Erik Drews

S.O.S. ComAlt

Tasting lab

Week 1

The first tasting lab featured hardboiled eggs prepared in four different ways as well as salmon roe. The hardboiled hen eggs included golden eggs, pink eggs (beet pickled), regular, and marbled eggs. I was pretty unfamiliar with anything other than just a standard, white, hardboiled egg. I quickly learned that a golden egg is an egg that is hardboiled after being scrambled inside the shell. (Yolk and white are mixed) A pink egg is an egg that has been pickled in beet juice brine. And a marbled egg is an egg that is soaked in tea, soy sauce and other spices after being hardboiled. Along with all of these differently prepared hardboiled eggs was salmon roe. (Salmon eggs)

We were told to look at each of the egg types and record our observations and then to taste each egg type and record our thoughts and feelings regarding each type. I normally do not find hardboiled eggs particularly appetizing however I love fermented foods or anything pickled. The standard white hardboiled egg reminds me mainly of continental breakfasts at cheap hotels and the taste is similarly underwhelming. Sort of like the fishy flavor when eating white fish, I feel that if the taste of egg comes across strongly, the hardboiled egg is not a worthwhile experience. Thankfully, the white hardboiled egg was not too eggy but rather bland to the extent that I did have the desire to salt it.

The Golden egg intrigued me upon looking at it because I had no Idea that it was possible to scramble an egg while it’s still inside its shell. As far as my personal tastes go, I am only happy to consume an egg yolk if it is over easy, acidified like in a hollandaise or mixed with the egg white before being fully cooked. This being said, I feel that when the yolk and white are mixed in the golden egg, the product is greater than the sum of its parts. The color and texture reminded me of almost that of a firm crème brûlée, and the egg flavor was subtle enough to be enjoyed without the desire to add any other flavoring agents.

The Pink egg looked familiar to me but I was not expecting any particular flavor from it. I had never had a pickled egg prior to this. The flavor was delicious and the egg flavor paired very well with the acidic vinegar/spices flavor. The marbled egg had very beautiful designs on it from the cracks in the shell and tasted very strongly of soy sauce. When I later learned that they were made with tea, I had a difficult time picking up on the tea flavor. The marbled eggs were so strongly seasoned that I felt that the egg flavor was mostly masked.

To be completely honest I felt that the hen eggs and the salmon roe were somewhat incomparable because the over all flavor of salmon roe is nothing like that of a hen’s egg. This aside, I had never tried salmon roe until this and was pleasantly surprised. The texture of the eggs along with the oceanic explosion that occurs when they pop is delightful. I feel that salmon roe could be used in many dishes in place of salt much like how soy sauce is often used.