Egg Cup

The egg cup is by no means simply a cup-like receptacle in which to place eggs

ESSENTIAL USER NOTES

Insignificant as it may seem, the egg cup is one of the most significant and versatile of all kitchen utensils and for this reason has been selected as one of the key components of the extreme chef's essential utensil kits. While its name implies that it is nothing more than a simple receptacle in which eggs may be placed, this is far from the truth. This multifunctional tool is a veritable Swiss army knife of a utensil and is a significant item of every modern extreme chef's culinary arsenal.

Egg cups are constructed of a range of materials, and each type has its advantages. Ceramics are the m0ost heat resistant, metals provide the best cutting edges, plastics are lightweight, and kevlar the best defence against armour-piercing ammunition. The best-equipped kitchens will have at least one of each type available so as to be prepared for every egg-cup-related need.

Some of the vast array of kitchen applications of the egg cup are considered below:

egg cup: a cup for holding eggs, usually but not necessarily still in their shells;

dice shaker^†:a receptacle in which kitchen dice may be shaken;

table decoration: a compact vase for small flowers, or a minimalist decoration in itself, to bring out the aesthetic beauty of dining tables in any location;

fruit bowl^†: a bowl for containing fruit. The best fruit to use for this are those that are smaller than the egg cup, such as blueberries or cranberries, although fruit up to the size of a single grapefruit or water melon can be used;

ladle, or serving spoon^†: use for apportioning dishes such as soups, casseroles or porridge to plates or bowls. Although this may take some time, using an egg cup in this role can add considerably to the accuracy of this activity.

measuring cup, or jigger^†: many egg cups are designed as accurate volumetric devices for this specific purpose. When purchasing your egg cup, look for those with volume indications on the side.

egg yolk separator^†: a receptacle to contain egg yolks while the whites slide over the top of the vessel. You may find it useful to use a second egg cup to collect the separated egg white.

mixing bowl^†: use with a small whisk to prepare pancake batter, meringues or baby banana porridge.

ice cream scoop, melon baller or gobi scoop^†: from Neapolitan ice cream to spinach curry, the egg cup is an ideal device with which to scoop things with.

jelly mould^†: an ideal shaping device with which to make small dome-shaped jellies.

casserole, roasting pan, or baking dish^†: the perfect container for very small main meals. For some dishes, such as lasagne, it may be useful to fashion a small lid out of silver paper, or by using a jam pot lid.

saucepan^†: the egg cup is just as useful for preparing main meals on the hob as in the oven.

napkin ring or napkin holder: useful for holding napkins firmly in place either when rolled or as a paperweight.

^†a few egg cups are more restricted in general utility because they have a hole in the centre to allow excess water to escape when used as a stand for boled eggs. These cups are not best suited to applications above identified with an asterisk. They do, however, make the most effective napkin rings.

The egg cup is perfect for making small main dishes such as lasagne

Use this utensil to make Chocolate Olive Cheesecake With a Fig and Chocolate Coulis, in the unlikely event that you don't have a container for your chocolate sponge pudding.