Eggs and Breakfast

Nature designed eggs as the food source for developing chicks. Eggs, particularly chicken eggs, are also an excellent food for humans because of their high protein content, low cost and ready availability. Egg dishes are, of course, most often associated with the meals breakfast and brunch. Breakfast cookery is often one of the first line positions a new cook will be offered.

EGGS
Composition Shell composed of calcium carbonate, is the outermost covering of the egg. Yolk is the yellow portion of the egg. Albumen is the clear portion of the egg and is often referred to as the egg white.

 Grading
Eggs are graded by the USDA or state agency following USDA guidelines. The guide AA, A or B is given to an egg based on interior and exterior quality, not size. Grade has no effect on nutritional values.

Storage
Improper handling quickly diminishes egg quality. Eggs should be stored at temperatures below 45F (7C) and at a relative humidity of 70-80%.

Sanitation
Eggs are a potentially hazardous food. Rich in protein, they are an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. Salmonella is of particular concern with eggs and egg products because the bacteria is commonly found in a chickens intestinal tract. Inadequately cooking or improperly storing eggs may lead to food-borne illnesses. USDA guidelines indicate that pasteurization is achieved when the whole egg stays at a temperature of 140F (60C) for 3 minutes.

Egg Products
Food service operations often want the convenience of buying eggs out of the shell in the exact form needed: whole eggs, yolks only or whites only.

Egg Substitutes
There are two general types of substitutes. 1.) complete substitute made from soy or milk proteins 2.) contains real albumen, but the egg yolk has been replaced with vegetable or milk products.

Applying Various Cooking Methods

Dry-heat Cooking Methods Baking Shirred Eggs Baked eggs, also referred to as shirred eggs, are normally prepared in individual ramekins or baking dishes. Quiche Quiche is a classic breakfast and brunch entre. It consists of an egg custard and fillings baked in a crust.

 Sauting Scrambled Eggs Scrambled eggs are eggs whisked with seasonings and then sauted. They are stirred nearly constantly during cooking. Omelets Omelets are needlessly intimidating egg creations that begin as scrambled eggs. They are usually prepared as individual servings using two or three eggs.

Fritatas Fritatas are essentially open-faced omelets of Spanish-Italian heritage. They may be cooked in small pans as individual portions or in large pans, then cut into wedges for service. Pan-frying Pan-fried eggs are commonly referred to as sunny side up or over easy, over medium or over hard.

 Moist-heat Cooking Methods In-shell Cooking (Simmering) The difference between soft-cooked eggs and hard-cooked eggs is time. Both styles refer to eggs cooked in their shell in hot water. Poaching Eggs that are to be poached should always be very fresh. They should also be kept very cold until used, as cold egg whites stay together better when dropped into hot water.

Breakfast and Brunch

Breakfast is often an on-the-go, rushed experience; hence the popularity of breakfast sandwiches, jumbo muffins and disposable coffee cups. Brunch, on the other hand, is a leisurely experience, combining breakfast and lunch into a social occasion. Brunch menus include traditional breakfast foods along with almost anything else.

Breakfast menus typically include the following items: Coffee, tea or other hot beverages Fruits or fruit juices Eggs Breads, including sweet breads Cereals and grains Potatoes Pancakes, waffles and French toast Meats or fish Dairy products including milk, cheese and yogurt

Breakfast Meats
Most of the popular breakfast meats are bacon, ham and sausages. Bacon can be cooked on a flat griddle or a heavy skillet or baked on a sheet pan. Canadian-style bacon is very lean and requires little cooking, although slices are usually sauted briefly before serving. A ham steak is simply a thick slice ideal for breakfast. The most popular breakfast sausages are made from uncurred, uncooked meats.

Griddlecakes
Pancake and waffles are types of griddlecakes or griddle breads. They are usually leavened with baking soda or baking powder and are quickly cooked on a very hot griddle or waffle iron with very little fat. Griddlecakes should be more than just an excuse for eating butter and maple syrup, however. They should have a rich flavor and a light, tender, moist interior.

Crpes
Crpes are thin, delicate, unleavened pancakes. They are made with a very liquid egg batter cooked in a small, very hot saut pan or crpe pan. Crpe batter can be flavored with buckwheat flour, cornmeal or other grains. Crpes are not eaten plain, but are usually filled and garnished with sauted fruits, scrambled eggs, cheese or vegetables. Blintzes are crpes that are cooked on only one side, then filled with cheese, browned in butter and served with sour cream, fruit compote or preserves.

Cereals and Grains

Oats, rice, corn and wheat are perhaps the most widely eaten breakfast foods. Processed breakfast cereals are ready-toeat products made from these grains. Most consumers now think of breakfast cereal as a cold food, but not so long ago only hot grains were breakfast staples.

BEVERAGES
Water, coffee and tea are the staples of most beverage menus. Despite their relatively low price, bottled water or a good cup of coffee or tea can be extremely important to a customers impression of a food service operation.

Water

At one time in the US, a glass of iced water was more than likely the first thing placed in front of the customer as the menu was presented. The origin of this practice is lost to time; perhaps it was thought that sipping water would ease the waiting time until the food was served. Bottled water is the fastest-growing segment of the beverage industry, in part because of increase consciousness, in part because of a perception that bottled water is safer.

Types of Water
Spring water is obtained from an underground source that flows naturally to the earths surface. Mineral water can come from a spring, a well, or an artesian bore. Bottled water is sold as either still or sparkling, but within these two broad definitions are a variety of subgroups.

Coffee
Coffee begins as the fruit of a small tree grown in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. Only two species of coffee bean are routinely used: arabica and robusta.

Roasting Coffee
Roasting releases and enhances the flavors in coffee. It also darkens the beans and brings natural oils to the surface. City roast Brazilian Viennese French roast Espresso roast

Grinding Coffee
Unlike roasting, which is best