I'll Try To Make This Interesting

Today's class is on peeling hard-boiled eggs. I don't want to insult anybody's skill level with this post. But if your experience with hard-boiled eggs is anything like mine, you've had eggs that act like crabs who're being forced from their homes and others are like little strippers. Since many of you like to make deviled eggs as ours devours during the holidays, I thought it might be good timing to do this post. So. Is it the egg? Is it me? The answer is yes. Here's how to get your eggs to drop trou:

Peeling Hard-Boiled Eggs

• Don't use super fresh eggs. I wish this weren't the case, but it's true that really fresh eggs don't peel as well. Obviously, you don't want bad eggs, so just use eggs that have been in the fridge for maybe a week. Some say that if you have to use fresh eggs, putting some baking soda in the water can help, but I really have no idea if this is true.
• Once they're boiled, drain the hot water and immediately immerse them in cold, cold water. This will help to loosen the bond between the whites and the shell.
• As soon as they're cool enough to handle, (a minute or two,) start the peeling process. (Don't put them in the refrigerator and wait to peel until another day. If you're not ready to eat them, just dry them off and put them in a sealed container where they'll keep for a week.) Crack and peel a small portion on either end and peel under cold running water. If the skin doesn't break right away, don't force it, because you'll probably damage the whites. Continue to break away the shell until a piece of the skin finally gives way and then remove the skin. Voila! You've got yourself some little nudies!

Boiling Eggs

For those of you who have a hard time with the actual boiling process, here are some tips:

• Start the eggs out in very cold water if they're coming from the fridge. You want the egg and the water to be about the same temperature. This will help to keep the egg from cracking and leaking which is a result of heating too much too quickly. 
• Don't bring the water to a rolling boil, just to a medium boil. (Again, you can't come on too strong or else the whites will try to escape.) Then turn it down to a low boil, cover the pot and allow to cook for 8-12 minutes depending on how soft or hard you want the yolk. 

One more thing. Have you seen those internet videos that tell you to crack and peel each end of the egg and then blow the egg out of it's shell with your mouth? Well, I have, and here's what I have to say about it if anyone cares. It can work, but only if the egg isn't like the crab we talked about earlier. AND, if you're going to be serving these to guests, do you really want to be getting your saliva on their eggs? Even if you rinse them afterward.. it still seems icky, right? 

Okay, that's all. Back tomorrow with a warm Italian dinner menu. So yummy!