perfectly splendid on their own.

Depending upon the number of eggs to be scrambled, I like to use a small or large Teflon-coated pan. I have a cast-aluminum, Teflon-lined, 9-inch omelet pan with rounded sides that I use for up to 4 or 5 eggs and a 10-inch pan for larger quantities, which are much harder to make. I disagree completely with those who say you can scramble one egg well. It is an impossibility.

James Beard’s Scrambled Eggs

I think you should gauge at least 2 eggs per person. Add salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1 or 2 dashes of Tabasco, and then beat lightly with a fork. For lighter scrambled eggs, I beat in 1 teaspoon of water for every two eggs. I don’t like cream or milk added to scrambled eggs, but if I want them extraordinarily rich, I mix in softened butter.

If I am adding ham or bacon, I would use 2 slices of Canadian bacon about 3 inches in diameter and 2 pieces of ham of the same size and 1/4 inch-thick, precook it lightly, cut into thin shreds, and toss into the pan with a tablespoon or two of butter. Let this warm over low heat, then add, for two servings, 4 beaten eggs and, as you do, increase the heat to medium-high. As soon as the coagulation starts, make pushing strokes with a rubber or wooden spatula so you get curled curds. I’m not quite as definite in my motions as Julia Child. I lift the pan off the burner from side to side with sort of a circular motion, while pushing with the spatula. As the heat in the cooking eggs increases, the curds form much faster with your pushing. That’s the ticklish point. You have to know the exact moment to cease applying any heat and rush your eggs from pan to plate, or they will be overcooked, hard, coarse-textured, and disagreeable.

If you are adding chopped herbs or mushrooms, lace them in as you scramble the eggs so they become a part of the amalgamation of the creamy curds. Of course, there is nothing wrong with adding chopped parsley or chives or other bits and pieces after you have transferred the eggs from the pan to a plate or platter.

If you have never tried the combination, cook scrambled eggs with sliced smoked fish for your next Sunday brunch or luncheon. A platter of smoked salmon, smoked eel, smoked sturgeon, or smoked whitefish, with lemon wedges, good rolls or bagels, and a huge pile of cream eggs—that’s good eating. If you like, you can scramble the eggs at the table in an electric skillet or chafing dish, guiding them to a perfect conclusion as you chat with your guests.

I have had, in my time, memorable meals of scrambled eggs with fresh truffles, scrambled eggs with caviar, and other glamorous things, but to me, there are few things as magnificent as scrambled eggs—pure and simple, perfectly cooked, and perfectly seasoned.

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Essay on Eggs

Students are often asked to write an essay on Eggs in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Eggs

What are eggs.

Eggs are small, oval shapes that come from birds, like chickens. People all over the world eat them. They have a shell outside, a yellow part called the yolk, and a clear part called the white. Eggs are packed with good stuff for your body, like protein, which helps you grow strong.

Types of Eggs

Not all eggs are the same. Besides chicken eggs, there are duck, quail, and goose eggs. They differ in size and taste. Chicken eggs are the most common and come in different colors like white and brown, but inside, they are mostly the same.

How We Use Eggs

Eggs are super versatile in cooking. You can boil, fry, or scramble them. They’re also important in baking cakes and cookies. Eggs help to stick food together and can even be eaten raw in some dishes, but you must be careful to avoid getting sick.

Eggs and Health

Eggs are good for you because they have vitamins and minerals. Some people worry about eating too many because of cholesterol, which is found in the yolk. But eating them in moderation is part of a healthy diet. Always check with a grown-up or a doctor if you’re not sure.

250 Words Essay on Eggs

Eggs are small, oval or round shapes that come from animals, especially birds like chickens. They have a shell outside, a yellow part called the yolk, and a clear part known as the white. Eggs are not just food; they are also where baby birds grow before they hatch.

Nutrition in Eggs

Eggs are packed with good stuff for our bodies. They have protein, which helps us build muscles. They also have vitamins and minerals that keep us healthy. Eating eggs can give us energy and help our brains work better.

Eggs are used in many ways in cooking. We can boil, scramble, or fry them. They are also important for making cakes, cookies, and even ice cream. Eggs help these foods to be the right texture and taste good.

Eggs and Farming

Many eggs come from farms where chickens are kept. Farmers take care of the chickens and collect their eggs. Some people choose to buy eggs from chickens that have more space to live because they believe it’s kinder to the animals.

