Old Hippie Chef: Which Came First?

The incredible edible egg

Was it the chicken or the egg that came first? The Victorian Samuel Butler said: "A chicken is just an egg's way of making another egg." This short blog is dedicated to the egg, specifically the hard boiled egg. The egg is possibly the most versatile food on the planet earth, and one of the best sources of protein. But the list of benefits that eggs, and chickens, give to us humans is nothing less than spectacular.

The egg has long been a symbol of fertility. Is it not the egg that we men attempt to fertilize in women to make more little humans? Is it not the egg that women freeze for use after they've built their careers as CEO's, doctors, film stars, lawyers, and Indian chiefs, and then at the tender innocent age of 55 want to reproduce and start a family? So, it would seem that the egg is possibly the source of life itself?

Chickens are a symbol of virility. The male of the species, the rooster, has long been recorded throughout history for it's aggressive behavior with such words as; "cocky" and the female of the species, the hen, with words such as; "coquette." Cockfighting is one of the world's oldest sports going back to India, Rome, and Greece. Words like cockpit are still used in our daily communication with one another.

Yet, the egg has endured vilification like so many other foods. It is been said that the egg causes high cholesterol, linked to heart disease. And of course there is the dreaded salmonella fears that pop up from time to time, and a minor pandemic of chicken flu ever so often. And who among wants to be called "chickenshit."

Try to get your eggs and chickens from a source that is guaranteed organic fed, free range, and fresh. If you have the yard space get your own laying hens. Chickens are great pets, and they produce for us. In a months time you'll be giving your neighbors fresh organic eggs. You'll be making new friends, the neighborhood will be closer, and yes, the world will be a better place. All because of you and your chickens.

Personally, I couldn't eat my laying hens. I've raised chickens and ducks before for food, but laying hens are pets. Can you hear yourself now; "You know Henrietta you've been a great laying hen lo these many years, but now that you ain't laying no more it's time to make a nice consume out of you ragged old ass." The life of a broiling hen isn't long, but laying hens can live up to 10 years or more. Don't name them if you're going to eat them, that's my policy.

Chickens are great recyclers. They love old wilted lettuce and funky produce. They will eat most any veggies, peelings, rinds, skins, fruit, grains, cooked pasta, and beans to name just a few. They do not like citrus rinds.

Chickens also love to eat bugs. Let them out of their pens each day (free range), and they'll go through the yard rounding up the bugs. Free extermination, and free fertilizer.

I love, love, love, chicken. My mother always cooked a capon (de-sexed roosters) for the holidays, and I still carry on that tradition.

If you're going to raise chickens there are dietary considerations you need to be aware of, specifically calcium and grit. You'll need to consult you local feed store, and while you're at it go to www.backyardchickensite.com for some help as well. It is a cool web site with lots of great tips for raising chickens.

If the health risks are your fears then stay away from eggs. Although, if your a pregnant woman you might want to consider eating more eggs, possibly daily, because of the high nutritional value that they provide. Specifically, eggs are high in choline, and without choline, folic acid, which helps to prevent spina bifida, cannot work. There is no better source for choline than egg yoke. Also, many doctors are now telling people with high LDL's that it's ok to eat an egg once in a while.

I always refer back to Mr. Tracarro, my nutrition teacher in college who said; "All things in moderation." A couple of eggs a week won't kill you, but a dozen might catch up with you. A glass of wine at night with dinner OK. The whole bottle, I don't think so. A valium once in a while, no problem. A hundred milligrams of a day, and it's time to visit Betty Ford. For me the benefits of eggs outweigh any health concerns that I foster.

I'm not finished with the benefits of eggs just yet. In the protective confines of that hard shell we can find; vitamin A, B5, vitamin B2 aka ribflavid, B9 folic acid, B 12, vitamin D, vitamin K for clotting, iodine for thyroid function, K2 a catalyst for mineral absorption, something lacking in most western diets, molybdenum, phosphorus, tryptophan, niacin, protein (all 8 amino acids), selenium, choline, and zeaxanthin. All of that in that little package. That make eggs perfect protein, and yes, a super food. That's a mouthful of goodness in a tough little package.

