The Downtown Chef: Egg in a Basket
by Annemarie Ahearn
It’s late, like 4 am. You made it home somehow, and the spins are starting to set in. You could eat just about anything, so long as it doesn’t trigger nausea. There are two options: fall into bed, which at this point is more like a rollercoaster, due to that final shot you took seconds before leaving the bar. Or make yourself a little snack. Food absorbs some of the alcohol, making sleepy-time a bit more comfortable. Remember friends, booze remedies heartbreak, lust and anxiety. Food remedies drunkenness. It’s a vicious cycle; one we are all so inclined to participate in wholeheartedly.
What You’ll Need
(25 wds)Butter, one egg, one piece of bread or a day-old bagel, salt, pepper, hot sauce, bacon if available, cheese if you got it
Directions
Don’t let the stovetop intimidate you. Toss a frying pan on one of the burners and flick up the dial to medium heat. Baby steps, my friends, baby steps. Let your perceived hunger drive you to open the refrigerator door in search of that Grade A Extra-Large Egg that’s been sitting there for god only knows how long. (Don’t worry; eggs have a shelf life of one month, if properly stored.) Then scan the counter tops for anything that resembles bread. We are almost there. Stay focused.
Heat a dollop of butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Cut a hole into the bread, about two inches in diameter. Place the bread in the pan. Crack one egg and drop it into the hole. Once the egg has cooked through, flip the whole thing. Let fry for another minute or so and remove from heat. Plate, season with salt, pepper and hot sauce and eat. Then go to bed.
(If you’re using bacon, cook it in the pan first, pour out grease, and then cook the “egg in a basket” in the remaining bacon fat. If you’ve got it, place the cheese on the top right after you flip it. Cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack; they all work fine.)
