sprinklefingers:

i spent 34 years detesting eggs unless they were baked into a brownie. or a cookie. or a triple layer chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream.

and now, i’m declaring my 35th year my year of eggs.

[speaking of my year of eggs, you should read this book.]

ahem, continuing on:

until this…

Ah eggs! Alas, not all of them are created equal. I can’t vouch for Momofuko — haven’t been there. But I can certainly understand how any one of the egg dishes at the amazing Per Se would change an egg-hater into a devout convert.

But there are eggs and there are eggs. Thomas Keller gets his eggs fresh from “the farm.” That fact alone distinguishes it from anything you can find in a supermarket. Even a novice cook could make plain old scrambled eggs, nothing like a Per Se fancy, and create something delicious. A fresh egg is a wonderful thing that most of us never get to eat.

When our family first moved to Stamford, Ct. we lived near an egg farm. That’s where I bought all my eggs and therefore, long ago, discovered that an egg straight from the chicken (or nearly) was an entirely different product than the ones I bought at the supermarket. So, every time we needed fresh eggs I drove to Golden Farm and struggled not to notice the two dozen or so cats who crawled all over my feet when I stopped by. We always had eggs for dinner on a Golden Farm night. Side dish of hash browns maybe and sometimes homemade applesauce, always fresh bread, and on a really good day, homemade challah.

Those were good dinners.

Years went by. The people who owned Golden Farm retired, then passed away and now their place is “Golden Farm Road’ with a few very expensive houses on it.

No more fresh farm eggs. No farms anywhere near me. The country has become the suburbs.

So I tried organic eggs. They’re still much better than regular supermarket eggs and brand does matter. I have my favorites, but much of what you can buy depends on what’s available locally.

Still, for a newbie to the egg thing — do yourself a favor and try different kinds of organic eggs. Eggs are such a wonderful treat for dinner, especially when you’re bored with the same old stuff.

Here’s one of the egg dishes we like. It’s simple, easy and makes a delicious dinner in a flash. Add some potatoes and good bread and, if you must have a vegetable with dinner, some peas. 

Scrambled eggs with Smoked Salmon and Chives

5 large eggs

1/4 cup milk, preferably whole milk

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped smoked salmon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Beat the eggs and milk until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a saute pan or omelet pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, pour in the eggs and add the salmon and chives. Scramble slowly with a spoon (for large scrambles) or quickly with a fork (for small scrambles). Cook until the eggs are set to the desired consistency, soft or firm. Makes 2 servings