let’s get cracking

~ jama

“Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg until it is broken.” ~ M.F.K. Fisher

photo by Nancy Jentsch
WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF EGGS? 
by Nancy Jentsch

Today’s pumpkin-colored yolks scramble 
with bubbly beaten whites, 
the foam a color Kandinsky 
would drool for. 
Frying eggs sizzle serenades 
harmonize with salty bacon 
sport accents of poblano and cheddar 
their taste delicate as their shells. 
 
If this is all you know of eggs 
it is sufficient. 
 
As for me, 
blessed with hens, 
my hands wonder  
at the warmth 
each egg entrusts 
exquisite as any snowflake or rose 
 
And in my dimpled basket 
their pastel rainbow—  
tans, blues, greens— 
seals an understated promise. 

~ Posted by permission of the author. Copyright © 2022 Nancy Jentsch
“Fried Eggs” by Dusan Vukovic

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I love all the mouthwatering sensory details in this eggsquisite praise poem and wish we had our own hens to better appreciate the beauty and wonder of fresh eggs. 

They’re truly a superfood — packed with nutrition and so versatile. When you hold a warm egg in your hand, you cradle possibility. An egg shell is fragile yet strong enough to contain the beginnings of life.

About writing this poem, Nancy said:

We raise chickens of various breeds and I enjoy looking at the eggs, feeling their warmth and using them to cook and bake with. I guess you could say that they satisfy all the senses – even the sense of hearing when you crack them open or they sizzle in a pan. Another thing I particularly like about our eggs is how each one is unique. I think I wrote the poem after collecting an unusually beautiful array of eggs in my basket.

Nancy’s mention of Kandinsky reminded me that frying eggs is indeed an art form, aptly demonstrated by Michele Baldini at The Eggshibit.

A doctor-in-training based outside Mexico City, 20-something year-old Baldini started cracking as a teenager with his eggceptional creations. Do you think Kandinsky would approve?

Breakfast never looked so good. Now, about that salty bacon . . .

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🍪 THINGS WE EAT GIVEAWAY WINNER! 🥝

After polishing off a dozen cookies, Mr Cornelius consulted his friend Monsieur Random Integer Generator about choosing a winner. Naturally M. Generator required 200 dozen chocolate chip cookies as payment. We were happy to oblige considering M. Generator’s global reputation as a numeric genius and his meticulous eating habits (he never leaves behind a single crumb). After consuming his 148th cookie, he was happy to report that the winner of a brand new copy of THINGS WE EAT is:

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🥁 drum roll please 🥁

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🎺🎺🎺 trumpet fanfare 🎺 🎺 🎺

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🍎 KATHERINE DAVIS!! 🥑

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS, KATHERINE!! 🎉

🍏 WOOHOO!!! 🍇

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Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to eat all 26 foods featured in the book . . . in one weekend!

Thanks to everyone for commenting, and thanks again to Sylvia and Janet for creating another fabulous ABC poetry book!

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The lovely and talented Margaret Simon is hosting the Roundup at Reflections on the Teche. Shimmy on over to check out the full menu of poetic goodness being served up around the blogosphere this week. Have a nice weekend!!

*Copyright © 2022 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

39 thoughts on “let’s get cracking”

  3. Thank you, Jama, for this eggsquisite praise poem that makes my mouth water. There are such amazing details in the poem, like Frying eggs sizzle serenades/harmonize”…and then, I saw the eggceptional food art. Who knew that we can create egg art for breakfast that makes breakfast a very special meal. Jama, you always surprise me with wonderful posts.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Such a novel idea to create these egg pictures. And Michele started doing them in his teens. Since he’s in medicine, it’s also interesting to see depictions of organs and even sperm.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Oh, the poem surely speaks to us all in an eggceptional way, Jama. How lovely is the thought of “Frying eggs sizzle serenades”. And that art. I am in awe of talented people who can create that kind of magic! Thank you! Wishing you a delicious weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Egg-celent post Jama ( I was sure someone already used this word, but mine’s spelled with a “c”). Baldini’s creations are eggs-quisite, I especially like the sense of humor in his Sunray-sprerm image, that one cracks me up. Thanks for all the smiles ^–^, and Happy Earth Day, it’s pouring cats and dogs here, no eggs though!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Challenge egg-cepted! What incredible photography and art. I’m amazed and intrigued and think I need to make sure my library has this book!

    Liked by 1 person

  15. I always ‘wok’ away from your blog learning something new, Jama. You’re a good egg. 🙂
    (Baldini’s art? OMG!)

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Eggsceptional, Jama–great finds this week! Here’s from Pumpkin Butterfly:

    Shell Game
    everything about an egg
    is smooth or round or cool
    the shell pin-thin and brittle
    the yolk a little mound of sun
    the white sticky-thick and spreading
    resting still as a stone in your palm
    everything about an egg
    is nothing like
    a chick

    Liked by 1 person

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