Eggs in Different Cultures

Around the world, eggs are part of many traditions and meals. In some places, eggs are painted and given as gifts. In others, they are part of special dishes made for celebrations. Eggs bring people together and are enjoyed in many different ways.

Eggs are amazing because they are full of nutrients, can be cooked in various styles, come from farms, and are part of cultures worldwide. They are a simple but very important part of our diets.

500 Words Essay on Eggs

Eggs are small, oval-shaped things that come from birds, like chickens. They have a hard shell on the outside, a yellow part inside called the yolk, and a clear part called the white. People all over the world eat eggs because they are good for you and taste nice. They are like a tiny package full of nutrients that help our bodies grow strong.

Where Do Eggs Come From?

Most of the eggs we eat come from chickens on farms. These farms can be very big with lots of chickens or small with just a few. Chickens lay eggs whether or not there is a rooster around. If there is no rooster, the eggs will not hatch into baby chicks. Farmers collect these eggs and make sure they are clean and safe for us to eat.

Even though we mostly eat chicken eggs, there are many other kinds. For example, people eat duck eggs, quail eggs, and even big ostrich eggs. Each kind has a different taste and size. In some places, people like one type more than the others. It’s fun to try different kinds to see which ones you like best.

How Are Eggs Used?

Eggs are very useful in cooking. We can cook them in many ways, like boiling, frying, or scrambling them. They are also an important part of many recipes for cakes, cookies, and bread. Eggs help these foods stay together and make them soft and fluffy.

Are Eggs Good for You?

Yes, eggs are full of good things that our bodies need. They have protein, which helps us build muscles. They also have vitamins and minerals that keep us healthy. Some people worry about eating too many eggs because of the cholesterol in the yolk. But eating eggs in moderation is part of a healthy diet.

Eggs and the Environment

Farming eggs can affect the environment. Big farms sometimes use a lot of resources and can be harmful to the land. But many farmers are trying to change this by using better methods that are kinder to the Earth. We can help by choosing eggs from farms that take care of the environment.

Celebrations with Eggs

Eggs are not just for eating; they are also part of many traditions and holidays. For example, during Easter, many people paint eggs in bright colors and patterns. Some cultures have games where they roll eggs down a hill or try to carry them on spoons without dropping them. Eggs can be a fun part of special times.

Eggs are a simple food with a lot of uses. They come from birds and are packed with nutrients that help us stay healthy. We can cook them in many ways and use them in lots of recipes. While they are good for us, we should also think about how egg farming affects our planet. Lastly, eggs bring joy to many celebrations around the world. They are truly a special part of our lives.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Cooking — Eggs: Chemical Properties and Functions in the Baking Process

Eggs: Chemical Properties and Functions in The Baking Process

• Categories: Cooking

About this sample

Words: 2243 |

12 min read

Published: Apr 8, 2022

Words: 2243 | Pages: 5 | 12 min read

Works Cited

• Connelly, Andy. “The Science of Cake.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 9 June 2010, www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2010/jun/09/science-cake-baking-andy-connelly.
• Danovich, Tove. “Vegan Cookbooks Spill The Beans About Aquafaba, The Eggless Egg White.” The Salt, NPR, 20 Apr. 2017, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/04/20/524749020/vegan-cookbooks-spill-the-beans-about-aquafaba-the-eggless-egg-white.
• Evanhoe, Rebecca. “Chicken Eggs: so Ordinary Yet so Versatile, Eggs Are a Complex Scramble of Chemical Compounds.” Chemical & Engineering News, American Chemical Society, 21 Aug. 2006, pubsapp.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/84/8434egg.html.
• Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) “Egg Allergy.” Food Allergy Research & Education, www.foodallergy.org/common-allergens/egg-allergy.
• Gillespie, Claire, and Brett Smith. “Chemical Reactions That Occur During Baking.” Sciencing, Leaf Group Ltd., 2 Mar. 2019, sciencing.com/chemical-reactions-involved-baking-cake-7173041.html.
• Hagedorn, Mattie. “Flax Seed Egg Replacer - An Egg Substitute That's Almost Magic.” Vegan Baking: the Whys and Hows of Vegan Baking, 12 Sept. 2019, www.veganbaking.net/recipes/egg-replacers/flax-seed-egg-replacer.
• Indrani, Dasappa, and Gandham V. Rao. “Functioning of Ingredients in the Baking of Sweet Goods.” Food Engineering Aspects of Baking Sweet Goods, CRC Press, 2008, pp. 35–38.
• McVean, Ada. “What Is Aquafaba?” Office for Science and Society, McGill University, 1 Nov. 2018, www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/nutrition-you-asked/what-aquafaba.
• Noren, Nils. “A Hydrocolloid Primer.” Cooking Issues, www.cookingissues.com/primers/hydrocolloids-primer/.
• Tamanna, Nahid, and Niaz Mahmood. “Food Processing and Maillard Reaction Products: Effect on Human Health and Nutrition.” International journal of food science vol. 2015 (2015): 526762. doi:10.1155/2015/526762
• Pyler EJ and Gorton LA. (2010). Baking Science & Technology, Fourth Edition, Volume 1, Sosland Publishing Co., Kansas City, Missouri, USA
• Shim, Youn Young, et al. “Composition and Properties of Aquafaba: Water Recovered from Commercially Canned Chickpeas.” Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE, University of Saskatchewan; Prairie Tide Chemicals Inc.; Guangdong Saskatchewan Oilseed Joint Laboratory (GUSTO); Jinan University, 10 Feb. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29553544.

