Marlene Parrish - What Einstein Told His Cook 2

Simplified diagram of a hen’s egg. (1) shell, (2) membrane, (3) air chamber, (4) thin albumen, (5) thick albumen, (6) yolk, (7) chalazae. (Redrawn by permission from Zdzislaw E. Sikorski, ed., “Chemical and Functional Properties of Food Components,” CRC Press, 2002.)

But are they fresh? Like so many other things we’d rather not think about, an egg’s yolk tends to sag with age. Its white thins (like our hair) and grows cloudy (like our eyes), while its air cell increases in size (like…well, you know). But we don’t know that until we’ve bought and broken the eggs.

Cartons of eggs from USDA-inspected plants and from most state-regulated plants must display the date on which the eggs were packed, which is almost always the same day they were laid. Although not required to by law, the packer or the supermarket chain may also choose to specify a “sell by” date, not to exceed thirty days from packing.

Eggs should be stored on an inside shelf of your refrigerator, not in those cute little depressions in the door rack. Refrigerator engineers apparently consider the rack an efficient use of space, but it’s a poor preserver of eggs because of its higher and varying temperature. Refrigerated eggs will keep, with slightly deteriorating flavor and texture, for four to five weeks beyond the packing date. Keep them in their cartons to protect them from refrigerator odors; eggshells are porous and can absorb unpleasant smells. Most commercial eggs, however, have been coated with a thin film of oil to seal the pores and extend their shelf life by reducing moisture loss and preventing bacteria from invading the shell.

Fresh Orange Sponge Cake

One great thing about eggs is that you can separate the yolks from the whites and take advantage of their unique characteristics separately. In this cake, the yolks act as a binder and contribute fat, color, and rich flavor, while the whipped whites produce a light, foamy structure.

Delicate in texture and magnificent to behold, this cake is classic company fare. Sponge-type, also known as foam, cakes are springy and light. They include chiffon, angel food, and sponge cakes. All have one thing in common: stiffly beaten egg whites, on which their fluffiness depends.

Important: Never grease the cake pan for any foam-type cake. If it has been used before to bake a cake with shortening, scour it and dry it thoroughly before using. The batter needs a clean, dry wall to cling to.

The texture and flavor of sponge cakes are so delightful that the cakes are usually eaten without frosting, which can weigh them down. But a little lily-gilding—a shower of confectioners’ sugar—does no harm.

This cake can be made in advance and stored at room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator for 5 days, or in the freezer for 2 months. But bring it back to room temperature for serving. Leftover cake? (You should be so lucky.) Serve slices, lightly toasted, for breakfast.

6 large egg whites

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups sugar

6 large egg yolks

Orange oil, optional *

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting, optional

1.In a medium bowl, allow the egg whites to warm to room temperature, about 1 hour.

2.Meanwhile, place a rack in the lower level of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have ready a 10-inch tube pan.

3.Using a fine-mesh strainer or a sifter, sift together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

4.With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add ½ cup of the sugar, beating after each addition. Continue beating until soft peaks form when the beater is slowly raised. Set aside.

5.In a large bowl, using the electric mixer with the same beaters on high speed, beat the egg yolks while gradually adding the remaining 1 cup of sugar until the mixture is thick and lemon colored. This will take 5 to 8 minutes in all. Add 1 or 2 drops orange oil, if using—a little goes a long way—and beat until combined.

6.Remove the beaters from the bowl, shake to free any adhering yolk, and continue with the recipe using a whisk and rubber spatula.

7.Add the orange juice and orange zest to the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture and whisk just until white patches are visible.

8.With the whisk or spatula, and using an under-and-over motion, stir one-third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then fold in another half of the remaining egg whites. Finally, fold in the remaining egg whites just until blended.

9.Gently pour the fluffy batter into the tube pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake has risen to the top of the pan, the top is browned, and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

10.If your pan has feet, invert the pan over a wire rack. Alternatively, invert the pan over the neck of a bottle. Don’t worry, it won’t fall out. Let the cake hang for about 1 hour to cool completely.

11.Place the pan on a work surface. With a metal spatula, carefully loosen the cake from the pan and transfer to a platter. Serve plain or sift a dusting of confectioners’ sugar over the top. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

HOW NOW, BROWN EGG?

A well-known organic restaurant says it uses fertilized brown eggs, claiming that they are the “most nutritious eggs available.” Are there any scientific facts to back this up?

Unfortunately, no.

I hereby join forces with every other printed dissertation on eggs to assure you that no differences in flavor or nutrition have been found between brown eggs and white eggs. Just as brown-skinned people produce brown-skinned children, brown-feathered chickens lay brown-shelled eggs. Among the brown-egg layers are the Barred Plymouth Rock and the Red Rock Cross, while the white-feathered White Leghorn lays white eggs. The Columbian Rock, which sports both black and white feathers, is one of several exceptions. It must have flipped a genetic coin at some time in the past and decided to lay brown eggs.

The color of the yolk, incidentally, depends on the hen’s diet; wheat-based diets produce lemon-yellow yolks, while alfalfa-based diets produce orange-yellow yolks.

Then why do brown eggs cost more? They are generally produced by species of larger hens that consume more feed and lay bigger eggs. One might also speculate that people who think brown eggs are superior are willing to pay more for them.

Some people believe that fertilized eggs are more healthful to eat because they contain a “life force” not present in “dead” foods. I shall not express my opinion of that idea because I am a very tolerant, open-minded, and nonjudgmental person who believes that people have the right to think whatever they choose.

No matter how absurd.

THE FOODIE’S FICTIONARY:Egg roll—a Chinese Easter festival

VIRGIN HENS

While making breakfast the other day, I broke an egg and found a red spot, looking like blood, on the yolk. I threw it away, but was it okay to eat? And what caused it?

It doesn’t mean that the egg was fertilized, and it will not hatch no matter how long you sit on it. Hens that lay eggs for commercial distribution have never even seen, much less “dated,” a rooster. Layers just aren’t breeders.