stef

I'm with you on this one, I was brought up on the same and I tend to add lots of Sarsons. Went to Asda yesterday and bought the Clarence Court Old Cotswold Legbar eggs. Breakfast this morning was fantastic, stuck to the traditional method having decided that clingfilm might not be by cup of tea. Can it get any better

Well I drove to Asda, 25 miles bought the eggs, blue box blue shells and will try them in the morning. I also noticed the Duck eggs and might try them next week. Only 10 hours to go before I poach them.

Just a small point I add vinegar to the water how do you do that with the cling film?

Ok here is the way I do it and the results are great. I use a size 20 Creuset pan, whatever that is, pour in a glug of vinegar and bring to the boil. I crack an egg into a cereal bowl, when the water is boiling I stir the water and pour the egg into the centre of the tiny whirlpool. This keeps the shape of the egg. I then turn down the heat and just have a little prod and a poke with the slotted spoon until it looks done. Clean the cereal bowl and lift the egg out and put it in the bowl. The reason is that there is always some water in the crevices of the egg and by using the bowl it ensures that there is no water to soak into the bread. On the buttered toast, break the yolk, add a little fresh cracked pepper and light fluffy salt. Perfect.

I live in Southampton where there is a large Polish population - and a couple of Polish bakeries so i'll have to give it a go. ← I will be doing the same, I have also located a bakery that might be ideal. I have to say that I try my best to prevent the yolk running on the plate.

Many thanks for some great replies. My biggest problem is that I live in the Midlands of England a little bit of a culinary desert. So far the best bread has been a high street generic long life bread, I hate to think whets in it. I will try some of the suggestions here and keep reporting back. Hopefully I will have a new bread to try out next weekend.

Fat Guy, you are a man after my own heart! toasters make such insipid toast! I use the broiler/grill, and use handsliced bread so that the slices are somewhat irregular, giving lots of peaks and little indentations, where the bread can be even more roasty, crunchy, darkly delicious.....it really enhances my whole experience of toast. ← marlena but what about the fact I only use two slices of bread per day so I have to buy bread and freeze it otherwise its a waste. Or should I buy it cut it and then freeze it?

Ah yes that brings back memories, however I don't have an AGA anymore.

Fat Guy you have asked a question that is causing the dilema, do I want it to be invisible, no I would like it to be an independant complementary flavor. I will try the challah if I can find it locally.

Jackal no, infact I try to keep everything on the bread, for some strange reason I don't like to spill the yolk on the plate I think that it was the Pitou's thread on butter that started this all off, I bought some beurre cru d'Isigny and then looked at ways of incorporating it into the food I cook. I take it out of the fridge and cut it so that it lays in thin blocks on the bread and melts slowly, then I add the egg and the light sprinkling of salt. Helen the eggs I get from a local butchers who sells local reared eggs. He also supplies some great meat including genuine wild venison.

I have over the last few months been trying to make the perfect poached egg on toast. I have the eggs, the butter is beurre cru d'Isigny, with its rock salt it is fantastic. I even have a wonderful light fluffy French salt to apply to the eggs, but I think there could be an improvement on the bread. I have tried various types of bread for the toast and surprisingly the best two have turned out to be "supermarket industrial bread" form the Co-Op in first place with Aldi in second place. All the so called "Finest" "taste the difference" type brands from other supermarkets have been disappointing. I have tried local baked on the premises bread but the latest one was worse than the supermarkets. I have tried wholemeal etc. but basically I'm a white bread man for my toast and also bacon sandwiches. Can anyone recommend a bread suitable that is sliced and can be frozen? I only use two slices a day.

Hi stef, I would recommend an unsalted butter (doux) with a fresh and creamy taste. A Norman like the "Isigny doux" or Charentes-Poitou butter would do the job. ← Many thanks for the advise I will be trying it out this weekend. I did buy some butter beurre doux which I presume is unsalted butter It say " Loyez Woessen Phalempin" It tastes ok to me but not as good as some of the others I am trying Looks like it will be Venison with my "gravy" tomorrow night.

President an "industrial butter" is what I quoted a friend, and I did feel a bit smug. Anyway a recent trip to France and I bought various butter of which I know nothing as the man said. Anyway on my recent trip I bought Isigny Ste Mere demi sel and beurre doux, both of which taste great. My classic dish includes a "gravy" based on garlic, shallots, red wine stock and finished with butter. Any recommendations for the butter?

Hi everyone as a UK based guy who likes butter especially salted, I have just heard that salt is added to inferior butters ti improve the taste. I aslo have to find the butter thread as I have loads of questiuons. Stef

We went to the market in Ay last week and it was tiny with very little to buy. In fact after 5 mins we left and headed to the local shops to stock up on goodies.