Sunday Morning Soft-Boiled Egg Breakfast

 

Yesterday's breakfast was incredibly lovely and tasty. A simple, old fashioned favorite: soft-boiled eggs with toast and fruit. Eating eggs out of the shell like this never ceases to feel like a novel treat for me. The experience is reminiscent of growing up with my dad's coddled eggs. I remember them being such an odd and unusual affair. I'd love to find some beautiful porcelain cups with lids like the ones he used. Oh, egg. You really are impossibly wonderful.

For the perfect soft-boiled egg, I have found that a boiling-water start is best (as opposed to cold water start, which I prefer for hard-boiling). Boil the water, then reduce to a simmer and gently place the eggs in. Start timing here. 4 minutes for large eggs, 4 1/2 for extra large. If the eggs are fresh out of the refrigerator, leave them in an additional minute. Use a knife to crack off the top third of the shell. Season with salt and pepper and spoon your worries away.