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Eggs can be fresh or dried, the latter being only hens’ eggs without the shell and water. Dried egg should be stored in a cool, dry place - not in the fridge! Store eggs for a few days or a week in a cool place away from strong-smelling foods. An egg stand is ideal for this. If the eggs are dirty, wipe them clean - washing will remove the natural oils which help preserve the eggs.

Pickled Eggs: eggs laid in the Spring keep longer than those laid in the other seasons. Eggs that can not be cleaned-up, must be refused. Waterglass or the other special preparations should be used. If an egg floats to the surface, use it at once. Try to maintain the room temperature around 2-8 C and they should remain edible for 6 to 9 months.

Preparing Eggs for Cooking: break each egg singly into a cup, before adding it to the other ingredients to ensure it is still fresh. If you wish to separate the white from the yolk, tip the contents back and forth between the two egg shell halves and the white (albumen) will separate off. Beat eggs with a whisk or a fork in an appropriately sized bowl, but whip egg whites with a knife on a large plate - a pinch of salt will help.

Raw eggs used to be prescribed for invalids as they are easily digestible, but, this not to be recommended these days due to the ubiquity of salmonella. One method, presented here for the curious was to strain a beaten egg into a mug and slowly add a cup of hot milk (or tea, coffee or lemon water; add sugar to taste. Sherry was often added also.

Cooking Eggs: eggs must be cooked slowly because the albumen solidifies at a temperature lower than that of boiling water and becomes ‘tough’ at higher temperatures. Similarly, if raw egg is used to thicken a sauce and the liquid is subsequently allowed to boil, the sauce will ‘curdle’, i.e. the egg will solidify into small specks, ruining its texture.

Coddling: produces easily digestible egg-whites, making it an ideal method for invalids and children. Lower eggs into 3″ (75mm) boiling water; replace lid and turn off the heat. Let stand for: 7 mins for medium-, 5 mins for soft- and 20 mins for hard-boiled.

Boiling: lower fresh eggs gently into 75mm boiling water with a spoon. Cover and boil gently for 3-3″ mins for soft-, 4-5 mins medium- and 10 mins hard-boiled eggs.

Place in egg cups and tap the shell to crack it, allowing the steam to escape, thus preventing further cooking. For sandwiches, salads etc: boil the egg for 12 mins and plunge into cold water. This allows the shell to be easily removed and prevents a black ring forming around the yolk.