Eggs have been used for food from the earliest times to the present day. While those of other fowl are also eaten, hens' eggs are so far the most common that they will be understood when the term eggs is used - though most of the statements made would apply to the eggs of other fowl also.

The nutrients of eggs are interesting in their nature and will be studied experimentally as described below. For statements of the quantitative composition see Leach's Food Inspection and Analysis, Chapter IX (Meats, Stock Soups, And Gelatin), and Sherman's Food Products, Chapter V (Vegetables And Vegetable Soups). From the place of eggs in nature and from the results of nutrition experiments we know that the constituents of eggs are adapted to serve as material for the construction of muscle, bone, and blood.

The best egg is naturally one strictly fresh. Newly laid eggs may be preserved by cold storage or water glass (sodium or potassium silicate). Other methods practiced to some extent and more or less successfully are packing the eggs in sawdust, salt, or lime, or coating the shell with lard, paraffin, or wax. Cold storage and the use of water glass are the best methods. Other methods are less effective and are apt to impart a disagreeable flavor.

Experiments

114. - Determine: a. about how many unbroken eggs there are in a pound.

b. how many eggs minus the shell there are in a pound,

Io8 LABORATORY MANUAL OF FOODS AND COOKERY c. how many tablespoonfuls in. 1 whole egg: 1. unbeaten.

2. beaten.

d. how many tablespoonfuls in the beaten yolk and white, respectively.

115. - Examine with a hand lens a portion of egg shell. Note its porous condition. Examine an egg shell which has been immersed in water glass. How does this differ from that first examined ? Explain the difference. What is water glass? How does water glass preserve eggs?

116. - Various other preservatives are used to keep eggs. Explain the use of the following: lime paraffin vaseline lard sawdust cold storage

Cooking of Eggs. Temperature and Time

117. - For this experiment select saucepans of uniform size, shape, and material, using i pint of water in each case.

c. put egg in water at 8o° C, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

d. put egg in cold water and bring to the boiling point.

e. boil an egg for 10 minutes. f. boil an egg for 20 minutes.

g. put an egg in water at 8o° C, cover and allow to stand for 45 minutes.

h. put an egg in water at boiling point, cover and allow to stand 45 minutes.

118. - Arrange a repetition of the above experiment so that eggs will be ready to remove from shell at the same time. Remove egg from shell. Examine and compare yolks and whites as to texture, ease of removing from shell, firmness of white, toughness of white.

119. - Remove eggs from shell and cook as follows, using 1 pt. of water in each instance. Use first an iron frying pan, then an agate or enamel pan. Compare the results.

a. Poach egg in hot water until yolk is coated. (Save the water.) b. Repeat, using 1 tsp. salt in water.

c. Repeat, using 1 tsp. vinegar in water.

d. Turn egg into boiling water, remove from bunsen burner, cover and let stand 2 minutes.

e. Compare each result as to texture, firmness of yolk, taste. Save the water in each instance for the next experiment.

120. - Examine the water used in Expt. 119, a, with the following tests:

Biuret, page 85

Xanthoproteic, page 85

Iodine, page 13

Fehling-Benedict solution, page 13

Filter a little of the water used in 119 and heat filtrate. Conclusions ?

121. - Beat an egg white until stiff, fold in 3 tbsp. granulated sugar. Drop by spoonfuls on to a greased paper and bake in a slow oven until brown. Try to remove \ of the meringue at once. Allow the remainder to stand until cold. Remove. Compare with those removed while warm. Explain the difference.