Brunch favorites take center stage with a hilarious debate over Eggs Benedict versus chilaquiles. The hosts dive into the essential components of this breakfast classic, sharing the struggles of perfecting poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. They tackle the challenges of timing and ingredient quality while offering tips to master the art of poaching. Plus, a lighthearted discussion on Canadian versus American bacon adds a twist. Homemade English muffins make an appearance, emphasizing their crucial role in this delightful dish.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Kenji's Diner Eggs Benedict Fail
Kenji shares his experience ordering Eggs Benedict at a diner and noticing poor quality powdered hollandaise and overcooked eggs.
The dish lacked fresh flavors and proper textures like runny yolks and browned Canadian bacon.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Whisk Hollandaise By Hand
Make hollandaise sauce by hand whisking for better control and less risk of breaking the emulsion.
Use lukewarm melted butter and add lemon juice at the end to get the right thickness and flavor.
insights INSIGHT
Lemon Juice Timing Affects Hollandaise
Adding lemon juice earlier can thin hollandaise because it lowers the temperature of egg proteins during emulsification.
Proper temperature is key for egg proteins to thicken hollandaise without scrambling.
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The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is a collection of recipes that reflect Deb Perelman's approach to home cooking. The book includes a variety of dishes, from breakfast to party snacks, all designed to be accessible and delicious. Perelman's recipes are known for using common ingredients and straightforward techniques, making them suitable for cooks of all skill levels. The book is praised for its beautiful photography and engaging writing style, which makes it a joy to read and cook from[2][4].
The Food Lab
Better Home Cooking Through Science
J. Kenji López-Alt
In 'The Food Lab,' J. Kenji López-Alt delves into the science of cooking, explaining the interactions between heat, energy, and molecules that create great food. The book contains close to 300 savory American cuisine recipes, arranged by cooking technique, and includes over 1,000 full-color images. López-Alt shows that conventional cooking methods can often be improved with new, simple techniques, making it a valuable resource for home cooks of all skill levels.
Eggs Benedict should really be called Eggs Benedict Arnold, because it will betray any shortcomings you have as a home cook. You should give it a go anyway. (Kenji: “You CAN and SHOULD make Eggs Benedict at home.”) Why? It’s a dish that all but the best restaurants get right, and you have all but three and a half minutes to shovel it in your mouth before the window closes for the perfect bite. So you may as well perfect it at home.
What does perfect look like? Each element is prepared to its ideal temperature at the exact same time. Yolks “a river of liquid gold” while whites are perfectly set (and shaped like a “chaos mop” if you’re like Deb). English muffins are fork split, not sliced. Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion, which means you are trying to mix two ingredients that don’t want to be mixed, so yeah, you are literally fighting nature. Who will break first, you or the sauce? A delicious showdown for the ages.
The Recipe with Kenji and Deb 