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A Short Analysis of T. S. Eliot’s ‘A Cooking Egg’

By Dr Oliver Tearle

‘A Cooking Egg’ first appeared in T. S. Eliot’s second collection, Poems , in 1919. You can read ‘A Cooking Egg’ here ; below are some thoughts on this elusive and difficult poem, designed to serve as a brief analysis of the poem’s meaning and features.

A cooking egg is an egg that is past its prime and so cannot be eaten by itself, but can still be used in cooking in combination with other ingredients. In the context of the poem that follows – and the epigraph (which, although not mentioned by Eliot, is taken from the fifteenth-century French poet François   Villon and roughly translates as ‘By the 30 th year of my life, I have drunk up all my shame’) – the ‘cooking egg’ is meant to represent the speaker’s own sense of his youth being over.

He and his companion, Pipit (who has some ‘knitting’ on the table, potentially, though not necessarily, denoting middle or old age), seem to have settled into a comfortable but sterile maturity together, with the lives of the student at Oxford (‘ Views of Oxford Colleges ’) and of the debutante at the ball (‘An Invitation to the Dance ’) behind them. (Alternatively, Pipit might not be the speaker’s partner, but his retired nurse; critics remain divided over this issue, though it’s perhaps worth bearing in mind that Eliot himself denied it when I. A. Richards suggested the ‘nurse’ idea.

The speaker then imagines what heaven will be like, and comforts himself against his sterile earthly life with the fact that he will have the finest company in the afterlife. However, the way he describes these people (e.g. rhyming ‘Sidney’ with ‘kidney’) is tongue-in-cheek, suggesting the speaker possibly doesn’t even fully believe in the vision of heaven he espouses.

The poem ends with the speaker’s pronouncement that honour and glory have vanished from the world (‘the eagles and the trumpets’, suggestive of ancient Rome, the world of Coriolanus) and that the modern age consists of people drooped over ‘buttered scones and crumpets’ in tearooms (‘A.B.C.’s’ in the final line of the poem refers not to the alphabet but to the Aerated Bread Company, a chain of cheap teashops in London at the time).

Whether Eliot is here referring to his own life – he was around 30 when he composed this poem, the same age as Villon’s speaker – we cannot say for sure.

The tone of these poems – ironic, detached, masklike – makes it difficult to perform any straightforward biographical reading of this poem, or the other quatrain poems. (This is in keeping with Eliot’s theory of the ‘impersonality’ of poetry, of which more later.)

As with ‘ Prufrock ’, we are left unsure as to how far we are meant to identify with the speaker (everyone has to leave their life behind, after all; and most people resent certain aspects of modern life and want to escape to another time/place, as he does) and how far we should regard him as a laughable figure (and here, the facetious rhymes – e.g. Sidney/kidney but also trumpets/crumpets – reinforce the subtle comicality of his perspective).

‘A Cooking Egg’ shows a subtly comic side to Eliot’s poetry, which makes it fun to analyse – though, as so often with a T. S. Eliot poem, we are presented with numerous allusions and references to unravel and decode.

Image: A chicken egg (picture credit: Sun Ladder, 2009), via Wikimedia Commons .

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2 thoughts on “A Short Analysis of T. S. Eliot’s ‘A Cooking Egg’”

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Interesting that he includes Blavatsky – the founder of Theosophy. Theosophy was a big deal in those days, and attracted some other poets, like W.B. Yeats.

