# "I want eggs" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504 "2005-05-18T23:49:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/1 "2005-05-18T23:49:21Z")
I hear this often in films. The son walks into the kitchen and the mother asks “do you want [insert choice here] or eggs” and the son says “eggs” Since when was ‘eggs’ a meal? I saw this most recently when I watched Wimbledon (Kirsten Dunst, Paul Bettany) on Sky Box Office. I don’t recall what the meal involved but the exchange was something like “Do you want toast or eggs?” and bettany said “eggs”. Is there really a meal titled ‘eggs’? If so what does it involve other than the obvious? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/2 "2005-05-18T23:55:29Z")
Well, in the “toast or eggs” context, I’d suggest that scrambled eggs are nice for breakfast.\* OK, I would also eat them whenever, but that cos I eat odd things at odd times, mainly eating whatever is cheap. 🙂 \*Oh, and you cna put cheese and tomatoes and mushrooms with them. Munchy munchy! ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/3 "2005-05-19T00:01:03Z")
If It’s scrambled eggs, then why the ‘or’? Because in my experience Toast _and_ scrambled eggs go very well together. The toast gives you a fighting chance of keeping at least some of the scrambled egg on the fork, as we all know forks and scrambled egg hate eachother with a passion. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/4 "2005-05-19T00:25:43Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > If It’s scrambled eggs, then why the ‘or’? Because in my experience Toast _and_ scrambled eggs go very well together. > > The toast gives you a fighting chance of keeping at least some of the scrambled egg on the fork, as we all know forks and scrambled egg hate eachother with a passion. All very true. Oh well, it remains a mystery. Perhaps they are boiled eggs? Yes, before you say it, yes, there should be toast soldiers involved. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/5 "2005-05-19T02:26:42Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > Yes, before you say it, yes, there should be toast soldiers involved. 🙂 Except that Americans don’t use the word “soldiers.” They’re simply “pieces” or “slices” of toast. But yes, a breakfast of eggs is incomplete without toast. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/6 "2005-05-19T02:36:03Z")
Actually, Eggs is an Americanism meaning an 8 oz sirloin, crisp bacon, hash browned potatos, 2 eggs sunny side up, biscuits (no, not cookies) and sausage gravy, corn grits with butter, muffins with marmelade, toasted whole wheat bread slices, fresh squeezed OJ, and hot black coffee. We just call it eggs. Nah, it’s poor writing meant as meaningless filler. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/7 "2005-05-19T02:46:38Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I don’t recall what the meal involved but the exchange was something like “Do you want toast or eggs?” and bettany said “eggs”. Was it: “Do you want french toast or eggs?” Because french toast is very different from toast. I know that french toast is what Americans call it; I don’t remember what the term for it was in English because mom is American so always used the American words. Maybe it’s called egg bread or something? You dip bread in an egg/milk mixture then fry it up. I don’t want to start the eggs versus french toast flame wars, but french toast rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/8 "2005-05-19T03:00:59Z")
We call it French toast here too, not that I know why, it not being toasted, of course. Ooh, that’s something I haven’t eaten for a long time. Hmm, plan for tomorrow. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/9 "2005-05-19T03:05:47Z")
Do the French call it “surrender buffet?” ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/10 "2005-05-19T03:09:20Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > Except that Americans don’t use the word “soldiers.” They’re simply “pieces” or “slices” of toast. Toast soldiers and slices of toast are different things. A definition of Toast Soldiers is a ways down [this page](http://www.word-detective.com/121603.html). ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/11 "2005-05-19T03:14:15Z")
Dammit, now I want eggs.\* But Mr. S has been making omelets all week and we’re out. \*Two eggs over easy, wheat toast lightly buttered, big old glass of OJ. Eat the eggs a bite at a time placed on the toast. Use toast to wipe up the leftover yolk. Yum! ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/12 "2005-05-19T03:23:49Z")
One thing you need to know is that it’s rare for an American to eat a breakfast at home as large as a full English breakfast. A more typical breakfast would be a bowl of cereal with milk and a glass of orange juice. They might eat something like a full English breakfast at a restaurant, but it’s considered a little too complicated to make most mornings. For someone to offer to make scrambled eggs (or French toast) for breakfast would already be a little special. The fact that orange juice, coffee, or tea might be available to drink would be more or less understood and wouldn’t be mentioned most of the time. If someone was making scrambled eggs, they might make toast too without bothering to mention that. Toast, coffee, tea, or orange juice don’t require any particular talent to make. Scrambled eggs are somewhat more difficult and require a little more time. