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Fun Facts

Which came first, the chicken or the egg.... well, while I can't tell you the answer to that age old question,  in my "egg series" I will attempt to give you many interesting and relevant facts about the egg. We use the egg in so many dishes that it seems to be taken for granted, however lest we forget the egg's great versatility............

EGG SERIES:

First of all let me say that one could write an entire book on eggs, I am positive there are a lot of books out there. So I will give you some nice useful  information so you don't have to read all those books...unless you want to.

Knowing the biology , or structure of the egg is helpful in understanding how the egg may "work" in a recipe. I will briefly touch on a few important components of the egg.
First we see the shell, then there is a thin membrane, there is an air pocket at the "fat end", whose size is and indicator of freshness,(see below), thick white and thin white, yolk membrane and yolk.

The yolk is rich in fats, proteins, vitamins and mineral. The yolk may have layering of color. This is caused by the hen's diet, more alfalfa and corn feed,  more deep yellow. One component of the yolk called amylase, a starch eating enzyme, can cause custards and pies (banana cream) to liquefy.
 That is why in those recipes you must make sure the eggs are cooked to boiling!

The egg white (albumen) is mostly protective housing for the yolk and is mainly made up of water (90%) and different types of proteins
.

The shell is formed in the hen's uterus, or shell gland. The uterine lining secretes calcium carbonate and protein to create the hard shell, about a 14 hr process.

Then ....plop.... the egg is released by the hen.

EGG QUALITY,SAFETY AND STORING:



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