Poaching eggs for the first time

Scenes from “Richard Makes Poached Eggs For the First Time

This quarantine has reminded me of how much I enjoy cooking, even though I’m not a trained chef and my approach consists of taking a shotgun and going on instinct. I try to pick up what I can from cooking shows, even though I have limited ideas of what would be considered standard techniques among those who cook regularly. 

Of course, cooking at home is also cheaper and healthier. I can tell I’ve lost weight and remind myself that when this quarantine is over, I still need to visit restaurants only on special occasions. Sometimes I cook from a box, but that gets boring quickly. My goal is to someday cook from scratch as much as possible.

Tonight, I poached eggs for the first time.

I love Eggs Benedict and would love to make it delicious for a future special someone. (Or better yet, find out what she likes and then learn how to make it better than what she could get at a restaurant). Once I perfect poached eggs, I’ll work on Hollandaise sauce.

I watched three videos: one of Chef Gordon Ramsey, who poaches eggs by boiling water and letting the eggs be in there for about 90 seconds. Another was from Alton Brown and then from the Food Network, both advocating simmering the egg for about 3-4 minutes.

Ramsey is on point and concise, easy to follow even if you are a kitchen newcomer who doesn’t even know how to boil water. Brown overexplains and includes too much information. Alton, I just want to learn the basics and go from there. I’m still learning and am not even a one-star Michelin chef. Don’t overcomplicate this dish.

I took three eggs, running them under water to try to get them to room temperature. Next time, I’ll probably just give them half an hour outside the fridge and let them get to the recommended room temperature that way. Into the water went salt, pepper, and some rice vinegar. Once the water boiled, I stirred it quickly and put in the first egg. I was relieved when the yolk didn’t explode and, 90 seconds later, I used my spoon to take it and the rest of the whites out and put them onto a paper towel.

Next egg, I cooked for two minutes and then onto the towel.

Third egg, I lost track of time but it was about two minutes and then onto the towel.

The eggs ran as they were supposed to, but as I tasted, I thought, too runny, not enough creamy. They tasted good, but not delicious. 

Next time, I’ll try to cook them for three minutes or, perhaps I’ll let the water simmer and try for four minutes.

The road to being a good cook continues.

Being both a sinophile and russophile, Richard would like to someday make Siquan-style food, along with Beef Stroganoff and Borshch (also known as Borscht). Even though he’s not a huge desert person, Richard would someday also love to bake a cake completely from scratch. Post comments here or email them to: fromatozowie@gmail.com

At home, social distancing

The COVID-19 situation has left me at home, as it has countless other Americans. Practicing social distancing has been easy for me, a natural introvert. (You’d never know I’m an introvert, given my love for working on radio and for my hobby in community theater). But, it would be boring to spend every day staring at the wall. So, here are things I’ve been busy doing, especially since you can watch Mom and other shows so much…

Cleaning areas of the house. Cooking food again (I’ve actually lost weight by not eating out so much). Playing both solitaire and spider solitaire. Learning how to play black jack, which includes learning how to split hands and double down. Playing chess against friends and often losing. Reading. Writing. Walking. Wasting time doing online dating (the fake profiles have been as common as dandelions in the spring). I am looking forward once again to having a second job to make ends meet.

I plan tomorrow or tomorrow evening, depending on whether I get up early, to make my first-ever poached egg. From what I’ve seen from Chef Ramsay’s video, the water had to be boiling, you must stir it around to create a vortex, the egg must be room temperature, and it must cook for about 90 seconds. When cut open, the egg must be runny. By runny, I would say between over-easy and over-medium. Normally, when I eat eggs, I prefer then over-medium, scrambled, or sunny-side up.

Should I get good at poaching eggs, perhaps Eggs Benedict will be on that list.

It’s funny how I am with food. My father was a meat-and-potatoes man, but I’ve always thought it was fun to explore and eat or try new things.

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A few Random Ramblings

…I watched bits and pieces recently of one of my favorite horror films: George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. I don’t often have time to watch it in one setting, since the director’s cut is 2.5 hours long. But as I watched, I remember how much the movie terrified me as a teen. As it ended and the two survivors head off to an uncertain future, I was glad I didn’t live in that world.

When a horror film makes you grateful you live in your reality, it has done its job…

…A big decision to make. I’d like to sharpen my foreign language skills by watching (subtitled, of course), movies in Russian, Chinese and Spanish. But, the problem is, it would mean doing business with a streaming service I swore off for ethical reasons. Decisions, decisions…

…A video I watched on Gordon Ramsay makes me think the next thing I should try to accomplish in my hobby of the culinary arts is Eggs Benedict. I had it a few years ago, thought it was delicious, and lamented that such a small portion cost around $11. Maybe that was a sign that I simply need to lose weight. I’m guessing I’ll go through a few eggs before I perfect it. And even if I perfect it, no, this doesn’t mean I’ll try out for Hell’s Kitchen or MasterChef. I love to cook, but I’m nowhere near good enough. You have to know the basics. Someone who was a military cook would have a better chance, as they take you through all the basics, including things as simple as making gravy…

Post comments here or email them to: fromatozowie@gmail.com