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Few foods are as undeniably perfect as the humble egg. A complete package, eggs contain significant amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals with trace amounts of fat. For millennia, they have served as a powerful symbol for life itself. In the culinary world, eggs are a staple for breakfast, an essential binding agent in sauces, and they give rise and shine to countless baked goods. Eggs add body, flavor, and depth to every dish they grace. Without them, our culinary landscape would be flat, bleak, and matte.
In sweet applications, eggs take center stage in ice cream, custards, cakes, meringue, and sabayon. Eggs can be used either whole or separated, since each part has unique qualities and characteristics. In some applications the yolks are needed while in others only the whites can be permitted. In ice cream, the eggs carry flavor and make the entire concoction creamy and mouth-filling. Custards (such as crème caramel or flan) simply couldn't exist without eggs—as these are the binding force that holds the cream and sugar together in a velvety mass. Cakes and cookies get their texture and their crumb from eggs while sabayon (or zabaglione) is bound with egg yolks.
The same can be said for savory applications. Whole cooked eggs are a wonderful treat served as is, in egg salad, or devilled. In sauces and dressings, eggs are the ideal binding agent that keeps the oil suspended in a perfect (i.e. stable) emulsion. When mixed with other ingredients, eggs come together in the form of quiche, strata, frittata, and savory bread puddings. There are few categories of foods that don't benefit from eggs, so in order to become familiar we must first take a close look inside the egg.
Inside the egg: What is it made of?
1. The Shell
the shell is the hard outer covering of egg made mostly of calcium carbonate. The color of the shell bears no indication of the quality or nutritional value of the egg. The shell protects the delicate interior of the egg.
2. Shell Membranes (Inner and Outer)
Two membranes – the outer and inner – rest just inside the shell and serve to protect the white. This protects the egg form bacteria (as the shell is porous) and also allows for the air cell to stay intact.
3. Air Cell
The air cell is a small space found at large end of the egg between the inner and outer shell membranes. As the egg gets older, evaporation causes the air cell to get larger.
4. Outer Thin Albumen (egg white)
The outer white is the part of the egg white that sits closest to the shell. It is less substantial and thinner than the inner white.
5. Inner Thick Albumen (White)
In grade AA and grade A eggs, this egg white stands higher and spreads less than thin white. In low-quality eggs or older eggs it is thin and runny.
6. Chalazae
This is the twisted strings of egg white that serve to anchor and protect the yolk.
7. Yolk
The yolk is the yellow portion of egg with most of the flavor. The yolk is the primary source of vitamins, minerals, almost half of the protein, and all of the fat and cholesterol.
Grade AA: Have the thickest whites and firm yolks that stand high and tall. This grade of eggs boasts uniform shells that are clean, uniform, and intact.
Grade A: The most common grade of eggs available to consumers, these eggs have firm, thick whites and round yolks that are free from defects.
Grade B: These eggs are best suited for baking, as they have thinner whites and less uniform yolks. Grade B eggs are primarily used in some foodservice production and commercial baking. |
