Assimilation

Thanks for the prompt of Assimilation from Rooted. Please visit One Single Impression for all the singular impressions.

The image of folding egg whites came to me as a memory. My mother loved to bake. I would watch as she ritualistically blended the ingredients together. The purpose of folding the frothy egg whites into the sturdy batter is to retain the air you have beaten into the egg whites. This makes your recipe light and fluffy.

My dad was given a new name when he crossed the border. He was thrilled. He wanted desperately to blend in. He never did. What he kept was beautiful.

Folding in egg whites

Select very fresh eggs

let them rest

at room temperature

Make sure your bowl

is clean and dry

Separate the yolk

carefully

do not discard

as you can use

for mayonnaise

or custard at a later time

be sure not

to allow any yellow flecks

or shell pieces

to infiltrate

this takes practice

in Julia’s kitchen

the very best chefs

can strain

the white

through

their fingers!

beat the whites

until they form

soft peaks

transfer

one third of the

whipped egg white

into the prepared batter

and mix it in

this will make it easier

for the rest

of the egg whites

to be absorbed

(Remember

to always fold the lighter ingredient

into the heavier ingredient.)

tilt the bowl

toward you

using a spatula

or flat wooden spoon

gently turn half the mixture

over onto the other half

continue to do this

until the whites are incorporated

into the batter