The Lovely Eggs

Organically Delicious/Japanese Bachelor Food

I'm not rich, but I'm willing to shell out my dough at the farmer's market whenever I get a chance. Why? Because for an extra dollar or two, eating locally-grown food makes me feel like a million bucks. Not just because I'm doing something socially responsible. (If only all responsibility tasted so delicious.) These foods taste better, stay fresh longer and are actually healthier than conventional varieties.

Case in point: I bought my first dozen pasture-raised eggs this weekend. I've been paying for organic or cage-free eggs for a while, but these came fresh from a farm only a few miles from where I live in Maryland. The shells are different colors because the chickens don't eat some homogenous paste all their lives. The yolks are an intense, deep yellow. And just as I suspected, they are damn tasty. The lady farmer who sold them even had a lab analysis posted showing that these eggs had more vitamins and less cholesterol than supermarket eggs. When I asked her if that was for real, the farmer's answer was interrupted by the badge-toting NIH food scientist standing behind me who assured us that it is absolutely true.

I was so anxious to try my fancy new eggs I ran home and made katsu don.

Katsu don was introduced to me by my friends John and Alex, who were sharing a weird, boxcar-like bachelor apartment near campus for the summer and fending for themselves foodwise. It's real Japanese college kid food, and it's as easy as pie. Er, actually it's a lot easier than pie. Maybe I should start saying "easy as katsu don".

Katsu Don

1 serving of rice

2-3 eggs (depending how hungry you are)

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

few drops sesame oil

shredded dried seaweed to garnish

Start cooking your rice in a pot or rice cooker. When it has 5 minutes or so left to cook, sprinkle the rice with vinegar, crack your eggs over the top and close the lid again. When the rice and eggs are cooked, add the soy sauce, sesame oil and seaweed (if you're into seaweed- I know I am.) Eat it with your feet up on the coffee table while watching sports.