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13 Tasty Ways You Should Be Cooking Your Eggs

Posted: January 20, 2024 | Last updated: January 22, 2024

Easy Egg Dishes

Soft or hard, fried or baked, poached or scrambled: There are many different ways to cook eggs, making them a perfect dish to serve at breakfast or any time of day. They're one of the least expensive and most versatile sources of animal protein. A few good tips to keep in mind when cooking eggs: Try to use nonstick cookware, since cast-iron skillets can react chemically with egg whites, turning eggs a harmless — but unappetizing — green. The best way to test an egg for freshness is to put it in the bottom of a bowl of water; fresh eggs rest on their sides, while questionable eggs float. With fresh eggs at the ready, here are more than a dozen different ways to cook eggs. 

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Preparation:  For easy-to-peel shells, boil eggs that have been sitting in the refrigerator for a few days. Cover raw eggs in a pot with cool water, up to one or two inches above the eggs. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the water for 15 minutes. Remove the hard-boiled eggs from the water and submerge in a small bowl of ice water. 

Use it in a recipe: Bon Appetit

Soft-Boiled Eggs

Preparation:  Follow the directions for hard-boiled eggs, but let the eggs sit in the water for two to three minutes. Place the soft-boiled egg in an eggcup with the smaller end facing upward. Gently crack the shell near the top and either scoop out the runny insides with a spoon or dip toast directly inside the soft, runny egg yolk.

Use it in a recipe: Martha Stewart

Poached Eggs

Preparation:  Fill a saucepan with two inches of water. Add one-half teaspoon vinegar and bring to a simmer. Break a fresh egg into a small cup or bowl. When the water is simmering, stir it gently to create a slow whirlpool in the center of the pan. Slide the egg into the water (don't let it touch the bottom). Cook the egg for about two minutes for a runny yolk, and four minutes for a firm yolk. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel to absorb excess water. For an eggs Benedict, place the poached egg on an English muffin and smother it in hollandaise sauce.

Use it in a recipe: Pinch of Yum

Deviled Eggs

Preparation:  Cut hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks. In a bowl, combine the yolks and two tablespoons vegetable oil, one tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar, one-half teaspoon table salt, one-half teaspoon freshly ground pepper, and one-and-a-half teaspoons yellow or spicy brown mustard. Mash together until smooth. Spoon the mixture back inside the yolk-less egg whites and sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to three days. 

Use it in a recipe: Taste of Home

Preparation: Melt one tablespoon of butter or cooking oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. If using cooking spray instead, heat the pan until a drop of water sizzles instantly and evaporates on contact, then spray. Carefully crack the egg into the pan so the yolk and the egg white don't mix, and immediately turn the heat to medium-low. Once the white has set completely, flip and cook for another one to three minutes until the yolk reaches the desired firmness and is less runny. Serve fried eggs immediately with toast to mop up any leftover yolk. 

Use it in a recipe: Food52

Sunny-Side-Up Eggs

Preparation: Add one tablespoon of butter or cooking oil to a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and sizzling, break the egg, pour it into the pan, and turn the heat immediately to medium-low. The transparent white of the raw egg will solidify and whiten as the egg cooks. If preferred, spoon some of the oil or melted butter in the pan over the egg white (but not the yolk) while the egg is cooking to add flavor. 

Use it in a recipe: Food.com

Scrambled Eggs

Preparation: Beat two eggs in a bowl with two tablespoons of milk or cream. (The dairy makes the eggs creamier and less bland, but it is optional.) Pour into a hot, buttered pan. Let the eggs sit for half a minute to a minute, until the bottom starts to set. Add pepper and salt to taste, along with any additional ingredients. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to move the eggs gently around the pan. After a minute or two, the eggs should start forming "curds" in the pan. When the eggs still look wet but there's no more liquid in the pan, turn off the heat. 

Use it in a recipe: Lady & Pups

Preparation: In a mixing bowl, whisk together two eggs, two tablespoons of milk or cream, and one-quarter teaspoon each of salt and pepper until blended. Beat well for a fluffier omelet. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat until sizzling. Pour in the egg scramble and let sit for a minute or two, until the bottom starts to set. Use a spatula to spread the eggs gently and evenly around the pan. When the top starts to set, pour one-third cup of fillings such as shredded cheese, diced ham or bacon, avocado, and other ingredients over half of the omelet. Flip the empty half over the fillings and serve immediately.

Use it in a recipe: The Mom 100

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For each serving, break two eggs into a greased ramekin or muffin tin. Spoon one tablespoon milk or cream over the eggs, making sure to cover them evenly, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the eggs are set and baked to perfection. 

