The egg yolks pool in the mixing bowl, bright orange with nicely domed tops—sure signs of freshness. Scrambled and cooked lightly in truffle oil and served with a side of mixed salad greens with dark virgin olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, and sea salt to taste. A breakfast menu conceived of by my daughter, Chloe, the savory proteins and greens make a wonderful start to the day.
I laughed when I heard myself humming that old commercial ditty—‘the incredible, edible egg.’ I love eggs and Chloe loves to remind me of when she was small and I would ask her if she would like to have breakfast for dinner. Apart from my fondness for breakfast, scrambled eggs made this working single mom’s life easier.
Sadly, all those years on the ‘mommy track’ took a toll on any attraction the kitchen and cooking once held. Gone were the sensuous, leisurely hours of preparation and eating I’d enjoyed while living in Italy. Admittedly, by the time my daughter was in high school, my hands and my heart for cooking had chilled.
My memories remained strong however, of my life abroad. Of when I learned to make thick, satisfying frittatas stuffed with lightly sautéed veggies. And Nando, a dear friend and brilliant cook, watching the miracles of eggs appear. A veal pastry loaf which when sliced revealed an egg at the center. Pasta a la Carbonara; airy pureed potatoes in baked potato shells with an egg in the center and lightly dusted with parmesan. Individual tiny cheese soufflés bubbling up from the center of baked artichokes.
It was Nando who taught that the best scrambled eggs were cooked bagnomaria style, letting the egg pan nestle in a boiling pot of water on the stove top. Stirring constantly, this allows the eggs to cook slowly. The result is a creamy soft texture.
Interestingly, the name bagnomaria literally translates as Maria’s bath or bainmarie in French. It refers to a female alchemist, Maria, who lived in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Now, rediscovering in my sixties, the subtle layering of scents and colors, the taste of a well-prepared meal is a return is turning into something deeper—kitchen alchemy.
Alchemy or Alimia has Middle Eastern roots; related to the dark mystery of the primordial ‘Khem’ from where all creation is brought to life. Alchemy is the secret process of turning metals into gold. For me, kitchen alchemy adds substance to the soul.
Maria would have understood!
