When I heard about the concept of Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park‘s new cookbook The Perfect Egg I was extremely intrigued. The book is a “fresh take” on egg recipes for “morning, noon, and night,” to quote the book cover’s byline. As someone who frequently returns home from work, tired and with little or no dinner ideas, I saw incredible potential in such a cookbook. While there might not be much else in the refrigerator some nights, there always seems to be eggs. As it turns out, my hopes for the book and the actual contents of the book are a little different. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Organized by the meals of the day, The Perfect Egg highlights plenty of recipes that utilize eggs. Some of the recipes highlight eggs more than others. Take for example, recipes for croque-madam and beef empanadas: in one, eggs have a starring role while in the other they’re merely part of the ensemble cast. Authors Fisher and Park cover a lot of ground with the styles and tastes of their recipes from standard American fare to Italian pastas to lots of Asian dishes.
One of my favorite parts of the book are the photographs. For anyone confused or overwhelmed by all of those egg-based sauces and condiments, there’s a side-by-side comparison to alleviate any questions. Likewise, the introductory “101” section covers all those basics (think care, cooking, and so on) that you always think you know but, in actuality, aren’t really sure of.
Admittedly the book doesn’t quite meet my original expectations of providing recipes where eggs are the star. I’m similarly disappointed by some of the recipes. Some require significant pre-planning, such as having a dozen or more eggs on hand. Take, for example, that te dobos torte’s cake and butter cream each call for 6 eggs and the frozen custard requires a full dozen. Many of the recipes do provide more than just a couple servings, so the quantity of eggs required and isn’t completely surprising. But, again, still not insignificant.
If you’re looking for new recipes to spice up your kitchen routine, The Perfect Egg may not be the ideal cookbook for you. If, however, you’re interested in incorporating more eggs into your diet or approaching your food from a new perspective then The Perfect Egg can be a good building block.
I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
