COOK ING W I T H EG G S If I haven’t convinced you yet to raise some chickens in your backyard, I hope I’ve at least convinced you to seek out the freshest, most nutritious eggs you can. Will eggs from your backyard flock save you money? Absolutely not. As my husband constantly reminds me, these are the most expensive eggs we’ll ever eat. When you factor in the cost of the baby chicks, the feed cost, the initial start-up costs of building or buying a coop and erecting a pen or run, plus any supplements or treats that you feed them, you’ll never beat the cost of eighteen eggs for eighty-n ine cents at one of the shopping clubs, or likely two or three dollars a dozen at the supermarket for “premium” eggs. But fresh eggs are worth every penny. My stomach growls, reminding me that I haven’t eaten yet, so I slip a pat of butter into the skillet on the stove and turn on the flame. Once the butter stops sizzling, I crack the egg on the counter and slide it into the pan. Within a minute or two, my egg is cooked. The whites are set and slightly crispy around the edges, and the yolk is partially cooked but still runny in the middle. I tilt the skillet, and the egg slides out of the pan onto my plate. It needs no seasoning, but a slight sprinkle of kosher salt on top elevates the egg’s natural flavors. I press the tines of my fork into the yolk, which splits open to release a glorious, thick, orange gush of liquid gold that lazily oozes out onto my plate. I’m going to enjoy my breakfast now, and then I’ll share a few tricks with you to help you get the best results possible when you’re cooking with fresh eggs. Cooking with Eggs 9
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