eggs 101

 It was because of my shameful kitchen encounter a couple of days ago that hubby handed me a copy of Rodale's Book of

Hints, Tips and Everyday Wisdom (a book which he apparently has had for the longest time but it was only recently -- no, literally just NOW, that he remembered to show/ give me!).

Alright, the copy may be from 1985 but it truly is a useful reference for just about every problem around the house and garden!

It is from this book that I learned the following directions for a no-fault hard cooked egg:

Step 1: place eggs in a pot and cover with COLD water

(this allows the eggs to cook gradually without cracking the shells) 

Step 2: bring to a rolling boil

Step 3: turn the heat off, leaving the eggs in the pot for about 17 minutes

(this allows the eggs to cook evenly without overcooking)

Step 4: cool the eggs by placing in a bowl of cold tap water for 5 minutes

Step 5: peel and serve

More egg tips:

To tell whether eggs are fresh or not, place them in a deep bowl of water. Throw away the ones that float!
The older an egg gets, it shrinks and air fills inside.   

To get more volume from beaten eggs, let them stand for about an hour at room temperature before beating them.

Adding a little vinegar to the water will help seal the egg, just in case an eggs cracks during boiling

Shaking the eggs a little just before placing it on a pot for boiling helps keep the yolks at the center of the egg

(a tip just in from hubby who admittedly learned this from either the Lifestyle Network or the Asian food Channel) 

You might also want to check out this noteworthy, not to mention photogenic site!