Besides all of the nutritional benefits without the egg, cooking and the culinary arts as we know it would never be the same. No eggs for our cakes, cookies, pasta, no egg foo young, drop egg soup, no omelets, custards, no fritatas, no meringue, just to name a few. As a binding agent eggs cannot be beat, and it's ability to form a light delicate foam when whipped is essential to many dishes.

Speaking of cooking, the art of cooking eggs in is one of high culinary skill and expertise. I've done a little breakfast short order cooking and I loved it. As many ways as there is to cook eggs, there are just as many ways you can screw them up. You can break them, overwork, overcook, and under cook them in a thousand different combinations.

You might say; "Come on man, what's so hard about cooking scrambled eggs?" I know a woman in Carson City Nevada who scrambles her eggs in a cappuccino maker. After I had those I taught myself how to do it. They're like billowy pale yellow clouds, soft and fluffy. Stick a couple of those between a fresh croissant roll with a little goat cheese, some crisp spinach leafs, caramelized onions, a thin piece of boiled Italian ham, some fresh crushed pepper, and your taste buds will dance with delight. How many times have you had green scrambled eggs with crusty brown edges? Don't tell me there's nothing to cooking scrambled eggs. No, watching a really great short order cook do breakfast is poetry in motion if you ask me.

Check out the Julia Child videos of her cooking omelets with her copper skillets. They're my favorite cooking videos of all time.

Here is the recipe for hard boiled eggs that Geri and I use all the time. "What's so difficult about cooking hard boiled eggs?" you might ask. Well, it's the shell that's the hard part. If you don't cook them correctly your eggs will look like a beautiful woman who bites her fingernails. Plus you waste the albumin which is where the protein is located. Follow this recipe and you'll have perfect hard boiled eggs. The shell will just peel right away. If you bite your finger nails, STOP.

There really is no dispute of which came first, it was the egg of course. The egg is a cell, and first came water, and with water came cells, and with cells came, well, everything else. Or was it divine design. The controversy rages on.

Cluck, Cluck

Peace....... Make Food/Not War

Pickled hard boiled eggs were very popular when I grew up in Connecticut 1200 years ago. You could find them in a lot of bars for $.25. An 8 ounce glass of beer was $.25, and a schooner or 12 ounce beer was $.35. A couple of those for breakfast and you were good to go. See recipes below.

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Ingredients;

Farm fresh organic eggs
water/ice

Directions:
1) If you have cold eggs right out of the fridge place them in a medium sauce pan of cold tap water that completely cover the eggs.

2) Put the pot on high heat and set the timer for 17 minutes. Bring the water to a boil, cover with a lid, and cut the heat.

3) After 17 minutes remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, and place in an ice bath for 2 minutes. This will shrink the body of the eggs from the shells. Bring the pot back to a boil.

4) With the slotted spoon transfer the eggs back to the boiling water for 10 seconds.
Remove the eggs with the slotted spoon, and place in the ice bath for 15 to 20 minutes.

5) Peel the eggs and let sit in the fridge for up to 3 days in submerged water. Do not cover the eggs.

You can also pickle them in vinegar. See the three recipes below.

Perfect hard boiled eggs are tender and white with a firm yellow yoke, and no trace of darkness in the yoke.

Pickled Hard Boiled Eggs with herb de' Provence

Ingredients:
6 farm fresh organic hard boiled eggs
3/4 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 white or red onion sliced
1 teaspoon herbs of Provence

Directions:

1) Put the eggs, herbs of Provence, and onions in the jar.

2)In a medium size sauce pan bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil, and cut heat to medium. Stir regularly to make sure the sugar doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, and until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.

3) Pour the vinegar and water in the jar till the eggs are completely submerged. Add more water if necessary. Close lid tightly and refrigerate.

Your pickled eggs will be ready in a few days. They will last in the fridge for about a month.

Note; The longer you leave your eggs in the jar the more permeated they will become with the pickling.

Curried Pickled Eggs

1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 onion sliced
3/4 cup sugar
3 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon mustard seeds yellow or brown
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
6 farm fresh organic hard boiled eggs

The pickling instructions are the same as above.

Jalapeno Pickled Eggs

3/4 cup white vinegar
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and stalks discarded
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
5 cloves
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 bay leaf
6 farm fresh organic hard boiled eggs

The pickling instructions are the same as above.