The unexpected obsession: a culinary quest for the perfect egg
Didier Elena, a chef at Alain Ducasse’s restaurant, casually mentioned there are thirteen ways to cook an egg. Jeffrey Steingarten, ever the inquisitive gourmand, dug deeper, discovering a staggering 422 variations. But this isn't just about egg cookery; it's a window into the meticulous, almost obsessive, world of French culinary traditions – and Steingarten’s own amusing struggle to master them.
A legacy of nomenclature: 6,000 names for everything
Steingarten recounts the remarkable detail of Le Répertoire de la Cuisine, a 1914 Parisian compendium boasting over 6,000 names for culinary creations. The French, or as Steingarten playfully calls them, “Freedom People,” possess an extraordinary ability to invent elaborate nomenclature for even the simplest dishes. This dedication to detail extends to the humble egg, with an astounding 422 preparations documented.
Yet, this expansive culinary ingenuity hadn’t ventured into the realm of the “1,000-year-old eggs,” a Chinese delicacy—a fascinating contrast that underscores the richness of global culinary exploration. These eggs, buried for 100 days in a complex concoction of salt, ash, lime, and tea, present a stark visual departure from the classic French techniques Steingarten was attempting to grasp.
His personal journey centers on a single, deceptively simple goal: mastering the omelet. Saulnier's Le Répertoire lists a staggering 85 varieties, varying primarily in their fillings, and occasionally, their presentation. The omelet Brillat-Savarin, stuffed with woodcock and truffles, and the Durand, featuring mushrooms, artichokes, asparagus tips, and a tomato glaze, represented a level of ambition Steingarten initially found daunting. He yearned for the perfect plain omelet—tender, light, moist, and subtly sweet.
The pursuit proved surprisingly challenging. Steingarten delved into cookbooks, consulted with TV producer Geoffrey Drummond, and even analyzed Julia Child’s iconic omelet demonstration, all in an effort to unlock the secrets of this seemingly basic dish. The techniques varied wildly—high flames, butter, scrambling patterns, even shaking the pan with a magician's flair. Nothing quite worked.
Beyond technique: the science of the egg
Steingarten's research expanded beyond omelet-making, into the fascinating world of eggs themselves. He discovered that brown and white eggs are fundamentally the same, with color determined solely by the hen's breed. He explored the nuances of freshness, the microscopic pores that allow oxygen to seep in, and the intriguing connection between a chicken's ear color and her egg's hue, courtesy of Shirley Corriher’s Cookwise. The odds of contracting salmonellosis from an egg? Remarkably low—approximately one in 10,000, requiring a staggering 6,931 undercooked eggs to reach a 50% chance.
The ethical considerations surrounding egg production also emerged – the contrast between free-range hens and the more industrialized caged systems. He champions the former, highlighting the nutritional powerhouse that an egg represents, designed to nurture life. However, the American Heart Association’s warnings about egg yolks and cholesterol prompted a reevaluation, a realization that individual responses to dietary cholesterol vary greatly. “I prefer pills,” Steingarten wryly concludes, embracing his freedom to indulge.
After a rigorous lesson with Didier Elena, and several burnt attempts using newly acquired iron pans, Steingarten achieved a breakthrough. A nonstick pan, a moderate flame, and diligent practice ultimately yielded a series of increasingly palatable omelets. The journey, he admits, was far from over.
“A shoddy workman blames his tools,” Steingarten observed, purchasing three new pans in pursuit of perfection. While a flawless omelet remains a work in progress, the quest itself has revealed a universe of culinary possibility—a testament to the enduring allure of the simple egg.