Hey family, welcome back to Technique Monday here on Unseen Cuisine. I'm Chef Rick, the blind chef. And if you ever stood in your kitchen wondering, did I cook this egg long enough? Why does the shell stick every time I try to peel it? Why do my eggs come out rubbery? You're not alone. Eggs are one of the most common foods that we cook, but they're also one of the easiest foods to get wrong when the heat is in control. And here is the thing about eggs. Eggs are actually one of the best training tools in the kitchen. They teach you how to understand timing, temperature, and texture. Today we're going to slow it down, step into the culinary cockpit, and learn how to cook eggs in a way that works for you, whether you cook by sight, sound, or touch. So let's talk about it. Step 1. You want to inspect the eggs. Before cooking, gently run your fingers across each egg. Tactile cues. The shell should feel smooth, solid, and evenly shaped. If you feel cracks, dents, or rough edges, discard the egg. Eggs should remain refrigerated until you are ready to cook them. Step 2. Prepare the pot. Choose a pot deep enough so the eggs can sit comfortably on the bottom. Place the eggs in the pot. Add enough water so the eggs are covered by an inch or two of water. Keep one of these tools nearby: a slotted spoon, a skimmer, or spider. This will allow you to safely remove the eggs later. Blind friendly trick. If you cannot see the water level, you can check it with the finger. Place your fingertip gently into the pot until you feel the top of the edge of an egg. Now raise your finger slightly. Tac tail cue. The water should cover the egg by two finger joints, roughly two inches. If the eggs are barely covered, add a little more water. Step 3. Bring the water to temperature. Eggs can be started in two different ways. A cold start. Place the eggs in cold water and then bring the pot to a simmer. A simmer start. Bring the water to a gentle simmer first, then lower the eggs with a slotted spoon. Always lower eggs slowly and gently so the shells don't crack. Step 4. Control the heat. Do not allow the water to boil rapidly. Eggs cook best at a gentle simmer. Sound cue. You should hear a soft bubbling and a quiet movement, not a loud, aggressive boiling. Rapid boiling causes eggs to bounce around and can make the whites tough or rubbery. A gentle simmer cooks the eggs evenly and tenderly. Step 5. Start timing and simmering. Begin timing only after the water returns to a simmer. Once the eggs are in the pot. Starting the timer too early will give you uneven results. Use these timing guides. Soft egg, 3 minutes. Hard cooked egg, 10 to 12 minutes. Prepare a bowl with cold water and ice before the eggs finish cooking. When the timer ends, remove the eggs with your spider, your slotted spoon, and place them directly into the ice water. Let them sit there for about 5 minutes. This does two things. 1. It stops cooking instantly. 2. It helps the eggs pull slightly away from the shell. This makes the eggs much easier to peel. Step 7. Peeling hard cooked eggs. Hard-cooked eggs peel best when they are cooled, not icy cold. To peel, place the egg on the countertop, gently roll it, and press. Tac tau Q. You will feel the shell crack and loosen. Start peeling from the wide bottom end of the egg. Tac tao Q. There is usually a small air pocket there that helps the shell release. Peel away the shell and the thin membrane with your fingers. Understanding egg doneness. Soft boiled eggs, the white is set while the yolk remains warm and runny. Medium eggs, the yolk becomes creamy and partially firm. Hard-cooked eggs, the yolk is fully set and the whites are firm but still tender, preventing the green ring. I know we get that sometimes. Sometimes hard-cooked eggs develop a green ring around the yolk. This happens when the sulfur and the iron inside the egg react due to overcooking. To prevent this, control your cooking time. Avoid rapid boiling. Cool eggs quickly using the ice bath. Now, your kitchen is always telling you what's happening. Listen for a steady simmer. Feel the shell loosen when you crack it. Trust the timing. When you start paying attention to those signals, eggs become one of the most reliable foods you can cook. That's Technique Monday because here in Unseen Cuisine Kitchen, we don't cook by looking. We cook by listening, touching, and understanding what the food is telling us. I'm Chef Brick. I'll see you next time in the Culinary Cockpit.