Eating recipes

Egg: A Culinary Exploration of the World's Most Versatile Ingredient

by Michael Ruhlman

Almost completely exactly what I was expecting.  I'd thought there might be a little more science in here--a little less how-to and a little more why-to.  It's mostly recipes--great recipes, I'm sure--covering all the ways to prepare an egg, or parts of it, and all the varied flavors and textures that result.  I'm not saying there's no science at all, I just wanted more.

There's not much mention here of the difference in taste and quality between commercially raised eggs (hens in cages, indoors, fed on corn and antibiotics) and pastured eggs (free range, outdoors, fed on corn and juicy bugs).  Only a half-page inset about nutritional differences.  All I can say is that I poached a farm fresh egg last night without bothering to strain the loose white, which he insists is a necessary step, and got a perfect round package with a deep gold yolk, no strings attached.  And it tasted great.

 One of the two recipes I'm going to try is a quiche. normally the simplest of dishes, this one is fussy with roasted red pepper and a handmade crust. He calls for "cured Spanish chorizo" but doesn't specify what that really means.  I can go to the store and buy chorizo--I usually have a choice between hot and hotter, but it's not going to be cured, it will be Mexican not Spanish, and it won't look at all like his pictures. So I can be assured it will neither taste like his chorizo or have the same texture.