If you see a white, rope-like strand in your egg whites, don't despair, it's not an imperfection. It's the chalazae, an edible part of the egg that keeps the yolk centered in the whites.

Blood spots in the yolk do not mean the egg is fertile. They're caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface when the egg is formed, and indicate a very fresh egg. You can easily remove them with the tip of a knife, if desired.

Cook eggs especially thoroughly for infants, pregnant women, the elderly, the ill, or anyone with a compromised immune system.

2torial #0535: Learn2 Fry an Egg Add the eggs Break the egg on the rim of the pan. To do so, hit the egg's mid-section against the rim. Do this carefully, but firmly enough to crack the shell sufficiently without breaking the yolk or getting any part of the shell in the pan. Once it's cracked, use both hands to break the shell open (at or near the center of the pan), and let the egg fall in. If a piece of the shell falls in, remove it with a knife. Reduce the heat to low as soon as the eggs are in the pan. Cook the eggs slowly, and occasionally spoon some of the oil or butter onto the top of the eggs to baste them, if desired. You can use a clean knife to see if the eggs are done by sticking its tip into the whites about one-quarter inch away from the yolks. When you remove the knife, no white should be sticking to it. The eggs are done when the whites are completely set and the yolks begin to thicken (but aren't hard). Option: You can cover the pan with a lid while you're waiting, lifting it occasionally to baste the eggs or just leaving it on entirely. This will ensure the top half of the eggs are entirely cooked, and should be considered if you like your eggs sunny-side up (eggs served with the yolk facing up) or don't want to baste them. For sunny-side up: Go to Step 3. For over-easy (eggs flipped while cooking, but the yolk is runny when you break it): When you're sure the whites are just about completely set and the yolk is firm enough, use your spatula to turn the egg over. Carefully slide the spatula entirely under the egg. Keeping the spatula as low and as near to the pan as possible, slowly turn the egg over. Lift the spatula and wait about 15 seconds. For over-medium or over-hard: Same as over-easy, but once the egg is turned over, wait 30 seconds to 1 minute (or more), depending on how hard you want the yolk. An over-hard egg will have a yolk with a consistency similar to that of a boiled egg. Step 3