This morning I took on the deceptively simple task, for what seemed like the millionth time, to cook over-easy eggs properly. Not really a fan myself, but others in the house are, so I will have at it now and again.
I get it relatively right, though unintended results can—and do—occur. Like today (as the photo below evidence suggests).
Waffling it is supremely annoying. It’s one of those things that seems easy on paper and pads a false sense of competence. Until, of course, Lucy pulls the football away and you end up flat and busted, like the yolk in the pan that, dammit, symbolizes your gross ineptitude.
I may be overstating it just a little.
Anyway, in seeking to discover how I might enhance my skill, I strode out to the majestic Internets to see what I could see.
There are some good recipes out there. And I learned some useful things. Like how, Alton Brown reminds us, eggs should be cracked into a cup before going into the pan to avoid yolk and shell mishaps.
Some practice is obviously in order.
But I also noted how little I pay attention (which itself is nothing new, but the reasons for it today are).
For example, given my success rate with these, I always seriously thought the name to be a misnomer (Over-NOTeasy is more like it). My first search result revealed that the name is more about the flip than the difficulty level. Whoosh…
And just to show that being that much of a dope isn’t an outlier, I was never really aware that the terms ‘sunny-side up’ and ‘over-easy’ are not interchangeable and refer to different outcomes. Facepalm!
I was once a reasonably competent technical writer, very concerned with details. Good thing I don’t work in a diner. Or on projects that involve space, nuclear engineering, medicine, or third-base coaching, for that matter.
But ultimately, it was no big deal. No complaints, just a grateful recipient in my poor wife, who suffers with a lot of my cooking mistakes.
And that’s as right as I need to be.
Cut the Crusts Off 