Comments on: In The Archives: Bonnet-Starching Tips

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:12:39 +0000

I’ve never used one, but recognized it as an egg cup! Apparently today’s children haven’t read Bread and Jam for Frances or they’d recognize it right away…

By: abc

abc — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:52:25 +0000

“…if it is not too traumatic to discuss enforced childhood egg cup usage.” My guess is the trauma has to do with a less than fully cooked egg and not the cup it was served in. I have had my moments of doubt with the shaky insides of a coddled egg. I think serving a boiled egg to a family on a school day morning was a lot easier than most other choices and cleaned up fairly quickly.

“…we’ll see in 2 weeks.” … or less. I think this is the first time that you divulged before 2 weeks. How about a bonus round?

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:46:08 +0000

p.s. Al, please forgive my nosiness–let’s call it “journalistic instinct” instead–but your use of the verb “forced” tells me there’s a story there, if it is not too traumatic to discuss enforced childhood egg cup usage.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:37:16 +0000

Carol: I seem to have published this article in the one publication in Washtenaw County, if not the entire state, that has captured the egg cup demographic. Little did I dream that Chronicle readers would be so quick on the trigger to pinpoint this enigmatic item as an “egg cup.” :)

I was interested to read of your use of the larger lower end of this item. I’ve also heard of folks–some quite close to home–that, as you say, put the initial egg in the small end to eat but secrete egg #2 under the big end to keep warm. Seems as though it could serve for both uses…

By: Carol Fast

Carol Fast — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:25:23 +0000

I grew up with these. It’s an egg cup. You use the smaller end of you like to cut off the top of your egg and eat it out of its shell. The larger end is for when you want to scoop your whole egg out of the shell and then eat it. As kids we liked to scoop out the egg and then noisily stir it up with salt and pepper – really annoying our dad!

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:47:05 +0000

Al and Dave: hmm, we’ve got some pretty confident-sounding comments here. :) Folks at the Heritage Fest were by and large baffled by this item, which in turn baffled me, since I happen to enjoy 2 soft-boiled eggs every day for breakfast (Dutch heritage) and in fact have a collection of egg cups.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:12:38 +0000

Definately an egg cup or (coddler) for soft boiled eggs. Grandmother always ate her soft boiled eggs from one with a similar applique floral pattern.

By: Al Feldt

Al Feldt — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:55:51 +0000

I agree it is an egg cup much like one I was forced to use as a child. But this one can be inverted after use to hold your coffee or fruit juice if you are careful not to let it tip over.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:10:37 +0000

Interesting comment abc…we’ll see in 2 weeks.

By: abc

abc — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:31:17 +0000

It looks like a cup for a soft-boiled egg.