Well, he really uses jelly. Grape jelly to be exact. I use marmalade. Or preserves. Whatever the mood strikes.
I got this marmalade as a gift when I went to Vermont. It has an interesting sweet and tangy balance, and really works well here. I made this sandwich on a rainy day for lunch and it really hit the spot. It’s warm and comforting, representative of my home growing up.
The fried egg and marmalade combo may sound a bit odd but please, just try it. My dad made these a lot when I was in high school and I always thought they were kinda, well, weird. Until I tried it. Can’t knock it till you try it, right? And for whatever reason, the older I get, the more I appreciate the simplicity of this sandwich. It’s unpretentious and that’s how Dad likes his food. When I first fell in love with cooking, the running joke with the family was that I couldn’t make a meal for 3 people under $50 and that it took hours. I enjoyed spending money on high quality, gourmet ingredients and taking (too much) time to make it look beautiful on the plate. Nowadays, I’m more about saving time and using simple ingredients. Good quality ingredients, but simple. And it still looks beautiful on the plate.
This egg sandwich is your typical fruit-spread toast, but with an egg on it. It’s brilliant. The sweet jelly and salty egg tease each other, creating a flavor explosion for your taste buds. I don’t think Dad puts spinach on his (but mom, PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong) but I think it’s a nice addition and it’s a great way to get some vegetables in my day.
Like anything homemade, you can make it your own by using your favorite jelly, jam or preserves, adding your favorite vegetables, making it a wrap instead of a sandwich, and most importantly, cooking your eggs the way you like them. Scrambled. Fried. Over easy. Poached. Anything works.
I usually like my eggs a little on the runny side; especially in a sandwich. But I made the mistake of leaving my eggs unattended while trying to dry off my rambunctious little pup, Kiki. She decided to play tug of war with the towel and I got all wrapped up in the game, completely forgetting about my eggs. Luckily, they didn’t burn! Low and slow is my motto for eggs.
Happy Tuesday! Now go make yourself an egg sandwich!
1 Comment
Yes! Finally one who understands how simple and deliscious these can be. I first tried mine when I was younger with an old-fashioned strawberry rhubarb jam from Washington state, and boy is it good. The salty eggyness and the slightly bitter but sweet and tangy jam compliment eachother perfectly on buttered toast. It’s practically all I ate for breakfast as a child and I’m pretty sure mom was glad since it was easy and cost-efficient.