Poaching Eggs

When I posted Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta, I received comments far and wide (here, Twitter etc.) about the poaching of eggs. It seems that many find it to be a daunting task, so I thought I'd offer a short tutorial about making them.

1. Fresh eggs are best - the white will become watery and more likely to 'thread' with older eggs. Crack the egg into a small bowl, using one bowl for each egg you intend to cook.
2. A pot of water is not necessary, rather two inches or so of water will suffice when cooking the eggs. Fill a small pan with two to three inches of water and bring to a simmer only - do not boil! Using a wider pan will allow you to cook more eggs at a time.
3. Add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of vinegar to the pan. The vinegar will help the whites stay together and usually does not affect the taste. Lower a bowl with an egg just to the edge of the water and gently slip into the water.
4. Some will say to turn off the heat and cover for 3 minutes, I say it's not necessary and have never lost an egg yet.
5. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, skimming the surface of the water to remove whites and foam that accumulate.
6. Remove eggs carefully with a slotted spoon and serve as desired.