These days eggs are as common a part of our diet as bread or milk. Their nutritional properties are myriad, and they blend well with any ingredient.

Proteins and vitamins
Eggs are made up of the yoke, which contains fat, vitamins A, B, D and E and absolutely no carbohydrates. The egg white has all the proteins it nourishes the embryo as it develops. To benefit from all the nutrients in an egg it must be cooked at least three minutes. Raw eggs
-which used to be eaten to build strength- do the body no good at all.

There are several ways to tell how fresh an egg is. The oldest is to hold it up to the light and look at the air pocket it has at one end. The smaller that pocket is, the fresher the egg. Another way to know the egg is fresh is to be sure the white is thick and the yoke well centered. When the egg is fried or poached, the white should stay around the yoke.

1,001 ways to fix an egg
Eggs can be cooked many ways: fried in oil until the white becomes crispy; grilled in a pan with just a bit of oil, boiled in water for 10 minutes if you like them hard, 5 minutes if you like them softer and three minutes for soft-boiled.

Only very fresh eggs can be poached. To do this, heat up a pan that is two-parts water and one part vinegar. When the water is about to boil, pour in eggs that you have previously broken open and placed in a cup. While the eggs cook, spoon the white on top of the yoke. Drain them on a clean cloth and trim the edges to make the eggs look nice before serving them with whatever recipe you have cosen.

So-called revueltos, or scrambled egg dishes, are one of the most common egg recipes. The eggs are beaten with a pinch of salt and a spoonful of cream or milk for each egg. Then cook the eggs over a double-boiler, stirring so lumps don't form. When they are half-done, add whatever ingredient you have chosen (mushrooms, tuna, smoked fish, ham) Once the eggs are ready serve them right away because they will cook even more after being taken out of the frying pan.

Omelettes are even more popular than revueltos. There are many kinds but the most popular one is the Spanish omelette, or tortilla espa�ola, made from potatoes cooked in
oil and eggs. The so-called French omelette, made with egg only and folded in half like a handkerchief, is the most commonly eaten omelette on a day to day basis because it is so easy to fix. Other varieties in Spanish cuisine include the country-style omelette, or tortilla paisana, with vegetables and ham or chorizo sausage. There is the tortilla Sacromonte, a specialty from Granada that includes lamb brains, and tortillas with cod, garlic sprouts and peppers. But the possibilities do not end there. Eggs can be used to make the most original and delicious omelettes. The only limit is that of the chef's imagination.