This morning, why not have a delicious steamed egg for breakfast?
So many of my readers and viewers ask me how to make the perfect steamed egg - when the white of the egg is firm, and the yolk is silky, creamy, and liquid gold. Steamed eggs, soft-boiled eggs, and hard-boiled eggs are all great with toast, or as an addition to salads, or even alone as a quick snack. My eggs are as fresh as can be - they come straight from my chicken coops every day. Eggs are also very nutritious. A large egg contains about six-grams of protein, plus other nutrients, including vitamin D and choline. And, best of all, making the perfect egg is so easy.
Here are some photos and my step-by-step method for steamed eggs, enjoy.
As many of you know, I’ve long enjoyed raising chickens. I began raising chickens many years ago, primarily for their delicious fresh eggs. And I use a lot of them. Aside from enjoying one or two myself on any given day, I share them with my daughter and grandchildren, I cook flavorful dishes such as frittatas for guests and my crew at the farm, and I use many eggs for various cooking shoots. Here is a bowl of fresh eggs on my kitchen counter. When hens lay eggs, they have a natural coating called the “bloom” that helps keep out bacteria. Washing eggs can drive some bacteria in through the pores of the shell, so I don’t wash them before cooking. I always just wipe them with a warm damp cloth to get rid of any dirt and place them in this giant bowl.
I have about 200-chickens down in my poultry yard. They’re all beautiful birds. I I’ve grown fond of caring for them, and learning about their many different breeds and varieties.
Here’s a hen sitting in her nesting box – I wonder if she’s sitting on an egg? In general, hens become mature enough to lay eggs around six months of age, though this varies slightly by breed. Healthy hens are able to lay an egg about once a day.
To steam the perfect egg, one needs a saucepan with a lid and a steamer.
These stainless steel expandable steamer baskets are easy to find.
Just fill the pot to the bottom of the steamer basket – about an inch-and-a-half.
Then place the saucepan on the stove and turn it on high to boil.
While waiting, select your eggs. I chose six large eggs. I do not refrigerate my eggs. Freshly laid eggs can be left at room temperature for at least a month.
The water is just about boiling. A covered pot boils faster than an uncovered one because the cooling presence of the room’s atmosphere is greatly diminished. And notice, the lid is askew on top of the pot – just so it doesn’t boil-over.
I’m using a large spoon to carefully move the eggs into the pot.
I keep a crock near my stove filled with tasting spoons – large spoons intended to lift out about a 1/2 tablespoon of liquid from a pan or pot for sampling. I also keep some tasting forks close at hand.
Place the eggs carefully into the steamer – six is enough for one layer of eggs in this pot. Try not to stack the eggs if possible.
Set the timer to four-and-a-half minutes.
Place the lid properly on the pot and wait.
Remove the eggs as soon as the timer goes off. Remember, these are large eggs, but depending on the size of the eggs and how one likes them, this time may need some adjusting.
To serve eggs in their shells, I use the edge of a serrated knife to cut off the top.
Look at that beautiful gold color – it’s perfect. Egg yolks range in color from pale yellow to deep orange. The color of an egg’s yolk depends upon the hen’s diet. The darker color of a yolk indicates the hen is fed foods high in carotenoids or antioxidants, which are natural pigments found in greens. My chickens are fed the best scraps including organic vegetables from my gardens.
Add a little salt and pepper and it’s ready to eat.
To serve out of the shell, hold the egg over a small bowl, tap around center with a knife, gently pull the shell apart, and then scoop out the egg with a small spoon.
Here’s another egg with its creamy egg yolk pouring out into the bowl – made to perfection. Minutes really make a difference, but after doing this a few times, one will find their perfectly cooked egg.
Here are the two eggs in the bowl. Again, I added just a little salt and pepper to taste.
Steamed eggs for breakfast – so easy to make and so flavorful and healthy too. Don’t you just want one now? Enjoy.
Here's a fun blog post originally published on May 12, 2025 - my visit to Ladew Topiary Gardens.
I always try to make the most of business trips by visiting beautiful and interesting places in between scheduled commitments.
During a recent visit to Maryland I had the opportunity to visit Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton, just north of Baltimore. Ladew features more than 100 larger than life topiary forms across 22 acres and surrounding an historic Manor House designed and developed by topiary enthusiast, Harvey S. Ladew. As luck would have it, I not only toured the exquisite gardens, but also attended its 17th annual Garden Festival - a specialty plant, garden ornament, and antiques sale with more than 40 vendors from around the region.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
When Harvey Ladew first purchased his Maryland property, he decided he would take on the task of planning and landscaping the gardens himself. I am sure he would be proud of what it looks like today. This is a view across the Great Bowl to the Terraces of the Ladew Manor House. (Photo by Jim Lockard Photography)
The 18th century historic Manor House was completed over three centuries and houses Harvey’s collection of English antiques and equestrian-themed art. The Manor House was a great inspiration for the gardens. (Photo by Helen Norman)
Harvey Ladew began developing his gardens in 1937. After seeing many European gardens, he decided his would have two cross axes to allow for long vistas. The axes would intersect at a swimming pool placed in the center of what is called the Great Bowl. (Photo courtesy of Ladew)
These topiaries are yews, Taxus, and create the wall of the Great Bowl.
Here is a reproduction of what inspired Harvey’s love for topiaries. He had passed a similar sculpted scene during a hunt in England – topiary hounds chasing a fox. In his rendition, he also added riders on their trusted mounts.
Here is one planted over a fence. It is one of the most well-loved topiaries in the garden.
In all, there are more than 100 larger than life topiary forms at Ladew. (Photo courtesy of Ladew)
Here is another topiary on the terrace – simple in design, but wonderfully sculpted.
