Good Eggs

SUNNY SIDE ... The egg-themed cookware line from Joie - the Whiskie Egg Whisk, the Yolkie Egg Separator - is pretty much irresistible (so cute, with those little egghead chicks!). I was especially intrigued by the "Small Fry" mini pan that the company pitches as "eggsactly the ideal shape and size for a single egg sandwich, muffin or bagel." So I bought it. And it was eggsactly the right size. But it was also impossible to clean, it turns out. Per the instructions, I always added a little oil or butter to the pan before cooking an egg, and washed it with a nonstick-surface-friendly scrubber afterward. But the finish ended up losing its lustre (not to mention its nonstick-to-itiveness).
So I emailed the Web site of the manufacturer, MSC International. Almost immediately I got an apologetic email in reply, saying that the surface must be defective, and offering to send me a new pan. It arrived in short order. Eggsceptional.

Mastering the Art of Eating Politely

MISSED MANNERS … It's one of the things you learn in Mom School. As soon as your child can pluck up Cheerios with his/her chubby little fingers, start with the rules. Rule Number 1: "Don't talk with your mouth full!" So, was Nora Ephron napping during that lesson? In "Julie & Julia," Ephron's picture about Julia Child, Chris Messina plays the husband - and taste tester - of blogger Julie Powell, who set out to cook every dish in Child's cookbook. Messina gobbled down his food so crudely - it was practically flying out of his mouth as he chomped away - that it turned our stomach. Movie? Delicious. Messina? Disgusting.