Poached Eggs Part 3

I had not been this hungry since... I couln't remember the last time I was this hungry. Julia said to use fresh eggs. I bought these eggs two weeks ago, and I know they can sit in the store for a month before anyone buys them.

That berry cream-cheese pie in the refrigerator called directly to my empty stomach, trying to bypass my brain. Caught ya! A little voice inside said “No, keep at it until you poach an edible egg.” Hunger is quite a motivator. I showered and went shopping for fresh eggs. Until recently, I bought fresh eggs from a farm. The last time I talked to the owner, he said the hens weren't paying their rent, and he has since gone out of business. Too bad. I miss my farm eggs.

I checked the cold dates on eggs at three stores, and bought a carton of the freshest ones I could find. The “sell by” date was 29 days out. I planned to eat the next egg no matter what. Burned, barely warm, I didn't care.

A routine was beginning to emerge.: Heat the water, pierce the large end of the egg, crack it into a small bowl, wait for the water to almost boil, turn down the heat, slip the egg into the water, set the timer for 4 minutes, take some pictures while it's cooking.

Conspicuously missing from this routine was “Eat the egg”.



I waited for larger bubbles to form in the water this time, meaning the water was hotter than before, but still not boiling.



The fresher egg stayed almost in one mass. At least it didn't spread all over the pan.



I wanted to make sure it was done and would not slip right through the slotted spoon again, so I let it cook an extra minute.



Oh, so pretty!



A little too done, but rich, and satisfying anyway.



I tried with the hotter water again, and removed it in the recommended 4 minutes.

Payoff!



Mmmmm... the warm, liquid yolk, so rich and buttery-tasting slid down my throat to my stomach which finally quieted, busily digesting the fruits of my diligence.

Amazon sent me a notice that “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” has shipped. I am anxious to read Julia's advice and to become an egg-poaching expert. In the meantime, I'll keep practicing.

“Let food by thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food,”
-- Hippocrates
(Quotes from Useful Information) http://www.useful-information.info/index.html

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