Tuesday 10 August 2010

Poached Eggs in the Amazon.


Whilst I sit here and try to decide whether it be better to cycle up to the village to buy some orange juice or go back to bed I read that someone has just completed a walk along the Amazon River.

A very long walk.

I met someone once who was planning to buy a canoe and paddle down, and for a moment I hesitated and considered it as an option – I was young enough, in the right place (near the headwaters) and with no particular plan or obligation except to follow my nose.

A bit like today in fact.

Except Michael has just said, “Do you fancy a poached egg?”

And I have replied, “Oh, yes.” And the day’s, die is cast for at least a while.

The last time I had a poached egg was at university in Manchester when the house I was sharing with four others was found to have a small aluminium pan, with four neat circular nests that sat in a metal framework, and which enabled the poaching of perfectly circular eggs.

Clearly they were circular at the END of the poaching, not the beginning.

Unlike Michael’s - which, quicker than I had imagined, has just arrived on the table looking like….. “Don’t mention the presentation!", he shouts from the kitchen…….

Ed Stafford, the man who spent 895 days walking from one end of the Amazon to the other was not lucky to be offered a poached egg by Michael, instead he survived (I read) on rice and beans with the occasional fried Piranha fish.

More intriguingly perhaps is the fact that five months into the journey Ed was joined by a Peruvian Forestry worker who initially intended to accompany him for five days. He ended up tagging along for two years.

“Honey, where you going?”

“Just down river, I’ll be back in a bit.”

“There’s a poached egg for you.”

“Put it in the fridge I’ll have it when I get back.”

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just to fill you in my Michael Mulkerrin is also called Mulkerin, Mullkarin, plurals of both, Mcnamara and Daly and has disappeared half way through the job. I am exhausted and out of my depth. Guess its time for a boiled egg.

popps said...

Or a quick trip down the Amazon?

Janet Bianchini said...

I must say I haven't tried a poached egg recently. Your post has inspired me to have a go tomorrow. I will use one of Chikita's eggs to experiment with. We don't have a special implement for egg poaching, so presentation may be a bit alternative.

Hopefully www.videojug, or looking up "How to poach an egg?" on the Internet will give me clear instructions for poaching an egg perfectly.

Anne said...

1. Put a small skillet on the stove ( I use an omelet pan) and add about 6 cm of water. Cover and bring to boil.
2. Crack four eggs into a small cup each. Asian teacups are great.
3. When you hear the bubbles, open the lid and add a dash of vinegar and salt to help the eggs congeal. Add the eggs, two at a time, one in each hand, by gently lowering the teacups below the surface of the boiling water (watch your fingers!) and letting the water into the cups as you tip the eggs out. Add the second two immediately.
4. Turn off the heat and let the eggs poach for 3 minutes.

You all will have to come to Potsdam and have poached eggs at my place!

popps said...

We will, and film you doing this, it sounds great.
ps what's a skillet?