Listing the world's most famous egg dishes.

PostBamboo

American-style breakfast with poached eggs and Benedict.

Over 100 years ago, around the 1890s, a diner in America was looking for a dish to cure a hangover. So the waiter served him poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce (made from egg yolks and butter) for breakfast. Few knew that this simple dish would inadvertently become a classic breakfast around the world, even a subject of cooking competitions.

Eggs Benedict may seem simple—poached eggs in boiling water with Hollandaise sauce. However, poaching them perfectly, ensuring the egg whites are cooked through while the yolks remain runny, is an art form. Bring water to a boil, add a little vinegar, drop the eggs in, and stir gently to prevent them from breaking. Perhaps only chefs truly understand the hardship involved in poaching eggs. This is a familiar challenge in American MasterChef, tested by the demanding chef Gordon Ramsay.

Eggs Benedict is typically served in upscale restaurants and hotels because it's quite laborious to prepare. When enjoying it, remember to cut the egg to check the smooth consistency of the yolk, and don't forget to mix the yolk with the rich Hollandaise sauce before enjoying it with a baked muffin.

Visit Japan and enjoy the "national rice dish," Omurice.

A Japanese friend of mine once said that in Japan, almost everyone knows how to make omelet, just like in Vietnam, almost everyone knows how to boil water spinach! Originating around the time the Japanese Emperor opened the country to trade with the West, omelet combines the European omelet with fried rice and tomato sauce, onions, mushrooms, peas, chicken, and sausage. This "national dish" is also a familiar image in many Japanese manga and comics, such as Midnight Dinner and Kitchen no Ohime-same…

Unlike American egg Benedict, which looks simple but is actually quite elaborate, Japanese Omurice (rice rolls wrapped in egg) may seem "challenging" with its many ingredients: meat, beans, onions, sauce, carrots, mushrooms, chili peppers, etc., but the preparation is extremely simple, even for first-time cooks. You just mix everything together and fry or pan-fry it before wrapping it in an omelet. There's also a variation of Omurice: instead of rice, you can use dried Yakisoba noodles, wrapping them in an omelet to make Omusoba. This November, why not try making Omurice for a picnic with friends during the early winter days?

Classic French Toast with Egg

An interesting fact about French toast is that, despite being a famous French dish, its creator wasn't necessarily French. With a long history in culinary arts, "French toast" first appeared in the 4th or 5th century in the ancient Latin cookbook Apicius. At that time, French toast didn't have a specific name in the recipe; it was simply called Aliter Dulcia – "a sweet dish," described as bread soaked in milk. In ancient Rome, people often dipped bread in eggs, fried it, and ate it with honey.

The preparation and enjoyment of French toast haven't changed much over time. To make traditional French toast, simply dip the bread into a mixture of milk and eggs, then fry it. It's then topped with maple syrup, or you can eat it with butter, cheese, powdered sugar, or honey. In the past, French toast was considered a poor man's food, as it used stale bread. That's why the French sometimes called it "Pain Perdu" – stale bread. Today, French toast is a delicious treat that has captivated food lovers worldwide.

A heartwarming end-of-year treat: English-style Eggnog cocktail.

Eggnog, also known as Egg Cocktail, or more accurately Egg Milk Punch, is a delightful drink originally enjoyed by the British aristocracy. Punch dates back to the 17th century, brought from India by British sailors in the 1600s, and is the precursor to many cocktails. Punch is simply made from five different ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lime, tea, and spices. Initially, the alcohol used was Arrack from India, fermented from coconut blossoms, rice, sugarcane, and fruit. Upon arriving in England, the British gradually replaced Arrack with rum, as rum's flavor blended well with many fruits. At that time, alcohol and spices were more expensive than gold, and only the upper class could afford to enjoy Punch. It wasn't until the 1800s that Eggnog became more popular, becoming a familiar drink at parties such as Christmas.

Many believe the name Eggnog comes from the medieval English word "Nogging." If you've seen the cartoon Brave, you'll recognize the wooden "Nogging" glass used to hold the drink. Eggnog is made from eggs, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and rum, sometimes whiskey or brandy. When poured into a glass, you can sprinkle cinnamon powder to enhance the aroma. Eggnog is both smooth like egg custard and has a warm, subtle alcoholic flavor, perfect for a Christmas dinner with family.

Familiar Vietnamese steamed egg patties

Perhaps few people realize that Vietnamese broken rice – one of the world's best dishes – is only complete with the signature steamed egg patty in the quartet of broken rice, pork ribs, pork skin, and egg patty. Unlike the soft, smooth, pudding-like steamed egg style of other countries, authentic Vietnamese steamed egg, also known as egg patty, must have a rough texture with minced pork, onions, wood ear mushrooms, etc. A mixture of vermicelli, wood ear mushrooms, onions, and chopped shallots is mixed with minced pork and egg yolks, seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, and salt, then steamed or boiled until cooked (check with a toothpick – the meat should come out clean). Finally, egg yolks are poured over the surface, giving the steamed egg patty a beautiful golden crust and a rich, savory flavor. And that's how you complete the Southern Vietnamese egg patty dish.

The Chinese also use salted eggs instead of chicken eggs to make steamed egg patties, which have a very special salty flavor. Served with hot rice, some vegetables, and pickles, it's incredibly delicious. Some people also like to sprinkle sesame oil and chopped scallions on top, dipping it in sweet and sour fish sauce. This steamed egg dish is fragrant with the aroma of eggs, sweet with the taste of meat, and not greasy, making it a familiar dish that mothers often prepare on busy days.

The Thanh