the supermarket—chickens these days are bred to produce
eggs medium-size and up. Large eggs are the standard in
most recipes, including the ones in this book. I do like to
have jumbo eggs on hand in my fridge, though, for those
post-night-out mornings when I can really use that extra half
ounce of fried egg to fill me up. You’re also more likely to
find one of the coveted double yolks in a larger egg.
Q: What about those letter grades on the side of the
carton? Are Grade A eggs better than Grade B?
Like sizing, grading of eggs is a voluntary action that most
manufacturers choose to comply with in order to get the
USDA stamp of approval on their boxes. USDA grading
experts examine sample eggs from each batch to determine
the grade based on the quality of the whites, yolks, and
shells. Eggs with the firmest whites, tallest-standing yolks,
and cleanest shells will get an AA stamp, while eggs with
watery whites, flat yolks, and stained shells receive a B.
Grade A lies in the middle and is what most retail stores
carry for consumers. As far as cooking quality goes, a firm
white and yolk are important for things like poached eggs
and fried eggs where a nice, tight appearance is desired, but
in most cooking or baking application, any grade’ll do—it’s
a cosmetic difference alone.
Egg Freshness
Q: You mentioned that lower-graded eggs have watery
whites and so will tend to spread out more than higher-
graded ones. But doesn’t freshness play a role in this too?
Indeed it does. Very fresh eggs have tighter yolks and