World’s Fastest Omelet Maker and the American Egg Board Launch ‘The Search for America’s Worst Cook’ to Show the Simplicity of Cooking Eggs

PARK RIDGE, Ill., April 17 /PRNewswire/ — On a first name basis with the pizza delivery person? Consider the fire extinguisher a kitchen accessory? If you feel like a misfit when it comes to cooking, you are not alone. According to a new survey from the American Egg Board(1), nearly half of America’s home cooks (44 percent) experience an all-out disaster in the kitchen — whether it’s burning or improperly cooking meals or creating a mess of ingredients and utensils — at least several times a year, and even more (47 percent) know someone who is in desperate need of basic cooking skills.

Fear the stove no more. Howard Helmer, the Guinness World Records “World’s Fastest Omelet Maker,” wants to help even the most challenged cooks. Helmer says that eggs are the ideal choice for cooks of all ability levels who are looking for quick, easy and foolproof meal solutions for one person or for an entire family.

Get Cracking with Helmer’s Eggs-cellent Advice

“One of the most versatile foods in the refrigerator, eggs are quicker and easier to prepare than people think,” says Helmer. “They can be used to make a wide variety of everyday meals to suit everyone’s tastebuds. And since eggs provide the highest quality protein and average only 12 cents per egg, they also are a nutritious and economical solution.”

While most home cooks think they know what they’re doing when it comes to preparing eggs — 70 percent feel their cooking ability is above average and know how to scramble, fry and hard-cook eggs — they have little or no familiarity with preparing simple stand-outs like strata casseroles (90%), frittatas (82%) and quiches (63%), according to the survey.

Helmer is convinced that anyone can master these dishes and recommends breakfast and brunch favorites like Saucy Pasta & Veggie Frittata, Ham & Asparagus Strata and Quiche Provencale for savory one-dish dinners. No time to slice and dice ingredients? Stop by the supermarket salad bar to pick up favorite fillings or use leftovers — such as vegetables or meats that have already been cut — for foolproof meals in minutes.

According to Helmer, even a novice can become a master in the kitchen; all it takes is a can-do attitude. “The trick to cooking is not necessarily perfecting a technique right away, but having the confidence to roll up your sleeves and try your hand at preparing an unfamiliar dish,” says Helmer. Egg dishes are so versatile and simple that they are ideal for home cooks who want to experiment with a variety of new cooking techniques.

The Search for America’s Worst Cook

To help home cooks — whether whizzes or wannabes — learn the basics of egg cooking and prove that even a kitchen klutz can become an eggs-pert, the American Egg Board is launching “The Search for America’s Worst Cook” contest. Entering is easy — just visit http://www.americasworstcook.com/ and tell us in an essay of 200 words or less why you or someone you know is in desperate need of basic cooking skills. In addition, video and/or photographs can be submitted but are not necessary for entry. The winner of the contest will receive a free trip for two to New York City, where he or she will take cooking courses at the Institute of Culinary Education and take in the tastes and sights of one of the hottest culinary destinations in the world. The contest ends on June 30, 2007.

To encourage cooks of all levels to get cracking and gain confidence in the kitchen, the American Egg Board is launching a new Web site, http://www.americasworstcook.com/. In addition to contest entry, the Web site features cooking tips and how-to videos from Howard Helmer, recipe ideas and more.

About the American Egg Board (AEB)

AEB is the U.S. egg producer’s link to the consumer in communicating the value of The incredible edible egg(TM) and is funded from a national legislative checkoff on all egg production from companies with greater than 75,000 layers, in the continental United States. The board consists of 18 members and 18 alternates from all regions of the country who are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The AEB staff carries out the programs under the board direction. AEB is located in Park Ridge, Ill. Visit http://www.aeb.org/ for more information.

1) Impulse Research for American Egg Board, March 2007. Survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1,053 men and women aged 18 plus representing a cross-section of the U.S. population. Research was conducted in February and March 2007. The overall sampling error for this survey is +/- 3% at the 95% level of confidence.

 

For more information, contact:
Lauren Cobey
312-240-2897
lauren.cobey@edelman.com