Egg-celent Smithers...

How do you like your eggs in the morning?

A sensory mémoire by Bryn Thomas 

Ok, I know what you’re thinking, our mysterious food critique has had the opportunity to review some of the finest restaurants in Australia, often with Claudia and myself in tow, evaluating the finest cuisine (or more so in my case some of finest cellars in the country) and here I am about to deliberate on eggs.

I feel I must write this though, because I have finally caught up with society and am now consuming eggs at an alarming rate. In fact, Claudia has put a ‘two eggs per day limit’ on my intake. 

Nonetheless, I now feel a sense of elation when someone asks, ‘How do you like your eggs?’ and instead of responding rather self righteously with, ‘None at all thank you very much.’ Then sparking a debate with my egg-eating friends about the benefits of eggs when we’re out for breakfast, I can now put forth my order without so much as an eyebrow lift.

From as long as I can remember, the egg has been the enemy. Always picked out of a Caesar salad, or cast aside from a hamburger. Sometimes dropped on the floor ‘accidently’, and I can tell you the bain-marie containing scrambled eggs was always given a wide birth at the breakfast buffet. The smell, the look and the texture were more than enough to make one queasy. Not to mention the thought of where they actually come from! Don’t get me wrong, I like cakes, in fact I love cakes and pastries and foods that contain egg. I think it’s more the sight of a whole egg on a plate, and don’t even get me started on ‘runny’ eggs!

Recently, I have found myself training for a charity run in the next few months, and my training buddies bought up the topic of the benefits of eggs. Not wanting to cause controversy amongst my newfound friends, I vowed for one last time to take on the egg. I decided on the poached variety, and was extremely surprised. It appears my distaste for eggs has vanished, and in its place a healthy appetite for these tasty treats.

Apart from the obvious benefits of protein and various amino acids, I have recently discovered the convenience of the egg. Reasonably inexpensive, convenient and healthy. My personal preference, the poached kind is perfect for breakfast, morning tea, afternoon tea, lunch, snack, pre-jogging snack, post -jogging snack…you get the picture. Basically they can be enjoyed any time of day or night, and only take three minutes to prepare, or in my case three and half minutes (I still can’t stand runny eggs.)

There is a point to this story though my dear reader. I’m sure most of us are aware that our taste buds change over time. In my case it was a good dose of insistence and tenacity, rather than a complete dislike of eggs that was preventing me from eating them. Perhaps if there is something you don’t like and actually haven’t tried in many years, you should give it a go. You might just surprise yourself and find your new favourite food. Otherwise you may find the impertinence eggs-hausting!