Use it in a recipe: Love & Lemons

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Beat four eggs and one cup milk or cream in a mixing bowl. Add one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon onion powder, and one-half teaspoon cayenne pepper, and beat again. Sprinkle one cup shredded cheddar cheese over the bottom of a 9-inch pie crust and pour the contents of the bowl carefully over it. (A sharp cheese is preferable; mild cheeses are more likely to be overwhelmed by the other ingredients.) Bake for 15 minutes on the center rack. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees and bake for another 35 minutes until crispy. Let the baked quiche sit an additional 10 minutes before eating. 

Use it in a recipe:   Bake to the Roots

French Toast

Preparation: Mix eight eggs and one-third cup of milk in a bowl; spices such as nutmeg are optional. Soak slices of bread in the mixture for two to three minutes per side. Heat slices until golden brown on a lightly greased, large, nonstick skillet over high heat. Any bread will work, including slightly stale bread, and you can get creative with mix-ins and toppings.

Use it in a recipe: All Day I Dream About Food

Toad-in-the-Hole

Preparation: Cut a hole in a slice of bread, and toast each side in a lightly oiled skillet. Break an egg into the hole, then cover the pan and let it sit for roughly five minutes so the eggs set. Salt and pepper to taste afterward.

Use it in a recipe: Allrecipes

Microwave Scramble

Preparation: Coat a mug or ramekin with cooking spray. Beat an egg with your choice of ingredients — frozen shredded hash browns, cheese, tomato or salsa, spinach — then microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir and give the dish another 30 seconds of microwaving, give or take, so the egg sets. 

Use it in a recipe: Spend with Pennies

This article was originally published on Cheapism

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Why Eating Eggs For Breakfast Really Is The Best Way To Start The Day

By Ana Morales

Eating eggs for breakfast isn’t a groundbreaking idea. Not only are eggs high in protein and low in calories, they’re also easy to prepare, widely available, and immensely satisfying. But for some reason, including eggs in my usual morning meal hasn’t been so obvious; mostly because time isn’t always (okay, never) on my side first thing in the morning. But after enjoying several yummy egg dishes over some leisurely weekend breakfasts (okay, late brunches) lately—and feeling way less hungry all day afterwards, I realized that maybe I should make a bigger effort to include them in weekday diet, too.

The benefits of eating eggs for breakfast

While it isn’t always easy to whip up an omelet when you’re rushing to be in the office at 8 am, the benefits of eating eggs in the morning really do last well into the afternoon. When I make breakfasts with eggs, I immediately notice the benefits—and I'm not just talking about the feeling of satiety in the moment, but also the sustained feeling of satiety throughout the morning. In other words, when I eat eggs for breakfast, I don’t end up eating unhealthy snacks—or any snacks at all!—between meals.

I also experience mental clarity and energy that gets me through busy days. These are sensations that experts endorse. As nutritionist Leticia Carrera points out, “eggs reduce fatigue and improve physical and mental productivity.” Nutritionist Paula Martín Clares agrees. “They keep us healthy at any age, active and energetic throughout the day. In addition, they improve memory and help us take care of our eyesight,” she writes in her book The Health of Your Skin Is In What You Eat.

But among all the positive statements about eggs, perhaps the one made by nutritionist Boticaria García in her bestselling book Your Brain is Hungry , is my favorite. “Eggs provide the highest quality protein while being cheap and very versatile, with the advantage that they are also delicious and always crave-able. Let’s forget the old beliefs that you should not eat more than three eggs a week. If the technique is appropriate–and we do not accompany them with foods high in trans fats such as bacon–there is no problem in consuming them even daily,” she writes.

Is it true that egg yolk is not good for you?

Although some experts advise making quiche with egg whites only, the reality is that the nutritional benefits of an egg are greater if you eat the whole thing. For example, an egg yolk has proteins, choline (which is closely linked to emotional well-being), iron, and zinc. And the white, according to Martín Clares, provides between 10 and 20% of the recommended daily amount of vitamins A, D, E and K. In addition, they have phosphorus, vitamin B12 and promote muscle and immune health. The sum truly is greater than the parts.

Does eating eggs benefit hair and skin?

In this list of benefits that this food counts, less has been said about the presence of biotin . According to Steven Walker , a specialist at Hospital Capilar, eggs help you have silkier hair thanks to their high content of biotin, also recognized as vitamin B7 or B8, which is essential for various metabolic processes closely related to hair health. Biotin improves hair structure and promotes healthy growth.

