An egg is always an adventure; the next one may be different.
– Oscar Wilde
To those who love their eggs boiled, whether hard-boiled or runny, top tip is to add vinegar to the water you are poaching the eggs in. The vinegar helps the egg white to seal quickly, preventing the yolk from bleeding into the white.
Egg, “the most perfect form of creation”
– Constatin Brancusi
Egg
Photo by JMorton
The egg symbolised resurrection and future life as believed by Ancient Egypt. Christianity uses this symbolism as well, i.e. chocolate Easter eggs.
When we think of eggs, more often than not, we think of chicken eggs. But there are plenty of edible eggs and more and more exotic ones are becoming available in the market, like ostrich eggs.
Eggs are nutritious. They are a source of amino acids, vitamin A, B, C, D and E and loads of minerals. And each egg contains about 75 calories.
Egg shells can be white, brown or speckled. The colour of the shell does not determine the taste of the eggs.
Did you know?
The Queen of England (ERII) likes her eggs not stored in the fridge and she prefers the brown ones as they are apparently tastier than the white ones.
The egg white omelette is a must for dieters because the egg white or albumen does not contain any cholesterol or fat.
Eggs are very versatile. It can be a complete food in itself. It provides protein, iron, zinc and vitamins A, B and E.
It is also high in amino acid ‘cystein’ which is necessary for the maintenance and growth of the body’s tissues.
Superstition:
Apparently there are some people who would save the eggs laid on a Good Friday as they are supposed to be good at extinguishing fire when thrown at it.
Camden, in his “Ancient and Modern Manners of the Irish,” says that if the owners of horses eat eggs, they must take care to eat an even number, otherwise some mischief will betide the horses. Grooms are not allowed eggs, and the riders are obliged to wash their hands after eating eggs.
In Derbyshire it is considered a bad omen to gather eggs and bring them into the house after dark. Eggs ought not to be brought in on Sunday, and no hen must be set on that day. The number of eggs for a setting must be either eleven or thirteen; the number must be odd, and if twelve eggs are sat upon, the hen will scarcely succeed in hatching them; or, if hatched, the chickens will do no good.
In some parts of England it is believed that the first egg laid by a white pullet, placed under the pillow at night, will bring dreams of those you wish to marry.
In some parts of Java, at a wedding, the bride, as a sign of her subjection, kneels and washes the feet of the bridegroom, after he has trodden upon raw eggs.
In Ireland, at Hallow E’en, among other curious customs, the women take the yolks from some eggs boiled hard, fill the cavity with salt, and eat egg, shell and salt. They are careful not to quench their thirst until morning. If at night they dream that their lovers are at hand with water, they believe they will be jilted.
duck & Quail eggs, photo by PH Morton
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BOILED EGGS
Boil in boiling water for 3 minutes for soft boiled.
Boil in boiling water for 5 minutes for hard boiled.
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Did you know?
In China, people were eating eggs as early as 1400BC. The Chinese also developed a method of preserving eggs of which one is burying them in the soil.
Latest Findings:
Experts are now saying that it is safe to eat eggs, even the runny ones, during pregnancy.
An egg a day will not send your cholesterol soaring sky-high. In fact it can actually reduce a chance of having a stroke.