A Personal Reflection on Eggs, Dippy Days & Modern Egg Magic – I’ve always loved eggs. Simple, wholesome, and endlessly versatile – they’ve been a staple in my diet for as long as I can remember. I am a fan of egg products and growing up, there was one dish that held a special place at our family breakfast table: dippy eggs and toast soldiers. You might know them by another name – soft-boiled eggs with toast strips for dipping – but to me, they’re a taste of childhood comfort and pure joy.
It’s funny how food can transport you. One bite of a runny yolk-soaked toast soldier, and I’m back at our kitchen table, giggling as I cracked open the top of my egg, careful not to let any of that golden yolk go to waste. Mum would time it perfectly – four and a half minutes for that just-right set white and luscious centre. I still don’t know how she did it. When I try now, I either overcook the yolk or end up with egg whites that are suspiciously wobbly.
And the toast? It was serious business. Hot, buttered, crusts off, sliced into perfectly even strips. Those little soldiers were practically royalty in our house – and if you dared to double-dip, well, you were on thin ice.
Here’s a quick recipe refresher in case you’re feeling nostalgic (or brave):
- Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle boil.
- Lower your eggs in gently (I always say a silent prayer here) and boil for exactly 4½ minutes.
- Remove and place in egg cups. Tap off the top with a spoon – not a knife. We’re not animals.
- Serve with toast, cut into soldiers (crusts optional, depending on your level of childhood trauma).
- Eat. Grin like a five-year-old.
Honestly, I could eat dippy eggs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Add a bit of Marmite or a pinch of flaky salt on the toast and it’s basically a spiritual experience.
Beyond the nostalgia factor, eggs are seriously good for you. They’re one of the most complete natural sources of protein, packed with essential amino acids. You’ve got vitamin B12 for your brain, riboflavin for energy, and selenium to keep your immune system in check. And despite what we were told in the ’90s, eggs won’t ruin your cholesterol. In fact, they can help keep you full and balanced throughout the day.
But these days, I’ve started caring a lot more about where my food comes from. I think many of us have. We read the labels, ask the questions, and make different choices because we want to feel good about what we’re putting in our bodies – and on our plates.
Which brings me to a fascinating brand I recently discovered: Cocotine a French co-operative brand making egg-based products for catering professionals. This is not just about convenience (though it’s got that in spades – omelettes, liquid eggs, poached eggs, you name it). It’s about values. The brand was created by producers themselves – real farmers – over 230 of them working together in a co-operative system. That means they’re not just suppliers; they’re part of the process, and they’re being supported to do things better. Some are even converting to organic and free-range systems, with help from the co-op to modernise their farms.
Their eggs come from hens raised without cages – reared on the ground, free-range, or organically. And with processing sites based in France, close to the farms, the eggs don’t travel far before they’re turned into the wide range of products Cocotine offers. That means fresher results, better quality control, and – for catering professionals – less worry about food safety, shelf life, or consistency.
I’m not in catering, but if I were feeding hundreds of people on a tight schedule, I’d want that kind of reliability. And even as a home cook, I find it refreshing to see a brand putting farmers and ethics at the centre of the process.
So, whether you’re recreating your childhood dippy eggs with the perfectly gooey centre, or you’re dishing out egg-based meals in a professional kitchen, one thing’s for sure: eggs still have the power to nourish, comfort, and connect us – to our past, to our values, and to the people behind our food.
Poppy Watt