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/13 "2005-05-19T07:47:40Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > We call it French toast here too, not that I know why, it not being toasted, of course. > > Ooh, that’s something I haven’t eaten for a long time. > > Hmm, plan for tomorrow. 🙂 An interesting thing and while there is context… French Toast is known as _Arme Ritter_ (Poor Knight) in German. I wonder if this is an etymological marker and simultaneous clue to this glorious dish’s origin. Was it a popular dish for the lesser Knight, tired of eating his scrap of bread and pilfered egg forever in monotonous and mundane seperation? Was it the medieval equivalent and epiphany of, “Hey you got your peanut butter on my chocolate!..Hey you got your chocolate in my peanut butter!”. I’m just wondering out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Kenneth\_Noisewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@Dr.Kenneth\_Noisewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Kenneth_Noisewater)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/14 "2005-05-19T08:05:54Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Actually, Eggs is an Americanism meaning an 8 oz sirloin, crisp bacon, hash browned potatos, 2 eggs sunny side up, biscuits (no, not cookies) and sausage gravy, corn grits with butter, muffins with marmelade, toasted whole wheat bread slices, fresh squeezed OJ, and hot black coffee. > > We just call it eggs. > > Nah, it’s poor writing meant as meaningless filler. It’s “ARE YOU A VEGAN I DON’T REMEMBER” in man-speeeeak ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/15 "2005-05-19T08:51:18Z")
Man say to his woman, I got me a dream… His woman say, eat your eggs and go to work. Man say, I’m choking to death baby! And his woman say, Your eggs is getting cold. ---
**Author:** ![wayward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wayward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wayward)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/16 "2005-05-19T09:19:56Z")
> [@Wendell Wagner](#): > > One thing you need to know is that it’s rare for an American to eat a breakfast at home as large as a full English breakfast. A more typical breakfast would be a bowl of cereal with milk and a glass of orange juice. They might eat something like a full English breakfast at a restaurant, but it’s considered a little too complicated to make most mornings… Sounds about the same as any normal English person to be honest. I don’t think I know anyone who regularly makes themselves a fry-up every morning. In my experience, a Full English is definitely something that’s reserved for a special treat or hangover cure at the weekend, and even then a visit to the local cafe is much more likely than cooking it yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/17 "2005-05-19T09:26:49Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > We call it French toast here too, not that I know why, it not being toasted, of course. > > Ooh, that’s something I haven’t eaten for a long time. > > Hmm, plan for tomorrow. 🙂 Odd; French toast to me has always meant one of two things: Rectangular crispbreads of the _french toasts_ brand. Toast that has been buttered _before_ toasting. Bread dipped in egg and fried is _fisherman’s toast_, or just _eggy bread_ (yes, I know how juvenile that sounds). At least that’s the way it has always been in the Kingdom of Butter. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/18 "2005-05-19T09:37:56Z")
> [@Wendell Wagner](#): > > \ The fact that orange juice, coffee, or tea might be available to drink would be more or less understood and wouldn’t be mentioned most of the time. If someone was making scrambled eggs, they might make toast too without bothering to mention that. Toast, coffee, tea, or orange juice don’t require any particular talent to make. Scrambled eggs are somewhat more difficult and require a little more time. Usually they will also fry bacon or sausage to go with the eggs in my experience. Either the mother will cook the child’s preferance, or make the “traditional” meat item, and it goes without saying that if eggs are cooked, the meat item will also be cooked. (Unless the household is out of the meat item.) To me, toast is more optional than bacon for breakfast. (I also like one or two scrambled eggs, sausage, and oatmeal for breakfast.) Still, eggs, bacon/sausage, toast etc., and drink aren’t a full English breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/19 "2005-05-19T10:24:45Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > If It’s scrambled eggs, then why the ‘or’? Because in my experience Toast _and_ scrambled eggs go very well together. > > The toast gives you a fighting chance of keeping at least some of the scrambled egg on the fork, as we all know forks and scrambled egg hate eachother with a passion. That’s why I like big fat forks. Those long slender things that come in some sets are good for nothing but stabbing potatoes prior to baking. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504/20 "2005-05-19T11:04:00Z")
Jeez, you guys make me feel like a freak. Every Sunday morning, Mr. singular stumbles into the kitchen and fixes a blurry eye on me as I chirp “Want some eggs?” (me being a morning person, he most decidedly not). Is it the modifier “some” that makes this a sane question? 'Cause that’s usually all I fix - 3 scrambled eggs, with salt, pepper, dash of cream and organic onion powder and a handful of shredded cheddar. “Eggs” is a fast, easy, tasty and filling breakfast. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-eggs/304504.md?page=2)