You just have to cook them—which, duh, because who wants to eat raw eggs anyway? But the ick-factor of raw eggs is not the only reason to break out the skillet: “It must be taken into account that the egg must be cooked since raw eggs contain avidin, which inhibits the absorption of biotin in the intestine,” Walker explains.

Is it better to eat organic eggs?

Eggs can be eaten almost anywhere in the world, but when it comes to including them on the shopping list, Carrera advises that you buy organic. It is also important, she points out, to look at the label to ensure your eggs come from healthy, free-range chickens. In Spain , for example “more than 40 million chickens never see sunlight, and live in overcrowded conditions, subject to all kinds of ailments and diseases.” And the life of your average chicken is pretty bad in the United States, too. So yes, buying free-rage, cage-free, organic eggs is definitely a good idea.

What’s the healthiest way to eat eggs for breakfast?

The general recommendation is to avoid fried eggs since they have a higher calorie content, and instead priortize cooked, poached, or scrambled versions. Omelets are also fine—as long as they aren’t filled with cheese and excess butter. All that said, here are a few experts suggestion for the most balanced and health ways to include eggs in your breakfast today.

• Grilled on toasted bread with cottage cheese, salmon, or avocado.
• Scrambled and served with rye or spelt bread, avocado, and crushed tomato .
• Cooked, scrambled, or in an omelet accompanied by serrano ham, salmon, or turkey.
• In an omelet with spinach, tomato, onion, and goat cheese or feta.
• In the form of a “muffin” made by mixing 4 tablespoons of oats, 2 egg whites and one yolk, a small apple, and cinnamon. Just put the mixture in the microwave for 4 minutes and you have a sweet, protein-packed treat.
• Grilled in a whole wheat tortilla wrap with hummus and oregano.

By Irene Kim

By Audrey Noble

Article originally published in Vogue Spain, vogue.es.

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I Could Eat Ina Garten's Cacio e Pepe Scrambled Eggs Every Single Day

It's a family favorite.

Simply Recipes / Photo Illustration by Wanda Abraham / Getty Images

There are few things I love more in this world than pasta, especially cacio e pepe , a popular Italian pasta that translates to "cheese and pepper.” So when I watched Jennifer Garner making Ina Garten’s cacio e pepe scrambled eggs on her #PretendCookingShow on Instagram, I had to give it a try. And now I want them for dinner every single night.

I won’t ever abandon my love of pasta but this dish simply makes sense. It has the creamy texture and savory flavor of the Roman classic with more protein thanks to the eggs. Plus, it comes together so quickly. To my delight, even my kids approve of this dish.

If you’re ready to try this recipe and don’t have a copy of Ina Garten’s cookbook, Go-To Dinners , you can follow along Jennifer while she makes the recipe with help from The Barefoot Contessa herself. 

How To Make Ina Garten's Cacio e Pepe Scrambled Eggs

Before you get started, please remember: low and slow . Although turning up the burners to full blast when hungry people are staring at you is tempting, this is the only way to make fluffy scrambled eggs.

Now that you have those words etched into your memory, add butter to a nonstick pan and turn the heat to low or medium-low, if your stove runs cold.

While the butter melts, whisk eggs, milk, and salt in a bowl for at least 30 to 60 seconds. A fork will do the trick but if you have a whisk, use it. The whisk will introduce more air into the mixture, resulting in fluffier eggs.

Once the butter is fully melted and slightly bubbling but not browned, add the eggs and wait about a minute before you get anywhere near it with a spatula. This will give the eggs a moment to set. Then gently push the eggs around the pan until they’ve formed small clumps and are no longer runny but not completely set.

Now turn the heat off. This is important. If you leave the heat on, you’ll wind up with dry, overcooked eggs and not the fluffy eggs you dream of. The pan's residual heat will cook them the rest of the way.

Add grated Pecorino Romano and ground pepper and give the eggs a couple more gentle nudges around the pan before serving.

I like to plate my eggs with a little more cheese and pepper for garnish and—true to Italian custom for a primi course—enjoy them all on their own or with a side of crusty bread because I would never say no to bread.

If eggs alone aren't enough to satisfy your family’s appetite, consider serving this silky egg dish with a green salad or a simple side of roasted asparagus .

Simply Recipes / Getty Images

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Reading Toni Morrison’s 1973 Summer Essay “Cooking Out”

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The Book Review’s Summer Reading issue is out this week; 46 years ago, Toni Morrison wrote an essay about cooking out for the 1973 Summer Reading issue.

