The albumen of an egg cooked in boiling water three minutes, the time usually indicated to secure the regulation "soft-boiled" egg, becomes tough near the shell, while the yolk has scarcely felt the heat; eggs thus cooked cannot be called palatable, and, in part, are not readily digested. When cooked five minutes, the period considered necessary for "hard-boiled eggs," a hard, leathery mass results that is utterly unfit for other than the strongest stomach. The albumen of an egg begins to coagulate at 134° Fahr.; at 160° Fahr. it is white throughout, but tender and jelly-like; this consistency it loses at 200° Fahr., while at 212° Fahr. it becomes tough and indigestible.

In actual practice the white of an egg cooked by standing half an hour in a vessel containing one pint of water kept at 160° is firm yet delicate and jelly-like, while the yolk is thick and almost firm. Then, if the water about the eggs could be kept at 160° Fahr., while the various degrees of consistency desired by the different members of the family were secured, the breakfast problem, as far as satisfactorily cooked eggs are concerned, would be solved. But this involves too close attention for the general cooking of eggs. It may be carried out to perfection only in the occasional family; it may, however, be approximated very accurately as follows: For each egg put one pint of boiling water into a hot saucepan (less will do where several eggs are to be cooked), gently lower the eggs into the water and let stand, uncovered, on the back of the range, where the heat will neither be increased nor diminished, eight or ten minutes. If wished very firm, let stand forty or forty-five minutes, covering the saucepan after the first five minutes - i.e., set to cook in cold water.

Boiled Eggs No. 2

Allow one quart of boiling water to four eggs. Pour the water into an earthen jar that has been previously heated, put in the eggs, cover the dish and wrap in a heavy flannel cloth. The eggs will be soft-boiled in six minutes, more solid in ten minutes.

Boiled Eggs No. 3

Place the eggs covered with cold water over the fire and remove at the first boil.

Eggs For Garnishing

Let the eggs stand in water at 160° forty minutes; let stand in cold water ten or fifteen minutes, then remove the shell and cut with a sharp knife as desired. Soft-cooked eggs, removed whole from the shells, are often served with purées and sauces in the place of poached eggs.