The incredible, edible egg!

The incredible, edible egg. Many of you may be old enough to remember that advertising campaign. Proficiency at egg cookery is incredibly important in producing food which is not only edible, but sublime. It’s what makes many marvel at how creamy our “double caramel custard” is. One food/travel writer said he’s had caramel custards all over the world, and ours was the best he’s ever had. But that’s not the subject of this post. We’ll probably talk about egg cookery down the road. The subject at hand right now is physics. As everyone knows, chemistry is extremely important in the kitchen. Largely overlooked, however, is how physics enters into the equation. I encourage anyone who has a serious interest in cooking to take an introductory course in physics. Such a background can make you a better cook. But that’s not the subject here, either. Getting down to brass tacks, it’s physics as it relates to eggs...the shells in particular. As my wife would say “simple things amuse simple minds.” The next time you crack an egg, take the wider end and insert it (gently--you don’t have to smash it) into the smaller end. Now, hold the open end between your thumb and index finger or middle finger--whichever feels more comfortable. Point it nose first toward your garbage, or a sink, or whatever receptacle may be handy. Make it a few feet away to see what I’m getting at. Toss it toward the target and let loose. Make it more of a line drive than a pop-up. Boom! Straight from the fingers to the target! Eggshells are aerodynamically slippery! They go where you want them to go, and it’s always fun to see how well they work! It helps, too, that the center of gravity is moved toward the nose by inserting the one half shell inside the other. Granted, it took good aim, too, but my favorite shot was from ten feet away toward a beverage in a plastic two-cup measure that a prep cook had in front of him on the butcher block prep table. Aim, release, SPLASH! I don’t know who was more shocked! Give the egg a try sometime.