Saturday, 26 November 2016

Boiled eggs.



It's been ages since I had a boiled egg for my breakfast.

It's the waiting that's the problem. Breakfast time is usually pretty rushed between about 7 am and 7.15 am, when I grab some essential sustenance in between blogging and other laptop activities, and the thought of hanging around for 5 minutes whilst an egg boils to perfection is just too long. 

Yesterday morning all that was put aside, and I woke with a huge desire for boiled eggs; nothing would stop me.

I've spoken before about the timing of a boiled egg. Delia Smith instructs us to sing three verses of Onward Christian Soldiers, but frankly it would upset the dog.

No, I just follow Woodrow Wyatt's recommendation of  four and a quarter minutes precisely. It seems to do the job well. and I shall continue with his method.

When something works, don't change it, and the eggs were delicious.



48 comments:

local alien said...

Onward CHristian Soldiers is my favourite hymn. I annoy my family sometimes by roaring out the first verse...which is all I can remember thankfully. Naturally I love your egg cup....and the bread looks just like ours

Cro Magnon said...

Well, if you know the words, you have all it takes to time a boiled egg!

New World said...

Where are the sokdiers?

Cro Magnon said...

The sokdiers hadn't yet been cut.

New World said...

Phew. You had me worried there for a moment.

Maria said...

How many minutes for a double yoke? ;)
Greetings Maria x

Maria said...

Hello Rachel xx

Jean said...

I find the bowls of hard boiled eggs at breakfast buffets in France rather weird. There's nothing quite as delicious as a perfectly soft boiled egg.

New World said...

Morning Maria xx

Gwil W said...

I like your eggcup.

lovelygrey said...

Love an egg mayo sandwich with the egg still warm. Oh and a perfectly cooked soft boiled with marmite and butter soldiers. Can't be marg. I think that might be the knack with simple cooking. Each of us have very precise instructions in order to achieve perfection. xx

Coppa's girl said...

Pleased to hear that you had soldiers with it - just not the same with an ordinary slice.

Cro Magnon said...

Morning everyone.

Cro Magnon said...

You need to calculate X+Y (X+4) - E.

Cro Magnon said...

I used to love seeing huge piles of small white hard boiled eggs at Paris railway stations. It seemed so normal to start cracking eggs on the counter whilst sipping coffee.

Cro Magnon said...

It's may favourite.

Cro Magnon said...

Our Summer salads with halved hard boiled eggs always have a dollop of mayo on them (sprinkled with curry powder).

Cro Magnon said...

Yes, it wouldn't be the same without; Nanny taught me that!

New World said...

There were bowls of them on Russian railway stations. Very handy for my rations.

libby said...

Well of course now I fancy one for breakfast......

Cro Magnon said...

We all have to surrender to our desires occasionally.

Frances said...

I have just had the marmite and mashed avocado on toast. Did you try it?

Cro Magnon said...

Not yet, but I will!

potty said...

Soldiers are all very well but they have to be Ghurkas, ie toast, none of this namby pamby soft bread.

Cro Magnon said...

And an Officer Ghurka; one presumes.

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Love, love, love eggs Cro ..... be they boiled, fried, scrambled, poached or coddled !!!!! You should have boiled eggs more often !!
Is it sunny in France today ? We have clear blue skies and beautiful sunshine. XXXX

Cro Magnon said...

It's beautiful here today... which makes a change! Funnily, I don't like scrambled eggs; I like all other ways.

Cro Magnon said...

may? no, my!

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

I prefer a hard boiled egg, but, as you said, it takes more time and patience. I have the former but not the latter, so I scramble them. I like the involvement and it suits my personality well.

Frances said...

Hard or soft boiled eggs are great for breakfast or even lunch. Toast, butter, jam or Marmite are sure to be part of the team.

I have quite a few egg cups, many of them are antique or at least vintage. It's fun to try to find old egg cups with unchipped edges.

I'll have to give the 4 1/2 minute timing a try. I've usually aimed for somewhere between 3 and 4 minutes for soft boiled.

Maybe tomorrow. It was oatmeal for me this morning, and that had to cook for five minutes.

Best wishes.

Cro Magnon said...

I mentioned above that I don't like scrambled eggs. I have no idea why, I think it's the texture.

Cro Magnon said...

I'm always on the lookout for nice old egg cups, but I haven't found another for several years.

Donna OShaughnessy said...

Yesterday, my favorite Hen, Queequeg, laid me at egg as I watched. I had no problen taking the still wet, very warm egg out from under her and immediately frying it in butter for my breakfast. We farmers make Lector Hannibal look like a pre-school teacher.

Coppa's girl said...

There's not much to them, is there.

angryparsnip said...

Many years ago I had a small pan that you cracked the egg into (over boiling water) to make a poached egg. Somewhat longer but really nice.
I never time my eggs, I think I should but what ever comes out (unlike Prince Charles) I am very happy with. Some days more cooked other nice soft eggs.
Great fun post today, I loved it.

cheers, parsnip

elaine said...

Boiled eggs and marmite soldiers perfect - I am a 5 minute egg lover.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Wealways have boiled eggs for tea one afternoon a week -put into cold water and boiled for four minutes precisely.

New World said...

I would have thought you would like scrambled eggs with anchovies. Scrummy. I do a mean scrambled egg on toast with said anchovies.

James said...

We get ours from a farm 2km away. We are asked not to boil them for 10 days after purchase as they are just-laid and apparently one needs to be extra careful with Salmonella, etc, in those circumstances.

Cro Magnon said...

That's what's known as a 'fresh egg'; the fresher the better!

Cro Magnon said...

I still have a poacher with space for four eggs. I'm afraid it doesn't get used very much because of the time (and washing up) involved.

Cro Magnon said...

I like mine a bit runnier than five minutes, but I'm not that fussy.

Cro Magnon said...

I put mine into boiling vinegared water, and boil for 4 mins and 15 secs. They do occasionally crack, but I cope.

Cro Magnon said...

I'm now wondering if I've ever actually eaten scrambled eggs; I don't think I have. It's the look of them that I don't like, yet I eat omelettes regularly.

Cro Magnon said...

I wouldn't eat them raw, but any normal cooking heat should cope with Salmonella. Edwina Curry was right; most eggs contain it.

Helsie said...

I don't understand James' post . I would have thought the older the egg was the greater the chance of Salmonella ? Eggs are a great food, couldn't live without them.

Graham Edwards said...

I do have access to local free-range eggs but the varying size does make any the time taken to perfect the consistency a complete lottery.

New World said...

I think someone is spinning him a yarn Helsie.

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