Shelled egg staging device, method of storing shelled eggs and method of cooking shelled eggs

Abstract

A food staging device particularly suited for shelled eggs, a method of storing shelled eggs, and a method of cooking shelled eggs are provided. The shelled egg staging device comprises an elongated body, individual receiving receptacles, a pour spout associated with each receiving receptacle, and a handle. The food staging device can be used to hold shelled eggs prior to cooking, for example. A method of storing shelled eggs in a shelled egg staging device is provided. A method of cooking the shelled eggs is provided and comprises containing shelled eggs in a food staging device and pouring the shelled eggs onto a cooking surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying drawings form part of the specification and like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a food staging device in accordance with the invention that is particularly suitable for shelled eggs.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the staging device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the staging device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the staging device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a plurality of staging devices of FIG. 1 stored in a refrigerated drawer.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a method in accordance with the invention for using the staging device to prepare cooked eggs.

Claims

1. A shelled egg staging device comprising: an elongated body comprising a plurality of spaced apart, single, shelled whole egg receiving receptacles; a separate pour spout associated with each one of said plurality of receptacles to facilitate pouring shelled whole eggs from the receptacles; anda handle attached to the body.

2. The shelled egg staging device of claim 1 wherein said receiving receptacles are in a linear array.

3. The shelled egg staging device of claim 2 wherein said linear array comprises four receiving receptacles.

4. The shelled egg staging device of claim 1 further comprising one shelled egg within each of said receiving receptacles.

5. The shelled egg staging device of claim 1 wherein said pour spout further comprises an upstanding protrusion.

6. The shelled egg staging device of claim 2 wherein said body has an end and said handle is located at the end of the body.

7. The shelled egg staging device of claim 2 wherein said receiving receptacles are generally square in shape, arranged corner-to-corner along said linear array.

8. The shelled egg staging device of claim 1 wherein said receiving receptacles are generally circular and are sufficiently large to contain one shelled whole egg.

9. The shelled egg staging device of claim 6 wherein said elongated body is approximately symmetrical about said middle of the width.

10. The shelled egg staging device of claim 1 further comprising two separate pour spouts on opposite sides of said body and each of said two separate pour spouts is associated with a respective one of said plurality of receptacles.

11. A method of storing shelled eggs for subsequent cooking comprising: a. providing a shelled egg staging device comprising an elongated body comprising a plurality of spaced apart, single, shelled whole egg receiving receptacles, a separate pour spout associated with each one of said plurality of receptacles to facilitate pouring shelled whole eggs from the receptacles, and a handle attached to the body;b. shelling an egg;c. placing the shelled egg into one of the receptacles;d. repeating steps (b) and (c) with at least one additional egg so that at least two receptacles each contain one shelled egg; and thereafter,e. storing the shelled eggs in the shelled egg staging device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising repeating steps (b) and (c) until each receptacle contains one shelled egg.

13. The method of storing shelled eggs of claim 12 further comprising placing a plurality of filled staging devices in a storage compartment.

14. The method of storing shelled eggs of claim 11 further comprising placing said shelled egg staging device in refrigerated storage.

15. A method of cooking shelled eggs comprising: a. providing a shelled egg staging device comprising an elongated body comprising a plurality of spaced apart, single, shelled whole egg receiving receptacles, a separate pour spout associated with each one of said plurality of receptacles to facilitate pouring shelled whole eggs from the receptacles, and a handle attached to the body and having shelled eggs in the receptacles; andb. pouring the shelled eggs from the staging device onto a cooking surface.

16. The method of cooking shelled eggs of claim 15 further comprising pouring the eggs from the staging device onto the cooking surface substantially simultaneously.

17. The method of cooking shelled eggs of claim 15 further comprising pouring the shelled eggs from the staging device into egg rings comprising a center-to-center spacing on a grill surface.

18. The method of cooking shelled eggs of claim 17 wherein the shelled eggs have a yolk, and further comprising breaking the yolk of said shelled eggs during pouring of the shelled eggs from the staging device by catching the egg yolk with a yolk-breaking implement mounted on the staging device.

19. The method of cooking shelled eggs of claim 17 wherein said egg staging device further comprises center-to-center spacing that is approximately the same as the center-to-center spacing of said egg rings.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said egg staging device further comprises a center-to-center spout spacing that is approximately the same as the center-to-center spacing of said egg rings.

21. The method of cooking shelled eggs of claim 15 further comprising: maintaining the shelled eggs on the cooking surface for a period of time sufficient to cook the eggs; and removing the cooked eggs from the cooking surface substantially simultaneously.