Mastering the Art of American Breakfast Cooking: Over Easy Eggs and Beyond

Have you ever struggled with mastering certain cooking techniques, especially when it comes to classic American breakfast dishes like flipping pancakes, over easy eggs, bacon, and more? For many of us, cooking can be a challenging yet rewarding journey, especially when it comes to one of our favorite meals of the day. In this article, we'll explore some of the difficulties and solutions in preparing American breakfast foods, with a focus on over easy eggs.

The Perils of Corn Flakes

Corn flakes may seem like a simple breakfast cereal, but let's face it: they can be quite finicky. No matter how carefully they are poured into a bowl, corn flakes have a nasty habit of getting soggy before you've even managed to finish half the box. And for those who, like me, simply don't enjoy the taste of corn flakes, it only compounds the problem. It’s a recipe for disappointment and frustration every morning.

A Decade in the Kitchen: The Easy Eggs Story

Prior to my life as an adult chef, I had spent many years working as a breakfast cook. Those early days were filled with the sheer joy of producing hundreds of eggs for our customers each day. Over the years, I refined my techniques and learned the importance of seasoning, particularly for bald flavors like eggs. My knowledge and skills in the kitchen were honed to perfection, and I was able to craft eggs with finesse and confidence.

The Over Easy Egg Fiasco

Fast-forward to a few months ago, and I found myself in a state of culinary dismay. I was in the mood for a classic American breakfast of over easy eggs. Unfortunately, my first attempt was less than spectacular. A plopping sound indicated that I had inadvertently broken the yolk. Another attempt yielded similar results, each plop marking my frustration and confusion. It wasn't until my third attempt that I managed a perfect over easy, albeit with a few lessons learned.

The Seasoning Revelation

The key to a perfect over easy egg lies in the seasoning. As an adult chef, I now know the importance of seasoning my eggs with kosher salt and a crack of pepper. This simple but crucial step was something I had neglected earlier in my career. On my fourth attempt, I omitted the seasoning and achieved success. The coarse nature of the salt and pepper may have actually broken the membrane on the yolks, but it ultimately contributed to the perfect over easy.

Skills are Perishable

The episode with the over easy eggs serves as a poignant reminder that skills are perishable. They require regular practice and revisiting the basics from time to time. As seasoned professionals, we may think that our techniques are infallible, but sometimes a simple refresher can go a long way. Even after 50 years in the kitchen, I had to remind myself of the basics and apply them with renewed vigor.

So, whether you’re a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, take heart in knowing that mastering the art of American breakfast cooking is a journey worth embarking on. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the successes, and remember that every lesson learned is a step closer to perfecting your skills.