egg-leavened cake, then you may be better off
with the premium grade, with its thicker white
and a yolk membrane less likely to leak foam-
lowering yolk into the white.
In any case, the quality of a carton of eggs
depends mainly on how old they are. Even
Grade AA eggs eventually develop flat yolks
and thin whites. So be sure to check the sell-
by date stamped on the carton (usually four
weeks from the packing date; sometimes the
pack date itself is indicated by a single
number from 1 to 365), and choose the carton
with the latest date. Fresh grade A eggs can be
a better buy than old grade AA.
Deterioration in Egg Quality
Designed as it was to protect itself for the
duration of the chick’s development, the egg
is unique among our raw animal foods in its
ability to remain edible for weeks, as long as
it’s kept intact and cool. Even so, the moment