On Thu 19 Jan 2006 08:36:18a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it P.Aitken?

>
>
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> On Thu 19 Jan 2006 06:36:07a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
>> P.Aitken?
>>
>>
>>>
>>>scott123 wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Eggs begin with a very tiny air pocket that grows over time. They
>>>>crack because this air pocket expands when heated. The fresher the
>>>>egg, the smaller the air pocket, the less tendency toward cracking. At
>>>>the same time, though, the fresher the egg, the harder they are to
>>>>peel.
>>>>
>>>
>>>This is not completely accurate. Egg shells are permeable to air, so as
>>>the air exmands it passes thru the shell - this is why you see bubbles
>>>rising from eggs in the hot water. The main reason eggs crack while
>>>being boiled is that they are already cracked - small hairline cracks
>>>that are not visible initially. Knocking around in too-rapidly boiling
>>>water is another reason. Temperature shock is not involved. I remember
>>>seeing Julia Child take eggs from an ice water bath directly to boiling
>>>water with no cracking.
>>
>>
>> Curious... What would be the point of taking eggs from an ice water
>> bath and putting them in boiling water, besides the obvious, cooking
>> them? I mean, why ice beforehand?
>>
>
> To demonstrate that the temperature shock does not cause cracking,
> that's all.

Oh, well yes, that would do it. I thought maybe Julia had a trick up her
sleeve. <g>

--
Wayne Boatwright տլ
________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!