In selecting eggs for the purpose of storing, be careful to choose only those which are clean, fresh, and perfectly sound, and, if possible, infertile. It is advisable not to wash them before they are put into the preservative, for they will keep better if their bloom is not removed. Place the eggs in receptacles in the manner explained for preserving eggs in limewater, and over them pour the water-glass solution until they are all covered. If the eggs so prepared are stored in a cool place, they will keep as long as those preserved in limewater; besides, there will be no danger of their acquiring any foreign flavor.
COOKING OF EGGS
PRELIMINARY PREPARATION
35. The successful preparation of eggs for their use as a food demands that certain points must be observed by the housewife. For instance, she must see that the eggs she uses are in the right condition; that the shells are properly broken for the most convenient removal of the egg; that the parts of the egg are separated in the right way in case the whites and the yolks are to be used separately; and that the eggs receive the right treatment for the purpose for which they are to be used. Attention to all these points not only will insure the most satisfactory results, but will enable the housewife to supply her family with food that is extremely wholesome and nutritious.
36. Exterior Condition of Eggs.--As has been explained, clean eggs are the most desirable, but it is not advisable to wash eggs that are to be kept for even a short time, as washing them removes the natural coating that helps to prevent the entrance of bacteria. However, as it is necessary that the shells be perfectly clean before they are broken or before the eggs are cooked, the eggs may be washed or wiped with a damp cloth immediately before such processes.
37. BREAKING OF EGGS.--In cookery, it is usually desirable to break an egg shell so that the yolk will not run into the white; that is, so that these can be kept separate. While there are several methods of doing this, the housewife should adopt the one that is most convenient for her. A quick method that is often employed consists in striking the shell on the edge of the pan or the bowl into which the contents are to be put. A preferable method, however, is illustrated in Fig. 7. It consists in striking one side of the shell, midway between the ends, a sharp blow with the edge of a knife. The advantage of this method will be evident after a trial or two, for it will be found that the depth of the cut made by the knife can be so gauged that there will be little danger of breaking the yolk. Besides, fragments of the shell are not likely to fall into the bowl or the pan with the contents of the egg.
