Poached Eggs on Toast

For those of you who've been updated via facebook, I just got back from a wonderful trip to Scotland. I spent seven days hiking and driving the Highlands with my brother and it was an absolutely fabulous experience. The scenery was wonderful, the people friendly, and the solitude of the place very relaxing. Seriously, towns consist of five houses plunked over a few miles; needless to say Kyle and I only got one picture together because we literally saw no one else. But no complaints about the trip; I'm so grateful that my brother and I had the opportunity to go. 

Prior to leaving everyone warned us about the food - that it would be bland and gross and that we should enjoy ample whisky to make up for it. False. Every meal was amazing (note: this does not mean we didn't enjoy the multitude of Scottish beverages anyways). We stayed mostly in B&Bs, so we  got huge home-made breakfasts every day. Seafood is very popular there, as is lamb. Kyle and I tried two traditional Scottish dishes: stovetop porridge and haggis. To die for. You may not want to know what's in haggis or how it's made, so just don't google it because it's awesome and you need to try it when you visit Scotland.

Given that there is no way I'll attempt to make haggis (okay, maybe google would help you understand my reasoning why), I decided to go with my next favorite dish from Scotland: poached eggs over crumpets. I ate this every day for breakfast, first only to figure out what the heck a crumpet was and then every day after because it makes me happy and keeps me full during hikes. So, a crumpet is their version of an English muffin. But so much better than our store-bought brands. 

Here's a quick how to for poaching eggs. This was my first attempt and it turned out quite well, despite the egg-vom-water lurking post-cooking in the pan. Gross. But breakfast was good! Poached eggs are cooked in water so that the eggs whites envelope the yolk, cooking through while leaving the yolk runny. I like to spill the yolk over toast so it gets soaked up. Any leftovers were happily licked up by Jazz and Bailey haha. Serve with coffee, yogurt, and an orange and you're all set!

Double duty: Jazz on the plate, Bailey on the fork

Poached Eggs over Toast

Ingredients

2 eggs

Your favorite bread, toasted

Vinegar

1. Fill  a saucepan with water. Cover and heat until almost boiling. You'll know its ready when the pot is lined with bubbles and steam rises from the surface. Do not allow water to boil; reduce heat if necessary.
2. Crack one egg into a bowl. 
3. Splash some vinegar into the saucepan. With a spatula, stir the water/vinegar to create a mild whirlpool. Hold the bowl close to the water's surface and slide the egg into the center of the whirlpool. The current will help the egg whites to circle over the yolk. 
4. Cover and cook for roughly 4 minutes, ensuring the water does not boil. 
5. Gently remove egg with a slotted spoon, and place on a paper towel to let it dry. 
6. Repeat with the other egg, then serve both over toast. 
7. Crack salt and pepper over the top and enjoy. Happy eating!