The school kitchen textbook

Eggs are also cooked in hot milk. When we break an egg, we find the white is soft and without form, and the yolk seems round and firmer than the white ; but if we break the film or membrane on the outside of the yolk we find that it, too, is soft and liquid. By beating, we can mix the yolk and white, and be unable to distinguish them. Sometimes we want to use the two parts separately, and it is an art to break and divide an egg, and not mix the yolk with the white. When eggs are cooked in milk, the albumin in the egg thickens, and if cooked slightly, and stirred constantly, forms a smooth, soft, creamy mass. If cooked longer, and without stirring, it becomes thick and solid ; but if cooked too long the casein and albumin become hard, and separate from the watery part, or the mass curdles. Eggs cooked in milk, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter, are called poached eggs. When they are sweetened we call the mixture a custard. When eggs are eaten raw, or cooked in any way in which the result is to be a smooth, soft mass, the thick white substance uniting the yolk and white should be removed before cooking, unless the cooked mixture is to be strained, as in soft custard. This substance hardens into a lump, and it is unpleasant to find it in what would otherwise be a smooth mass. In eggs cooked in the shell, or cooked hard as in cake, it is not perceptible. Recipe, No. 47. Dropped or Poached Eggs on Toast Toast a slice of bread for each egg and trim neatly. Have a clean shallow pan nearly full of salted, boiling water. Remove all the scum and let the water simmer. Break each egg carefully into a saucer, and slip it gently into the simmering water. Dip the water over them with a spoon, and when a film has formed over the yolk and the white is firm, take each egg up with a skimmer, drain, trim off any rough edges, and place it on the toast. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each egg. Recipe, No. 48. Soft-cooked Eggs Put the eggs into a stewpan, half full of boiling water, and cover ; let them stand from six to ten minutes where the water will keep hot (180°), but not boiling. The white should be soft and jellylike, and the yolk soft but not liquid. If cooked in boiling water, cook from three to five minutes. Recipe, No. 49. Hard-cooked Eggs Cook them twenty minutes, in water just bubbling. The yolk of an egg cooked twenty minutes is dry, mealy, and easily digested ; but cooked ten minutes in rapidly boiling water, it is tough and takes longer to digest. Recipe, No. 50. Soft Custard 1 c. milk scalded. 1 tbsp. sugar. 1 egg. 1 tsp. flavoring. Beat the egg to a froth ; stir in the sugar and salt ; add the hot milk and mix well. Pour back into double boiler and EXPERIMENT WITH ALBUMIN OF EGGS 135 stir constantly until the foam disappears, the custard coats the spoon, and it feels thick and smooth like cream. Strain through a gravy strainer ; cool quickly ; add flavoring, and serve as a sauce with rice. Recipe, No. 51. Soft Custard (Yolks Only) 1 pt. milk. 1 tsp. salt. Yolks of 3 eggs. 1 tsp. vanilla. 6 tbsp. sugar.