I was going to write about skepticism in today's entry but then realized that I needed a bit more research before diving into a subject as deep as that. Maybe I can do some digging and attempt it soon; I might be ready by tomorrow... or not.
The day before yesterday (Sunday) my son drove me to the newly opened Wal-Mart Grocery Market, where, among a few other items, I bought a dozen Jumbo chicken eggs. Since I rarely fry anything any more, I cook eggs either by hard boiling or poaching them. Poaching is always a hit or miss proposition with me, so I decided to stick to boiling. But then I realized that I had forgotten how to hard boil them so they come out perfectly every time.
If you want hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel, make sure they are several days old. Hard boiling farm fresh eggs will usually lead to eggs that are difficult to peel. If you have boiled a batch that are difficult to peel, try putting them in the refrigerator for a few days; they should be easier to peel then.
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Put the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, covered by at least an inch or two of cold water. Starting with cold water and gently bringing the eggs to a boil will help keep them from cracking. Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to the water will help keep the egg whites from running out of any eggs that happen to crack while cooking, but some people find that the vinegar affects the taste. I don't have a problem with it and I usually add a little vinegar. Adding a half teaspoon of salt is thought to help both with the preventing of cracking and making the eggs easier to peel. Put the burner on high and bring the eggs to a boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat for a few seconds.
Reduce the heat to low, return the pan to the burner. Let simmer for one minute. (If you are using an electric stove with a coil element, you can just turn off the heat. There is enough residual heat in the coil to keep the eggs simmering for a minute.)
Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes. It is hard to overcook eggs using this method. The eggs can sit, covered, for up to 15-20 minutes without the eggs getting overcooked.
Either remove the eggs and place them into a bowl of ice water or strain out the water from the pan, fill the pan with cold water, strain again, fill again, until the eggs cool down a bit, strain the water from the eggs. Store the eggs in a covered container (eggs can release odors) in the refrigerator. They should be eaten within 5 days.
Today I hard boiled and refrigerated four of the dozen eggs. And even though I have not eaten even one of them yet, I am confident they came out perfectly, as planned.
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HISTORICAL EVENT
On the afternoon of May 7, 1915, the British ocean liner Lusitania was torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the south coast of Ireland. Within 20 minutes, the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. Of 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 people were drowned, including 128 Americans. The attack aroused considerable indignation in the United States, but Germany defended the action, noting that it had issued warnings of its intent to attack all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain.
There has long been a theory that the Lusitania was deliberately placed in danger by the British authorities, so as to entice a U-Boat attack and thereby drag the USA into the war on the side of Britain.
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WORD FOR TODAY
skepticism
noun
- skeptical attitude or temper; doubt.
- doubt or unbelief with regard to a religion, especially Christianity.
- ( initial capital letter ) the doctrines or opinions of philosophical Skeptics; universal doubt.
Gabby Hayes was an American radio, film, and television actor. He was best known for his numerous appearances in Western movies as the colorful sidekick to the leading man, especially as the cantankerous sidekick of Roy Rogers in 41 movies.
Gary Cooper
(May 7, 1901 – May 13, 1961)
(May 7, 1901 – May 13, 1961)
Gary Cooper, born Frank James Cooper, was an American film actor. Noted for his stoic, understated style, Cooper found success in a number of film genres, including westerns (High Noon), crime (City Streets), comedy (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town) and drama (The Pride of the Yankees). Cooper received five Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, winning twice for Sergeant York and High Noon. Cooper's career spanned from 1925 until shortly before his death, and comprised more than one hundred films.
Darren McGavin
(May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006)
(May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006)
Darren McGavin was an American actor best known for playing the title role in the television horror series Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and his portrayal in the film A Christmas Story of the grumpy father given to bursts of profanity that he never realizes his son overhears. He appeared as the tough-talking, funny detective in the 1950s television series Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. From 1959-1961, McGavin starred in the NBC western series Riverboat, first with Burt Reynolds and then with Noah Beery, Jr., and in later years, he had a recurring role in the sitcom Murphy Brown, as the title character's father, for which he received an Emmy Award.
Robert Hegyes
(May 7, 1951 - Jan, 26, 2012)
(May 7, 1951 - Jan, 26, 2012)
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Skepticism is to the intellect as brushing is to teeth
--Chris Clarke
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