Few ingredients are as versatile as the egg. Whether it’s eaten on its own, boiled, poached or scrambled; added as a binding agent in baked goods or burgers; or shaken into a whisky sour, eggs take us from breakfast to dessert to cocktail hour.
They also pack a serious nutritional punch. Just one egg contains six grams of protein; it’s rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants; and it’s one of the best sources of choline, an essential nutrient that helps keep cells and brains healthy.
Mauro Martina, the founder of OEB Breakfast Co. believes in the power of farm-fresh eggs
With different definitions — like free-range, free-run and organic — as well as varying sizes and colours, it’s tricky to know which eggs to choose when we’re shopping. Mauro Martina, the founder and culinary director of OEB Breakfast Co., cracks the code on eggs and shares tips for picking and serving them. Why put all your eggs in one basket when they can be used in so many ways?
Why are eggs so special?
“The egg is a marvel of nature. It's simple, it's versatile and it's packed with potential. It's a nutritional powerhouse with culinary versatility, and it's structurally ingenious. Eggs are a complete protein. They contain all nine of the essential amino acids and offer vitamins from A to B12, plus minerals like iron. They’re rich in antioxidants, and support your eye health.
“Beyond making fried, scrambled and poached eggs, they’re the invisible team player. It’s a staple used in savoury and sweet recipes, and it can be used as a binder or a leavener. When you look at the egg, it's protected and preserved in the shell itself, and the membrane acts like a natural barrier. The yolk and the whites have a unique chemical property that allows for emulsification in mayonnaise, aeration when you whip them in meringues, and coagulation in custards. It’s amazing how much you can do with an egg.”
What’s the difference between brown and white eggs?
“There are a lot of marketing schemes out there, and this is where the consumer needs to be aware. A brown egg often comes from a brown chicken with brown feathers and brown earlobes. A white egg is typically from a white chicken with white feathers and white earlobes. The nutritional value between those two is nearly the same. Heritage chickens are considered the cream of the crop due to their varied colour eggs and natural diet” — but you’re not likely to see them often in Canada. The majority of store-bought eggs come from hybrid hen breeds like white leghorns (for white eggs) or ISA browns (for brown eggs).
What size to buy?
“There's no wrong size egg, but most recipes do call for a large egg. It’s up to the consumer. You just have to remember that the yolk is a yolk, and then you get more [or less] egg white [depending on the size]. If you go with a medium egg, you get less egg white.”
Holly Spangler
What are the different egg classifications?
With so much terminology on cartons, eggs are ripe for misunderstanding. Largely, the types refer to the amount of outside access the hens have. Free-run refers to birds that roam the entire barn floor, while free-range eggs come from hens that have access to the outdoors, weather permitting. Diets are also important. “When it comes down to quality, it's always about what they’re being fed,” says Martina. Organic eggs come from free-range hens that are fed certified-organic feed. “Organic should be a pasture-raised, free-range product … A pasture-raised bird is running around amongst his friends, happy-go-lucky, picking on anything they want.”
What should we look for in an egg? A dark orange or golden yolk can be a good indicator that it's a high-quality egg from a chicken with access to pasture and a natural diet. A strong, hard shell also denotes a healthy hen, and thick, gel-like egg whites are a sign that the egg is fresh and will likely hold together better when cooking. Pasture-raised hens with an omega-3-rich diet tend to produce eggs with a rich and buttery flavour.
How should we keep our eggs fresh and store them properly?
In Canada, health standards dictate that all eggs must be washed to maintain cleanliness and safety. “Washing means that you automatically need to refrigerate your eggs,” explains Martina. This is why in Canada, you’ll always find them in the fridge with the dairy, unlike other countries where the eggs are not washed first and can be stored on grocery aisle shelves. “I would keep them in the original carton — they're beautiful in there and already protected. But as soon as you come home, put them upside down. When you put them upside down, point down, it keeps the yolk in the centre.”
What are some tips for making the perfect scrambled eggs?
“Making a perfect egg is all about technique and attention to detail. That's what I always preach to my chefs. Start with a quality egg — I can’t speak enough about it. Use your tools: a bowl, a fork. When you start whisking up an egg or incorporating air into an egg, it automatically becomes fluffier. Use good salt. What I mean by that is not an iodized, $0.99 off-the-shelf garbage. Use Maldon salt or kosher salt and a good pinch when scrambling it. Use a proper pan — the right size, Teflon or non-stick. If you're going in guns blazing and you're not ready for it, it won’t be good. You're going to have lots of colour on your egg; it’ll be overcooked, dry. Slow and steady is the key. Don't look at your Instagram; stick with it. And remove the egg before it's fully cooked. That’s important because the heat will transfer.”
How important are eggs to OEB Breakfast Co.?
“There are a lot of breakfast concepts out there, but nobody was pushing the culinary envelope … It's important to take breakfast a little bit more seriously.” OEB Breakfast Co. was founded in Calgary in 2009 by Martina and has since grown into an award-winning, ethical breakfast chain with locations across North America, including two in Toronto. “OEB has farms all across Canada, and we have butchers right now in Ontario for all our custom needs. At OEB, we use free-run, omega-3 enriched eggs — the omega is not from any animal by-products; it’s by introducing flax seeds. It’s a super dark orange, delicious yolk. When you come for breakfast at OEB, you can buy our eggs to take home. I introduced that because I felt we had the best egg out there.”
