World Egg Day was established in Vienna, Austria, in 1996, when it was decided to celebrate the power of the egg on the second Friday of October each year.
Since then, egg fans the world over have come up with new creative ways to honour this incredible nutrient powerhouse, and the day of celebration has grown from strength to strength, year in and year out.
The event is a global one that highlights the versatility and nutritional benefits of eggs. This year’s theme is the mighty egg; packed with natural nutrition, celebrates the powerful role eggs play in nourishing people across the globe. Thanks to the Poultry Association of Uganda, this year’s event will be held next week from Thursday 9- to 11 at Old Kampala Senior Secondary School. This educative occasion brings together poultry farmers and industry experts for a greatly rewarding weekend of learning and networking.
You will discover innovative and hitherto unknown rearing techniques and innovations as well as poultry related exhibits. Take advantage of this expo to link up with other members of the poultry community thus gaining new knowledge and insight.
Eggs have become a staple in kitchens worldwide, transcending cultural and geographical sectors and boundaries. Be it a sublime delicate French quiche to a hearty and robust Café Javas breakfast, eggs form a central role in untold culinary ventures.
To wit, in Uganda, the Rolex has become a household favourite and the country’s most famous egg dish while at the same time being an affordable picker upper for even the budget conscious student or the common man.
This universal appeal of eggs is a testament to their versatility and the joy that they bring to our tables, not forgetting our palates. Nothing stimulates the seasoned (if you will pardon the pun) cook’s imagination or the nutritionists enthusiasm than a good fresh egg. Unbeknownst to many a layman, eggs have the unique property of containing all the balanced nutrients from which a complete organism develops.
Eggs are responsible for transforming cake doughs by providing a structural framework for leaven, can thicken custards and make them smooth, not to mention tenderizing timbales and produce fine-grained ice creams. No mention of eggs would be complete without speaking of how they bind gravies and mayonnaise, clarify or enrich soups, glaze rolls, and insulate pie doughs against becoming soggy.
Eggs create magnificent and wondrous meringues and soufflés, and last but not least, make ideal luncheons and unexpected fare. Inasmuch as fresh eggs do all those things better than old eggs, and because there is no comparison in taste between the two, it is a false economy to use inexpensive eggs; make it a point to always buy the very best and fresh quality you can find.
A good pointer is to buy from a place which has a high turnover of dairy products. It doesn’t matter if their yolks are light or dark or if their shells are light or white or brown——so long as their shells are not shiny. While the definitive test remains that of tasting for good flavor, the failsafe method of determining the freshness is by placing them in a bowl of cold water. Simple; those that float are a must to avoid and should be immediately discarded.
Strange as it may seem after stressing the purchase of fresh eggs, there is one caveat to be observed. Do not use eggs that are fresher than three days old for hard cooked eggs or for beating and baking. Funnily enough, if you do so, hard cooked eggs will turn greenish and become problematic to peel and believe it or not, cakes may fail to rise properly because the eggs will not beat to the optimum required volume.
At all cost, never, never use a doubtful egg with any odor or discoloration, in particular an egg that is cracked: you are courting the danger of salmonella developing. Ideally speaking, eggs ought to be bought and measured by weight, alas tradition is against this sensible approach.For purposes of the Ugandan kitchen, since eggs are not graded unlike in more advanced countries, the larger the egg the more preferred and a guestimate would assume that egg to weigh in at 56.699 grams or 2 ounces. Don’t expect the same texture or flavor from eggs or other fowl. The storage of eggs is not difficult providing you follow a few simple rules.
Whether from your backyard chicken coop or market, eggs must not be washed until ready for use, as they are covered with a soluble film which protects the porous shell against bacterial contamination. The best place for storage is the refrigerator. As for egg whites, when stored in the fridge, make sure that they are tightly covered and they are good for four days and then best used for recipes where they are specified.
To store unbroken egg yolks, we recommend storing them covered with water which is then drained off prior to being used.
In conclusion, should you ever have any doubts which eggs in the fridge are fresh or hard boiled, we pull out of our hat an old conjurers trick; a quick test is to twirl them on their pointed ends, and voila and behold, the boiled eggs will spin like a top while the others simply topple over wily-nilly!