【かんたまご 寒卵】
In Japan, the season of “Setsubun” is coming up, and this means we will be welcoming spring soon!
The time between the New Year’s and “Setsubun” is known in the traditional 24 solar terms as “Shōkan” (小寒) and “Daikan” (大寒), which are the coldest time of the year.
On the other hand, ingredients with “cold” (寒) in their names, such as cold cod (寒鱈), cold yellowtail (寒鰤), and cold clams (寒しじみ), are getting rich in fat and sweetness during this time, making it a season full of delicious ingredients.
On a similar note, there is also a “season” for eggs, bringing about the term “寒卵” (cold eggs).
Even though it seems like hens lay eggs every day, they only produce about 300 a year. During the cold winter months, hens tend to lay fewer eggs.
In the past, people thought that the time between egg-laying can help the nutrients in the eggs get more concentrated. This is how the term “寒卵” (cold eggs) supposedly came about, with the idea of eggs having a “season.”
Though when I chatted with someone at an egg hatchery, they told me the egg’s structure does not change at all even if the intervals between laying are longer.
In the February lesson at our cooking school, we’re going to learn how to prepare dishes using seasonal ingredients from this cold period.
One example will be “chawanmushi,” or steamed egg custard, made with these “cold eggs.” It’s a great comfort dish for the chilly season! We’ll learn the right egg-to-dashi ratios, how to prep it, and the steaming technique to get down a perfectly smooth and fluffy texture.