Uncle Green was late so that meant all the Blue Gums would be late too. He was up from Alabama for 20 days with a $500 bill which never broke because nobody — nobody — had change and so he had to borrow whatever he needed until the time he could get to a store big enough to handle it. Mama and Aunt Millie looked at his big bill, then at each other, then at the sky that stretched overhead with precisely the infinite patience they had lost.

The fish were already awake, the potatoes were sliced and simmering next to the onions, and this whole tribal effort to have a day-long fish-and-cookout at Turkeyfoot Lake in honor of the eldest member of the Alabama wing of the family was beginning to draw Mama’s and Aunt Millie’s lips together in annoyance. For one thing, the Blue Gums (the Akron group of the family) thought Uncle Green belonged to them more than to us because they were more his age and remembered Alabama the way he did long before the migration North had begun: the first day the general store down home sold light-bread; the farm of 88 acres when it was prosperous and could feed 17 people year round; and other family reunions which were never ever called cook-outs in spite of the fact that they roasted corn and skewered fish over pine-cone fires on days just like this one.

They were possessive about Uncle Green, and so were we. For in spite of the unbreakable $500 bill — a testimony to his ancient chinchy-ness — he carried with him, on those annual visits North, like the light from a communion cup, the spirit, the recollection, the character, I suppose, of the whole tribe. A grandeur, a cohesiveness, a constant reminder of what they had all done to survive and even triumph over during the last 141 years that they knew anything about first hand. He spoke the language in the old way: called white people buckras, spoke of java, and goobers, remembered when wakes were called settin’ ups, and referred to plat-eyes, and balongas, and the Big Raid of ’61.

And although he never buttered his own biscuits or poured his own coffee, he gave us the spark we needed to get up at 3 in the morning, pile into a 1935 Chevy and two Tin Lizzies and, loaded with eggs, milk, coffee, ham, green onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, roastin’ ears, laid-out biscuit dough, graham-crackers-for-the-kids, and sugar-tit-for-the-baby, lard, butter, grapes, yellow cake, beer, ice, worms, poles, string, buckets, skillets, tablecloths, plates, U.S. Steel Company forks, and try to get to Turkeyfoot Lake before the fish woke up.

So when he did come, at last, in the Blue Gum’s car, Mama and Aunt Millie forgot the $500 bill, the smug grins of the Akron folk which showed their blue, blue gums. And daddy and the uncles forgot about the fish and the dying worms and stood up to greet with loud shouts the man who made them feel their manhood anew. The man who spoke the names of trains they too had ridden as though they were old friends; the man who had beat them all at hambone contests, who had married a girl named Sing and had seven sons, the man who carried his life-savings in one bill deep in his pocket to bear witness to a million sacrifices and tiny thefts and knew, as they did, that it must never be broken into mere “change.”

Mama stood and put her jealousy into the paper bag with the egg shells and began to whip the eggs with a slow, wide and generous beat. Aunt Millie turned the fried potatoes over, saying a little splash of beer over the frying ham would be good. Green always liked it that way.

He brought us together. He meddled in the cooking and baiting of hooks. Told the older girls how to bile the coffee proper and to get them roastin’ ears out of the sun. He directed the boys to the coolest part of the lake to sink the beer in.

The day moved then into its splendid parts: a ham, fried-potatoes, scrambled-egg, breakfast in the morning air; fried fish and pan-cooked biscuits on the hind side of noon, and by the time Mama — who had never heard of Gerber’s — was grinding a piece of supper ham with her own teeth to slip into the baby’s mouth, and the Blue Gums had unveiled their incredible peach cobbler, the first stars were glittering through the blue light of Turkeyfoot Lake.

We were all there. All of us, bound by something we could not name. Cooking, honey, cooking under the stars.

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The best way to crack an egg for every personality type

Are you traditional? Risk-averse? Adventurous? These are your egg-cracking options.

I’ve written about some pretty niche cooking topics over the years. But often the articles that are the most discussed and the most fun to debate focus on those mundane, everyday tasks in the kitchen. You know, the ones everyone has an opinion about.

One of the most recent topics du jour, thanks to the weekly live chat I host with my colleague Aaron Hutcherson: how to crack an egg . Here’s what one reader sent in:

“Is it really better to crack an egg on a flat surface? Every time I try this, it caves in the shell. I find it is much less likely to break the yolk if an egg is cracked on the side of a bowl. Has anyone done a scientific study?”