Here I am at the top of the steps into Harvey’s Garden of Eden. The steps are inscribed with one of his favorite Chinese proverbs – and one of mine, too. It says, “If you want to be happy for a week, take a wife, if you want to be happy for a month kill your pig, but if you would be happy all your life, plant a garden.”
In this corner is a bench in a nook built into the wall of the Rose Garden. The arch features Rosa ‘New Dawn’.
In almost every view around the Manor, one sees mature and meticulously groomed topiary forms.
In the foreground is Nepeta, also known as catmint. In the background is Stachys byzantina ‘Helene von Stein’ with underplanting emerging roses.
Here, topiaries also accent the tulip beds in the Croquet Court.
And this is a view of the Victorian Garden fountain through a bed of rhododendrons and towering Cryptomeria.
On this day, I was lucky to also attend Ladew’s 17th annual Garden Festival.
Hundreds attend this event every year to browse the more than 40 vendor tents. (Photo by Jim Lockard Photography)
Ornamental garden fountains, urns, and furniture can be found at the Festival…
… along with many rare and interesting perennials and annuals, and small trees. Some of the proceeds of the event go to the maintenance and preservation of Ladew.
Here is a colorful selection of Salvia nemerosa, also known as meadow sage.
And this is Sarracenia or pitcher plants – they’re carnivorous.
Here I am with renowned hellebores expert, David Culp. I’ve known him for may years. You may have seen him on my television shows. It was good to catch up with him at Ladew.
Visitors can pick up their purchases at a designated spot. It is very well organized and managed.
And here I am with David, the Garden Festival co-chairs Lynn Janney, Stiles Colwill, Dudley Mason, and Ladew Director, Emily Emerick. If you’re ever in the area, I encourage you to visit Ladew Topiary Gardens.
While my blog team is away this week, enjoy this encore blog originally posted on May 16, 2025.
There's no better place to find gardening ideas and inspirations than at a botanical garden, especially the New York Botanical Garden - a national historic landmark and major educational institution.
If you haven't yet been to the NYBG, I encourage you to visit. There’s always something beautiful to see - right now, its perennial plants collection, herbaceous peonies, and many of its mature trees, shrubs, and hedges are lush with spring growth. The gardening season is just beginning - stop by and get inspired.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
This is the magnificent Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, where many of the indoor plant exhibitions are held. As the nation’s largest Victorian glasshouse, it is among the grandest indoor spaces in the world.
Originally constructed in 1902, the steel and glass Conservatory includes a 90-foot tall domed Palm Gallery and 10 attached glasshouse galleries.
Just outside the Conservatory is a perennial garden featuring a series of themed areas of plants, planted in pots and in the ground. It is a blend of perennials, grasses, bulbs, shrubs, and trees that flower through the year.
This is a variegated yellow-twig dogwood, Cornus sercea ‘Silver and Gold’ – a dogwood variety that is grown for its bold variegated foliage and its yellow winter stems.
If you’re looking for interesting grasses, this is a golden-variegated Hakone grass, Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola.’ Ornamental grasses require little maintenance. It thrives best in a location with partial shade and moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
This is a beautybush, Kolkwitzia amabilis ‘Pink Cloud’ in full bloom. This tree is a member of the honeysuckle family and boasts clusters of bell-shaped, pink flowers with yellow throats in mid-spring.
Recognize this perennial? I have these plants growing at my farm. It’s Heuchera, also known as coral bells. This variety is ‘Midnight Rose” with dark purple to almost black leaves and pink spots that change color in summer.
Blooming now is the Siberian iris. This is Iris sibirica ‘Christmas Wish.’ These dainty irises with their smaller, beardless flowers are easy-to-grow and drought-tolerant.
Here is one of the NYBG’s well-manicured parterres. A parterre is an area usually seen with boxwood hedging surrounding perennials, herbs, and other flowers.
Potted up on a wall of an edible garden are these charming Johnny Jump-Ups – small, sweet, whimsical flowers that come in shades of yellow, purple, and white. It’s also known as Wild Pansy, Heart’s Ease, or Viola tricolor. And yes, these flowers can be eaten.
Here’s my head gardener kneeling next to a hedge of Lily of the valley, Convallaria majalis – a wild flowering plant with sweetly scented, pendent, bell-shaped white flowers. It is native to cool regions of Europe, North America, and Asia.
It’s peony time! Visiting the NYBG now, one will see the row of beautiful, sweet-smelling herbaceous peonies. Even after several days of rain, these blooms are still so eye-catching.
These peonies are called ‘Pink Kisses.’ They are smaller, deep pink flowers that grow abundantly with about two or three buds per stem. The blooms grow up to 26-inches tall and are quite fragrant.
This light pink Chinese peony is ‘Pink Venus.’ It is a semi-double peony in soft cameo pink. It’s blooms grow up to six-and-a-half inches wide with red tipped stigmas and good stem strength.
Paeonia ‘Coral Charm’ has huge bowl shaped flowers with bold coral color. The color lightens to a pale cream deeper into the bloom.
And Paeonia ‘Festiva Maxima’ is a double, white peony with edges accented with crimson. This variety is a longtime favorite for growers – it originated in France in 1851.
Peony ‘ Chiffon Clouds’ is a very soft salmon color with ruffled petals. It grows to 36-inches in height with good stem strength, fragrance, and reliable foliage.
Paeonia ‘Kevin’ has large, double pink blooms that show lighter pink in the center. It makes an excellent cut flower.
This peony variety is called ‘Buckeye Belle.’ It’s a semi-double, velvety, dark red flower held on sturdy stems.
And this is ‘Burma Joy’ – soft red blossoms that are single and tulip-cupped shaped that grow to a height of up to 28-inches. If you’re in the New York City area this weekend, go to the New York Botanical Garden -there’s so much to see, enjoy, and learn.
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