This is a recipe I used to make in the early 90’s, but have no recollection of where I found it. In the interests of accuracy, I began an innocent search online where I found an entirely hidden (in plain sight, where all the best secrets are kept) world of people who are into all things egg-coddleable.
If you thought the Jane Austin fan-club were a tad other-worldly, believe me, they are considerably more C21 than those whose lives have room for the matching of egg coddler patterns and swapping of recipes arcane. For me, in an entirely non-non-judgemental mind-set, I was nearly tipped over the edge by the requirements for those selling on their unwanted egg coddlers, to be clean and – oh dear, I’m losing the will to live!
http://www.egg-coddlers.com/
An example of an egg coddler (not to be confused with egg caddies, egg cookers or egg warmers)
Oops! Having basked in the warmth of the belief that I am apart from such concerns, I scrolled further down the egg coddler site to find that I am in possession of an (almost) proscribed kitchen implement.
Apparently to call these objects egg coddlers is “pushing the envelope too much”. However, I feel quite unabashed at being judged by someone willing to use such a trite cliché. My perfectly adequate excuse is that my mother bought a set of these plastic implements and deciding that her life was too short to microwave eggs, foisted them off onto me. I suspect they still languish all but forgotten in a cupboard in my kitchen.
Actual Coddling
Coddling eggs could not be simpler. Grease a ramekin dish, unless you actually possess an actual egg coddler (in which case do you want to swap for a completely unused, almost unique modern, plastic, hygienic egg cooker that is dishwasher proof and microwaveable?); break an egg into the container of choice, surround with single cream, carefully place as much Gruyere cheese as will fit on top and season to taste. Place in a Bain Marie in the oven for less time than you think while making toast from your favourite posh bread.
I should say, that even though the tenor of this leans towards scathing, the egg coddlers site does have a heart-warming story about its raison d’être. And in a free world, why shouldn’t those so inclined divert their attentions from the present day and all our political struggles into something that, to borrow a phrase from an equally unlikely universe, is ‘mostly harmless’.
If you thought the Jane Austin fan-club were a tad other-worldly, believe me, they are considerably more C21 than those whose lives have room for the matching of egg coddler patterns and swapping of recipes arcane. For me, in an entirely non-non-judgemental mind-set, I was nearly tipped over the edge by the requirements for those selling on their unwanted egg coddlers, to be clean and – oh dear, I’m losing the will to live!
http://www.egg-coddlers.com/
An example of an egg coddler (not to be confused with egg caddies, egg cookers or egg warmers)
Oops! Having basked in the warmth of the belief that I am apart from such concerns, I scrolled further down the egg coddler site to find that I am in possession of an (almost) proscribed kitchen implement.Apparently to call these objects egg coddlers is “pushing the envelope too much”. However, I feel quite unabashed at being judged by someone willing to use such a trite cliché. My perfectly adequate excuse is that my mother bought a set of these plastic implements and deciding that her life was too short to microwave eggs, foisted them off onto me. I suspect they still languish all but forgotten in a cupboard in my kitchen.Actual Coddling
Coddling eggs could not be simpler. Grease a ramekin dish, unless you actually possess an actual egg coddler (in which case do you want to swap for a completely unused, almost unique modern, plastic, hygienic egg cooker that is dishwasher proof and microwaveable?); break an egg into the container of choice, surround with single cream, carefully place as much Gruyere cheese as will fit on top and season to taste. Place in a Bain Marie in the oven for less time than you think while making toast from your favourite posh bread.
I should say, that even though the tenor of this leans towards scathing, the egg coddlers site does have a heart-warming story about its raison d’être. And in a free world, why shouldn’t those so inclined divert their attentions from the present day and all our political struggles into something that, to borrow a phrase from an equally unlikely universe, is ‘mostly harmless’.
2 comments:
so coddled eggs are a sort of upscale poaching?
Yeeeeeeeees, well, not quite, I don't think. Poaching, at least the method I use - stick egg in boiling water and hope it doesn't burst - is different to putting an egg plus various ingredients into a small container then cooking in the oven. I'm sure there are as many, and maybe controversial views on this as there are designs of egg coddlers.
Although, perhaps there are some people who use those little metal poaching rings and a special poaching pan who could argue their corner about upscale, even posh, poaching.
Maybe the question will be solved, or(sadly more likely)it won't, but thank you for posing the poaching question.
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