[qrn]

Interesting subject...
One comment I have is, all the timing is predicated on water boiling at 212º.
Here, depending on the current barometric pressure water boils at 202º Very few folks are at sea level
Pasta takes at least 20+minutes...
Bud

[maggiethecat]

qrn, on Feb 28 2009, 10:16 AM, said:

Interesting subject...
One comment I have is, all the timing is predicated on water boiling at 212º.
Here, depending on the current barometric pressure water boils at 202º Very few folks are at sea level
Pasta takes at least 20+minutes...
Bud

That's a very excellent point, and perhaps the reason recipes for soft boiled eggs often suck eggs, or why my timing may not jive with yours.

[ChefCarey]

qrn, on Feb 28 2009, 11:16 AM, said:

Interesting subject...
One comment I have is, all the timing is predicated on water boiling at 212º.
Here, depending on the current barometric pressure water boils at 202º Very few folks are at sea level
Pasta takes at least 20+minutes...
Bud

According to Greenpeace 70% of the world's population live on coastal plains and 11 of the world's 15 largest cities are on coasts or in estuaries.

Seems like sea level temps will work pretty good for most folks.

[andiesenji]

While searching through The Splendid Table How To Eat Supper I came across the mention of Herve This and his 65 degree egg. (Actually 149 degrees F.)
This intrigues me and I wonder if anyone else has tried the experiment but plan to try it myself tomorrow.

Method described here.

I'm not sure my oven will operate at that low a temp but one of my dehydrators should so I should have some results. I don't know how successful but it should be interesting. I do love eggs...

[maggiethecat]

andiesenji, on Mar 14 2009, 10:13 PM, said:

While searching through  The Splendid Table  How To Eat Supper I came across the mention of Herve This and his 65 degree egg.  (Actually 149 degrees F.)
This intrigues me and I wonder if anyone else has tried the experiment but plan to try it myself tomorrow. 

Method described here.

I'm not sure my oven will operate at that low a temp but one of my dehydrators should so I should have some results.  I don't know how successful but it should be interesting.  I do love eggs...

Andie, that article gives me furiously to think. Like you, I'm up gor any new thinking about eggs.

[andiesenji]

maggiethecat, on May 18 2009, 11:59 AM, said:

andiesenji, on Mar 14 2009, 10:13 PM, said:

While searching through  The Splendid Table  How To Eat Supper I came across the mention of Herve This and his 65 degree egg.  (Actually 149 degrees F.)
This intrigues me and I wonder if anyone else has tried the experiment but plan to try it myself tomorrow. 

Method described here.

I'm not sure my oven will operate at that low a temp but one of my dehydrators should so I should have some results.  I don't know how successful but it should be interesting.  I do love eggs...

Andie, that article gives me furiously to think. Like you, I'm up gor any new thinking about eggs.

I've prepared them at least three times since I posted this and every time they turned out beautifully.
I took the eggs out of the fridge the night before so they were at room temp when I began.
I set my Excalibur dehydrator at 155 degrees F., figuring that some heat is lost because of the open system, and used a thermometer on the center rack to keep track of the actual temp which varied between 145 and 150. Opening the front as little as possible because the temp did drop each time. I left them for 90 minutes and the whites were not fully sent but 100% opaque and the "skin" of the yolk did not collapse but the interior was the perfect consistency for me - the texture of extra thick cream.

[nickrey]

I must confess to a cheat when boiling eggs.

Simply slip the Burton egg-perfect egg timer in with the eggs in the water, watch it gradually change colour and take the eggs out when the indicator reaches the desired level of doneness.

Some of the reviews on Amazon talk about a plasticky taste in the eggs when using the product but I've never experienced this.

Someone also commented that it doesn't work at high altitudes so it may not suit if you live in the mountains.

[maggiethecat]

Andie: thanks for the update.

Nick: I've always wondered if those gizmos work How cool is it that they do, and like you, I can't believe the plasticy thing penetrates the shell. If I see one on sale somewhere I'll buy one. But do I really want less drama in my life?

Oh yeah, right!

[Kim Shook]

That was wonderful, Maggie! The funny thing is that I never saw this until today and my daughter and I had a discussion about soft boiled eggs YESTERDAY! She wanted to know how to do them and I told her the same thing that said - basically: I can cook lots of difficult things, but soft boiled eggs are one of the most challenging things that I've ever tried. I think that I see soft boiled eggs and soldiers for breakfast this weekend!

[Chocolatesa]

Thank you for this! You've convinced me that a soft-boiled egg is doable, and I can't remember having attempted doing this ever. I'm looking forward to one on hot buttered toast with white pepper and powdered fat-free chicken broth sprinkled on top! (I keep it in a shaker and use it on lots of savoury foods).

[Rover]

Back in the wilderness of my long-ago-childhood years in England, soft boiled eggs and toast soldiers were referred to as Nursery Tea. This evokes images of Peter Rabbit, being told to sit up straight and remarks about not having done a sufficiently good job of washing ones hands.

I think I feel the need for Nursery Tea for dinner this evening ...

Great article, Maggie - thank you.

Rover

[Lisa Shock]

I have owned one of the plastic egg devices for years, mine is marked Norpro brand, but it's the same thing. It works wonderfully well every time. I even took mine to culinary school and my instructor ran it through a barrage of tests when we were studying eggs. It worked every time. He liked it so much, I gave him one.

Some amazon reviews talk about a bad smell, I have never experienced that, nor have I had one fall apart.

[maggiethecat]

Rover, on Jul 24 2009, 05:59 PM, said:

Back in the wilderness of my long-ago-childhood years in England, soft boiled eggs and toast soldiers were referred to as Nursery Tea.  This evokes images of Peter Rabbit, being told to sit up straight and remarks about not having done a sufficiently good job of washing ones hands.

I think I feel the need for Nursery Tea for dinner this evening ...

Great article, Maggie - thank you.

Rover

Rover, you're welcome. Although I'm Canadian, not British, my grandparents were from Lancashire and I know the glory of nursery tea (I have a Royal Doulton porringer , Bunnykins, which I use when I'm scooping out a couple of soft boiled eggs over toast points with much butter, salt and pepper.)

Perfect soft boiled eggs are eminently doable, but require timing and care. But oh, so plain and eggy and good. And cheap and somehow luxurious.

Kim et all, enjoy.

This post has been edited by maggiethecat: 24 July 2009 - 10:22 PM

[Dave the Cook]

"Eggs Enough and Time" has been selected for inclusion in the anthology Best Food Writing 2009. Congratulations, Maggie!

This is the third year in a row that the Daily Gullet has placed articles in BFW, and the second time in three years for multiple inclusions. Read the official announcement here.

[racheld]

Well, it's about TIME!! The Voice To Be Reckoned With is finally recognized. I just hope she realizes how great a talent she has. And is.

Congratulations, Sweetpea!!

And to Daily Gullet for recognizing The Real Thing.