What possessed me to poach an egg? More food geekery. Someone asked a question about poaching technique this morning, and it reminded me of an article I'd read about quick microwave poaching. So I googled, found this, and went for it.
As with most novel techniques, it has its benefits (namely, speed and ease) at the detriment of others (quality). I found the cup used for poaching retained (absorbed?) heat at the edge a higher rate than the center, leading to a rubbery ring of egg at the edges. Despite draining, the egg stayed watery, more so than with conventional poaching techniques. And it's hard to tell when, exactly, the egg is fully poached but not overcooked- after one minute, there was still a large area of raw white visible. After 1:25, there were no clear areas of white. But things looked a bit translucent, and the yolk appeared completely uncooked. I let the cup sit outside the microwave for a minute, wondering if the continued cooking would be enough to finish the egg. It didn't appear to progress, so I cooked it for another 20 seconds.
Keep in mind my microwave is a beast made in 1998, but this is what 1:45 looked like. I'd say it's a bit overcooked for poached, though about half of the yolk was a nice semi-solid consistency. The white remained oddly watery. Next time, I'd try cracking the egg and then gently adding water (and maybe a little acid, like vinegar or lemon), and try a slightly shorter cooking period. It's definitely less of a pain than poaching in a full water bath.
This morning's coffee was Mayorga, purchased in bulk at Costco. It's locally roasted, and the bulk price wasn't bad. But I'm not a huge fan- to me, it's just average, boring coffee, but definitely serviceable. Jon noted excessive bitterness, maybe because he grabbed a cup well after the brew cycle was over. I'm curious to try their beans in our Moka Pot or coffee press and see if my impressions change. But I definitely miss Qualia's beans.
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