THE ART OF FRYING AN EGG   

So the arts meet sometimes.  And in reality there is an art to everything.  The Spanish have mastered the art of frying an egg in a very special way.  So for fun I thought it would be interesting  to share the art and the recipe. In 1816 Diego Velazquez, Old Woman Frying eggs, shows a process that is still done today in which eggs are fried in olive oil.  It is so amazing to think of a process of cooking that has survived so long and come into the future. While pursing through blogs I came across the article on the Art of Frying an Egg.   The blog is one you may want to check out In Praise of the Sardine, though there are no sardines in this recipe. 

  

          SPANISH FRIED EGGS                                                                        
                                                           from google only for art advocacy

Diego Velazquez  Spanish Artist  Diego Vieja Friendo Huevos , Old Woman Frying eggs 1816   hangs in the National Gallery in Scotland

"I was intrigued to read in one of Penelope Casas' cookbooks that her Spanish husband's favorite meal, the one he request every year for his birthday, is fried eggs. Heres is a guy married to the author of a half dozen Spanish cookbooks and culinary travel guides to Spain, a man who could presumably request any number of gastronomic delights, and he desires fried eggs?  My initial thought was "what a yoke".(pun intended).  But then I noticed each of my Spanish cookbooks includes a recipe for fried eggs. And each one waxes as rhapsodic as Penelope Casas" husband about how beloved the fried egg is in Spain.  Still I felt skeptical, I felt compelled to test how deep this passion ran during my second visit to Spain. Nearly everyone I ask grew flushed with excitement as soon as I raised the topic of the huevo frito! Yet another reason why the Spanish are my kind of people." from the blog .From the blog In Praise of the Sardine.

Salvador Dali      Dying of Velazquez                            from google only use only for art advocacy.

"Naturally, I sampled fried eggs whenever I could in Spain, including a memorable one that was perched atop an embarrassing quantity of the most delicious foie gras I have ever had. (Mantequeria can Ravell in Barcelona).  I also learned how to master th simple art of the huevo frito, which as you will learn, is the best farm fresh e.g. ou can buy quickly fried in generous amounts of extra virgin oil and sprinkled with sea salt.  Guess what I will be making for myself on my birthday every year?

Ingredients
extra virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
1 egg per person
coarse sea salt, preferably Maldon
toasted bread

Method

Pour enough oil in non-stick pan to come to a depth of about 1/4".  Turn flame to medium high and heat until nearly smoking.  Break the egg into the pan without breaking yolk.  Quickly turn down the heat to medium low and cook for no longer than one minute, all the while using a metal spoon to baste the egg on top with hot oil from the pan.  The white will puff up and get a bit crunchy and golden of the sides and the yolk will remain runny.  Use a slotted spoon to lift the egg out of the pan and shake off any excess oil.  Plop you egg onto your plate or toast, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper if  you like and imagine yourself at an outside terrazzo somewhere in Spain on a warm sunny day."


 I hope you enjoy this bit of fun…with art, food, and travel.  Those are a few of my favorite things!

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