Oh, The Thought: Poached Eggs

Poached eggs is a request from my daughter Randi. With all the salmonella reports lately, poached eggs have not been on my palette, but this is my daughter I'm talking about, and I usually try and fulfill all requests. Especially when it comes to food.

I went to the USDA Web site to answer some questions on Salmonella. Just because I was curious. What is salmonella? It is a rod-shaped bacilli that can cause diarrhea illness in humans. Bacilli are living creatures that pass from the feces of people or animals to other people or other animals. GEEZ...do you want a poached egg now?

What foods are most likely to make people sick? Any raw food of animal origin, such as meat, poultry, milk and dairy products, eggs, seafood, and some fruits and vegetables may carry Salmonella bacteria. It all comes down to foods not being cooked correctly. Poached eggs are steamed, and I was kind of leery of the cooking technique. My egg poacher is electric and has instructions on poaching and hard-boiling. I think an electric egg poacher would be OK for safe poached eggs. It operates on an electric timer.


When I poach my eggs I smear butter on the inside of the cups that I am using. The butter kind of gives the eggs a creamy finish.

This is Henrietta... She is my egg poacher, and safe poached eggs is her business. There is a water level in her belly that determines poached or hard-boiled. Her belly cooks the eggs, and when the eggs are to her perfection she lets it be known with a chirp. Henrietta is made by Salton. Salton makes small kitchen appliances to make our lives easier. They make everything from a quesadilla maker right down to kitchen towels. I have trusted Henrietta for years. She has never failed me, and no signs of Salmonella.

Completed poached egg on toast dowsed in crushed black pepper (just the way I love my eggs), and I have to say Randi, that was a very good request.

Good Luck~Happy Eating~Enjoy