Good Cooking since 1995
Chicken or Egg?
What Came First!
Most USA supermarkets sell grade A eggs, but did you
know that there are also AA grade eggs? Grade AA egg will stand up tall. The
yolk is firm in the area covered by the white is small. There is a large
production of thick white too thin white. Grade A egg covers a relatively
small area, the yolk is round up standing the thick white is large in
proportion to the thin white and stands fairly well around the yolk. Do know
that there also grade B eggs; we rarely see these because they mostly go to
bakeries and other food production facilities.
Have you ever cracked an egg to see a bloody spot? The blood spots are
actually caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface during
the formation of the egg. Most eggs with blood spots are removed during the
grading process, but a few may escape detection.
Have you eaten a
hard-boiled egg that has appeared to have a greenish ring around the yolk?
The ring is harmless but it's due to an iron and sulfur compound, which
forms when eggs are overcooked or not cooled quickly.
Is there a
difference between brown and white eggs? No. Shell color is determined by
the breed of hen and is not related to quality, nutrients, flavor or cooking
characteristics. Since Brown egg layers are slightly larger birds inquired
require more food, brown eggs are usually more expensive than white. Its
true that brown hens lay brown eggs and white hens white!
How long
will eggs keep? Fresh eggs can be kept refrigerated in their carton for at
least 4 to 5 weeks beyond the package date. Quality losses should be
insignificant if the eggs are refrigerated as soon as possible after
purchase.
Is it safe to eat raw eggs? The risk of food poisoning from
eggs is highest with raw and lightly cooked dishes. It's best not to serve
raw or lightly cooked dishes made with eggs.
What are the stringy white
pieces in egg whites? These rope like pieces of egg white, called chalazae
are not imperfections or beginning embryos but a natural, edible part of the
egg. They keep the yolk centered in the thick white.
Are fertile eggs
more nutritious? Space fertile eggs are not more nutritious than non-fertile
eggs. They do not keep as well as non-fertile eggs and are more expensive to
produce.
Why are some hard cooked eggs difficult to peel? Fresh eggs
may be difficult to peel. Those which have been stored for a week to 10 days
before cooking will usually peel more easily.
Why is an egg white
sometimes cloudy or has a yellow or greenish cast to it? Cloudiness of a raw
white, is due to the presence of carbon dioxide which is not had time to
escape through the shell and is an indication of very fresh egg. A slightly
yellow or greenish cast in a raw white indicates the presence of riboflavin.
