Egg whites not all they're cracked up to be

Q I bought a carton of egg whites to make meringue, thinking it would be easier not having to separate eggs than figure out what to do with all those yolks (I can’t stand throwing them out).

But the whites in the carton wouldn’t whip up, no matter how long I beat them.

Why?

— Gail

A When it comes to eggs whites and meringue, something always has to give.

So, get ready to compromise either time or convenience.

But, don’t worry, some compromises are really, really yummy.

First, though, there’s the matter of egg whites sold in cartons.

The problem is pasteurization. Like dairy products, the egg matter is carefully brought up to a temperature that destroys bacteria, as a matter of public health and shelf life.

In the process, however, the whites are inalterably altered and lose their ability to form a proper froth.

It’s sometimes possible to force a cooked meringue out of them, but there’s nothing, really, that can make them billow up and hold their shape like their freshly cracked counterparts.

Another option is meringue powder and, while there are those who will argue it’s every bit as good — and twice as handy — as actual eggs, they would be nine parts wrong.

Things that only kind-of work are rarely worth the wasted time, money and disappointing results.

Which brings us back to the question of what to do with those yolks.

And here’s where it gets good.

In the case of a lemon meringue pie from scratch, equal yolks end up in the lemon curd whites in the meringue.

But there’s another tradition, long since giving up by all but our grandmothers’ generation.

It’s one that’s ready for resurrecting by anyone who has a functional relationship with their KitchenAid mixer.

In bygone times, when people still made their own angel food (requiring a dozen whites), rather than relying on boxed mixes and, lately, grocery-store cakes, having a dozen egg yolks was a common problem.

It was, however, a problem accompanied by a solution in the form of a chiffon cake.

A match made in bakery heaven, chiffon cakes use up all 12 of the yolks left behind by their angelic, cholesterol-free, cousins.

And, for all their being opposites, chiffon probably more literally, if not poetically, deserves the title of “devil’s food” than actual devil’s food cake.

Or you might think of angels and chiffons as the yin and yang of the dessert world.

Although, angel food aside, and depending on how much meringue you make (perhaps you were having a pavlova party), that wonderfully yolky chiffon cake is still on the table.

If you’re game to give it a try, our favourite chiffon recipe is found in The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Q Do you have a suggestion for a wedding present for a couple that’s just starting out?

— Lost in the kitchen store

A One word. Knives.

You didn’t mention anything about your budget, but the one thing, even years after marriage, that most couples never seem to get around to buying for themselves is a decent set of knives.

If you can only afford one, purchase a chef’s knife.

If two, a chef’s knife and a paring knife.

A bread knife after that, followed by whatever their cooking life best indicates, keeping in mind that not everyone needs a fish, boning or cake knife.

Scoot over to House of Knives for some expert advice.

Victorinox and Henkel are good choices for home and, if HofK doesn’t carry a brand, it’s probably not worth having.

Darcie Hossack is a food and fiction writer. Dean Hossack is an internationally award-winning chef and former member of Culinary Team BC. Send your questions about food and cooking to

onepotato2potato@shaw.ca

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