First Breakfast of the New Year

Something light and simple seemed perfect for breakfast this morning.

If you like soft cooked eggs, but detest the errant chips of eggshell that sometimes end up in a soft boiled egg, you might prefer coddled eggs.

Over the years I've collected a few egg coddlers in different patterns and styles; some are quite plain and others are fanciful.

Knowing of my love for flowers, particularly roses, a friend gave me two of this pattern, as a gift on my last birthday. They are porcelain with silver metal lids, made in England by Royal Worcester. I think they are some of my favorites.

Coddled eggs cooked in an egg coddle are very simple to prepare:

Set water to boil in a pan large enough to hold the number of coddlers you are using, without crowding.

Butter the interior of the coddler and the inside of the lid. Instead of butter olive oil, cooking oil, or non-stick cooking oil spray can be used.

Break one or two eggs (depending upon the size of the coddler/s) into the cup, season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Screw the lid on loosely, place the coddlers into the pan of boiling water. Coddler container should be submerged in the water up to just under the rim of the lid.

Reduce heat and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or so, depending on how firm you like your egg/eggs.

When time is up, remove the coddler from the water by lifting using a fork through the lifting ring on the lid; you may also use an oven mitt~ careful as the hot water will wick into the fabric mitt if it comes in contact.

Place the coddler on a towel, use a towel to protect your hands from heat, untwist the lid by gripping the rim of the top (not the lifting ring.)

Place the coddler on a plate, and serve.

Note: Snipped fresh herbs, minced cooked bacon or ham can also be added to the coddler with the egg prior to cooking if you like.

Usually I serve them with toasted bread strips (soldiers), and this time some grilled ham bites for dipping.

A good, and fairly guilt-free little breakfast.

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For my Dish Friends:

I realize I didn't get a very good shot of the vintage dishes in the pictures, so here you go~ :)

They were made by the American company, Homer Lauglin in 1940. The light is bouncing off of them in this photo making them look whiter than they actually are. The field color of the dishes is a very, very pale creamy white, very subtle and mellow.

Inexpensive, everyday dishes in their day, it amazes me that the complete set of 10 survived through all of the years intact. The glaze has crazed and crackled through the years, reflecting their age; something which endears them to me all the more.