Welp, 3rd year of college: it's been...an experience. You had some serious downs. But you also had some fantastic ups. And of course, it's the ups I'm most excited about. Here's to progress.
Now onto...
Food Post! : Scrambled Eggs Edition
So when I was younger, I remember my grandfather would sometimes make scrambled eggs for breakfast for me, my siblings and cousins. To this day, I firmly believe the scrambled eggs he made are the best I have ever tasted, hands down. They were the perfect consistency: not too wet, not too dry, the right amount of chewiness.They had just the right amount of salt and pepper. And in appearance (because we eat with our eyes first, after all) they had the right amount of visible white against the yellow. So good.
Although now, I don't believe he's made them for us in...well. A really long time. I just feel like maybe it'd be kinda weird to ask him to make me scrambled eggs when I am perfectly capable of making them myself? Hah.
Throughout this year, I've been trying to figure out exactly how and what made those eggs so damn delicious. After much trial and error, some meh-cooked eggs, and many scrubbed pans, I think - think - that I've gotten pretty close to replicating his scrambled eggs.
I've discovered that the most important rule to making good scrambled eggs is keep your heat low. I've been used an electric range, and I usually have my heat on medium to medium-low. (It'll be interesting to come home and try this on the gas range. Those things are frickin' powerful and fast.) If your pan is too hot when you pour the eggs in, they'll scorch. And scorched eggs aren't that tasty, not gonna lie. Although I feel that some people make their omelets based on lightly frying/lightly scorching the egg? But I ain't talkin' omelets, so! Moving on.
Then when it comes to beating the eggs, I've read and heard different things. Some add a splash of milk, or creme frais/dairy element because it's supposed to add a certain creaminess. Others add a splash of water (yes, water. I've read that somewhere, don't remember where.) I've tried both of those things, but then the added factor that makes the eggs tastes like my grandfather's actually includes neither milk or water. What is it? It's actually...nothing. Just eggs. Just crack some eggs in a bowl, beat them until they're mixed, and that's that. That's what goes into the pan.
Next, what do you put into your pan to prevent the eggs from sticking? I've been relying on a small, coated, non-stick pan throughout my trials. And I've used mostly sprays for an added non-stick element. I've used generic vegetable oil spray, and I've used Pam, but recently I tried something else, which is what really prompted me to finally write these thoughts down. It's plain ol' vegetable oil. Not spray. Actual oil. Pour a little into your pan and let it slide around, coating as much of the surface as possible, before pouring your egg mixture in. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure why this works better, but it just does. I really noticed a difference in taste and texture once I used oil instead of a spray. Maybe it's just because it's more oil? Oh well. It works.
Once the egg goes into the pan, I end up letting it sit for less than a minute to get it cooking. Then I lightly stir/push around the mixture with a wooden spoon. Yeah that's right: a wooden spoon. I mean, sure you could use a spatula, it'd work just as well, but I read something and it said wooden spoon and it just kinda stuck with me.
Do NOT leave your eggs unattended. They cook fast. And you don't want them to scorch, unless you're into scorched eggs, which in that case: Get Out. Otherwise, keep on stirring, and at some point, when they're in the middle stages of a lot of solid but still some liquid, throw in the salt and pepper to your taste, and stir again. Remove from heat. Keep stirring, because the eggs will continue cooking from the heat retained by the pan. Or, if they're done to your liking, just plate them.
Bam. Awesome scrambled eggs. Not exactly how my grandfather makes them, but I think they're pretty damn close.
My materials:
~Electric range
~Small, non-stick pan (probably around 8")
~Wooden spoon
~3 eggs
~Vegetable oil (or other oil? I've yet to try.)
~Salt and Pepper to taste
Note about egg number:
So I don't know if this is just me, but I feel like there's a volume difference between fried eggs and scrambled eggs. When I fry eggs, I might fry two at a time if I'm particularly hungry. On the same hunger level, I'd scramble three eggs. The appearance of the volumes after cooking just don't seem to add up for me! Guess I never established that cognitive preservation of mass young children are supposed to develop, (or whatever it's called), when it comes to cooking eggs :P
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