May- National Egg Month

Ah, yes, May has been designated “National Egg Month.” The egg industry’s fondness for celebrating this “by-product” as a national hero is a little overwhelming, to say the least. If any of my colleagues have noticed, I usually decline the traditional offer of cake and cookies at office gatherings. Mind you, this is not a valiant effort to respectfully trim calories or manage my economy of scale; it is, however, necessary to offset a possible allergic reaction from taking place to this natural food allergy. That’s right, for me, Mr. Egg is archenemy number 1. For those of us who are fortunate enough to avoid this dastardly concoction, and evade its “mythical” advantage of having a high protein significance, let me be the first to advocate a non-egg lifestyle.

For May, I would challenge some to forgo foods made with eggs. Essentially, to see whether one could navigate a day without the kind help of Mr. Egg. This means reading every food label you wish to consume and asking the wait staff to make it with non-egg products. Some may ask, “What did the egg do to deserve this irreverence from me?” I would kindly respond, “It is what the egg didn’t do”! And so, as you and your family engage in pre-summer victuals, I encourage you to upend this blindsided fascination with our little friend- Mr. Egg. Yet, on the flip side, here is a small list of egg facts:

The merits of “Mr. Egg.”

• National egg month celebration is in May.
• A hard-cooked egg will peel more easily if it is a week or two old before cooking it.
• Peeling eggs will be easier if you add two tablespoons of white vinegar to every quart of water you use to cook them.
• The egg yolk and white separate best when cold. Egg whites will beat to a better volume if they’re allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before beating.
• The eggshell has as many as 17,000 tiny pores over its surface. Through them, the egg can absorb flavors and odors. So, storing them in their cartons helps keep them fresh.
• Egg yolk is the primary source of the egg’s vitamins and minerals.
• Artificial color additives are not allowed in chicken feed. However, the addition of natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals for light-colored meals will enhance the yolk color.
• You can refrigerate eggs in their carton for at least four weeks beyond the pack date.
• You probably know that the older eggs are, the more they will spread out when cracked open in a pan. So, the egg whites will not spread as much. Do you also know that you can add several drops of vinegar to the water when poaching eggs? The vinegar’s acid will help the eggs’ proteins to solidify.
• Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator.
• A large egg contains only 75 calories and 5 grams of fat.
• A hen takes 24-26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later, she starts all over again!

Shaun Joykutty