Back when we were first married, living in our little 8' x 35' trailer, we had, obviously, very little space for possessions. A couple of pans, a small set of dishes, a cookie sheet, and a hand mixer were all we needed in the kitchen, my sewing machine fit behind the rocking chair in its case when not in use, and Dan had a few tools in a little storage area attached to the front porch. Then we moved into a duplex, had a couple of babies, and of necessity, slowly began to acquire. Mostly baby things. And more dishes. We were still far from floating in money, however, so there was no splurging on luxury items, or even useful items of higher price.
Fast forward to now, and we're blessed with a number of very nice tools--in the sewing room, in the workshop, and in the kitchen. And that's where we'll drop anchor today.
I have a strange love of kitchen items. I know women who are incensed if they receive a kitchen item for a present, but I love it! And I even love pots and pans. One such pan came into my possession in Boise a number of years ago. We were headed for some shopping in the Town Square Mall and entered through the back door of The Bon (now Macy's). The back door leads right into the kitchen shop and there, on display, was a pan for poaching eggs. It was gor-jeous!! And, it was a very reasonable price. Sold!
 |
| So shiny and beautiful! |
I had attempted to poach eggs in a pan of boiling water, but I'm not a fan of stringy eggs. I also had an insert that sat in a skillet, but it was awkward to remove the eggs. This pan, however, makes egg removal a cinch. Just lift each individual cup...
 |
| Yup, I broke two putting them in the cups--first time ever! |
...and plop them on the plate (or in this case, some hash browns).
 |
| Easy peasy. |
Mash the eggs and mix, add some more pepper, and enjoy!
Having the right tool makes sweet work of fixing a quick and yummy breakfast! ♥
Actually my parents had a pan like that -- not as beautiful as yours, though. I remember a couple of times Mother lined the cups with strips of bacon (perhaps partially fried?) before adding the eggs. And then she never used it again. She kept, though -- you know how that goes.
ReplyDeleteSadly, we don't eat eggs here. During my great clear-out, I tossed three boxes of out-of-date eggs and replaced with a new box, which we will use only partially before it expires. We use egg subs.
So, do you have the pan?
ReplyDeleteWe don't eat a lot of eggs, but once a week, or so, we enjoy one or two and they taste so good! I'll add Egg Beaters to our scrambled eggs and in French toast, but every now and then, nothing beats a real, runny egg on potatoes. My DASH diet book says just don't eat more than four eggs a week. I happily latched on to that information. :-)
No, we let the pan go. It came to me -- this is an egg shirrer, isn't it? I believe Mother called it that. Shirred eggs.
DeleteSometimes nothing tastes as good as an egg. It seems to be just what I need.
I don't think I've ever heard of shirred eggs. Or maybe, in the far, far past I did. We'll have to look them up!
DeleteI have never heard this word "shirrer/shirred".
ReplyDeleteAunt Chris: what's the trick to perfect hash browns? Do you cook those up in a skillet with lots of oil or do you roast them? I never make hash browns at home because they always stick to the pan and I can't get them crispy. User error, undoubtedly.
I don't know if I'm the one to ask about "perfect" hash browns, but I am a lover of them and I am a little picky. :-) In the old days, I did use lots of Crisco, but now in these enlightened times (smile) I use a very little olive oil and a well seasoned pan and medium heat. The trick seems to be to let the potatoes sit long enough to brown before turning them. I do put a lid on them to finish cooking all the way through, then take it off at the last to dry them out again. Can't speed the process or have too many potatoes in the pan. Hope this helps!
Delete