If you need another example of good things coming in small packages, consider an egg. It’s a perfect little ingredient. Delicious eaten on their own with toast (I’m crazy for poached eggs), the eggs are also essential to both savory and sweet dishes. What’s more they’re packed with nutrients, including protein, vitamins A and D and iron.

The yolk and the egg white have very different qualities. The yolk contains all the fat in the egg, while the white is the primary source of protein. So depending on what you’re making you may need just one part. The protein in the egg whites becomes light and fluffy when whipped, making it perfect for meringues and mousses. The fat in the yolk, on the other hand, comes in handy when making pasta, béarnaise sauce and crème brulee.

There are two main techniques to separating eggs. The first rocks the yolk back and forth between the two halves of the egg. The second uses the spaces between your fingers to strain the egg whites. Whichever way you go, start with the freshest eggs you can find. The yolk and white of fresh eggs stand higher in the egg and separate more easily. Also, the yolks in cold eggs are less likely to break, so leave eggs in the fridge until ready to separate.

Rock and roll

Transferring the yolk between the two shells is my method of choice.

1. Set out two empty bowls.

2. Crack the egg on the edge of one bowl as close to the center as possible.

3. Gently roll the yolk back and forth between the shell halves, letting the egg white drizzle into the bowl below.  

4. Place the yolk into the second empty bowl.

NOTE: If you get any small shell fragments in the whites, use one of the shell halves to scoop it out.

Pros: hands stay clean
Cons: yolks can break with all the back and forth

Hand and deliver

For those of you who like to get down and dirty in the kitchen, straining the whites between your fingers may become your favorite method.

1. Set out two empty bowls.

2. Crack an egg on the edge of the bowl as close to the center as possible.

3. Slide the egg into your palm and tilt your hand so the whites drip through your fingers into one of the empty bowls.    

4. Place the yolk in the second empty bowl.

Pros: fast
Cons: messy; and the natural oils on your skin can make whipping the separated egg whites difficult