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As commenter Cajaza later summed up: “This is one of the great mysteries of life.” (Right up there with which came first, the chicken or the egg, as fellow reader Lily Rowan pointed out.)

I don’t believe there’s a right or wrong way to crack an egg, only what feels right to you. Curious what other readers do, or looking for a new method to try? Step right up to find the strategy best suited to your personality!

The traditionalist: On the counter

The chosen technique of Jacques Pépin, as mentioned by several readers. “Case closed,” commenter Theo23rd said. You, too, can look like a seasoned French chef! Or follow the lead of these impressive readers: “My husband taught me to break eggs one-handed back when we were dating in college,” Faithful Reader posted in our chat. “I use a flat surface so I can crack two in each hand at the same time,” Open_the_Pod_Bay_Door_HAL shared . What?!

Pros: Everyone has a counter, right? As the theory goes, cracking on a flat surface spreads the impact out over a greater area, which yields fewer, larger shards, Lan Lam says at Cook’s Illustrated. Good news for those who hate fishing out bits of shell once the egg ends up in the bowl. Not one, but two, readers said they crack their eggs on the edge of the counter, sort of a cross between the counter and bowl rim, to which I say, you’re much braver than I am.

Cons: Cross-contamination central! Hand-washing and kitchen hygiene is always important, but that’s especially true with eggs (and chicken), which do carry a risk of salmonella. So, yes, cracking an egg on my counter gives me the heebie-jeebies. As to cleaning the counter — well, a lot of people aren’t as good about sanitizing as they think they are. Crack onto a paper towel or flat plate if you must, but honestly, I’ve messily smashed more eggs this way than I care to admit. As the original poster in our chat said, you may get more of a caved-in shell than a cleanly broken one, meaning you have to pry through the exterior and the membrane to finish the job.

The risk-averse: Edge of the bowl

If you’re worried about getting raw egg on your countertop or you want to limit the number of surfaces the egg comes in contact with, this is your method. People will tell you that all the pros do otherwise, but it’s okay to embrace the bowl instinct.

Pros: Predictability. The egg will crack exactly where you rap it against the bowl, typically along the equator and often with enough force to split the membrane just under the shell, meaning you need merely to separate the halves to release the egg. You’ll also bypass any mess on the counter — should anything dribble down the outside of the bowl, you can quickly catch it before it makes contact with the counter (or set your bowl on a dish towel you can toss in the laundry, as I do).

Cons: Tiny shards of shell, thanks to the more concentrated point of impact, as Lam explains. It doesn’t happen every time, but be prepared to scoop pieces of shell out of the bowl. Not all bowls are created equal either, so depending on the thickness or shape of the rim, your mileage may vary.

The adventurer: Against each other

So you enjoy a little danger? Grab a pair of eggs and tap them against each other in a survival-of-the-strongest contest. “To do it, hold the eggs upright and gently, but with intention, tap one against the other ,” while avoiding smashing them to smithereens, Eric Haessler at Cook’s Illustrated explains. “Inevitably, only one of them will crack because there will always be one egg whose shell is slightly stronger or weaker than the other.” Watch it in action in a video posted by Haessler’s colleague, Cook’s Illustrated Editor in Chief Dan Souza.

Pros: It’s fun! Plus, as reader Muniack said , “it’s much neater and I never get egg shells in with the egg.” As Haessler writes, “The break will be a clean divot right in the center of the egg, making it easy for you to work your thumbs into the opening, and the interior membrane should keep the shell fragments in place,” meaning fewer, if any, pieces to extract.

Cons: If you’re too aggressive, you’ll end up cracking both eggs — which is fine if you need two, but not if you’re only using one of them. (Ask me how I know.) And if you’re using all your eggs, you’ll have to crack the last one on something else.

The self-confident: With a handheld tool

Attention all you swift and decisive home cooks out there: If you’re confident in your ability to whack an egg with just the right amount of force in just the right spot, this one’s for you. As reader gotnoneck astutely observed , “The real art of cracking eggs is knowing how hard to knock them and when to pull your punches.” Among the preferred implements: sharp knife (reader mickrick ), side of a fork ( Candylandy ), blade of a dinner knife ( LadyBlakeney ), edge of a spatula (a chat participant).

Pros: Avoids the question of bowl or counter. Whatever implement you use can go straight into the dishwasher. You also get to pick the point of impact.

Cons: Strike too hard and you may crack the egg all over your hand. Also I’m not sure if it was because I hit too hard or not hard enough, but my experiments with this led to shards of eggs flying all over my kitchen.