How to order eggs in an American diner.

[Vimto]

Would someone with experience of the nomenclature of the terms of cooking fried eggs when ordering them in an American diner please let me in on the secret as I dread the moment when a waiter or more usually, a waitress, asks when I order them. I try to explain that I would like the white firm and the yolk runny with a firm coating. I am then given a pitiful look and the server disappears mumbling something about over- easy, flipped or some equally unfathomable phrase.
A similar thing happens when ordering salad and I am asked if I require dressing and I reply "yes please" and am then asked "what sort?". It is not enough to just expect mayonaise. I am then treated to a recital of up to 240 different types of dressing. I am exaggerating here a little of course but it just seems that many. Could anyone please suggest a suitable answer that will avoid me being the talking point in the kitchens for the rest of the day?

[theshedman]

Hi, the americans call the way you want them Sunny Side up.

[redcrx]

for an egg that has a slight white coating on the yolk ask for "over easy"

as for the salad, if you just want mayonaise then just ask for a plain salad, no dressing, and some mayo on the side perhaps

[theshedman]

Hi again sorry sunny side up is when the top of the yolk is yellow, as redcrx says it is over easy you want.

[redman41]

A style known simply as 'fried' — eggs are fried on both sides with the yolks broken until set or hard.

'Over well' — cooked on both sides until the yolk has solidified.

'Over hard', also called 'hard' — cooked on both sides until the yolk has solidified.

'Over medium' — cooked on both sides; the yolk is of medium consistency and the egg white is thoroughly cooked.

'Over easy', also called 'runny' — cooked on both sides; the yolk is a thin liquid, while the egg white is partially cooked. "Over easy" fried eggs are also commonly referred to as dippy eggs or dip eggs by Marylanders and by Pennsylvania Dutch persons living in southern Pennsylvania, mainly due to the practice of dipping toast into the yolk while eating. Also called treasure eggs in southwestern Pennsylvania.

'Sunny side up' — cooked only on one side; yolk is liquid (the oil or fat may be used to baste the sunny side, however.) The egg white is often still rather runny as well. This is often known simply as 'eggs up'. Covering the frying pan with a lid during cooking allows for a less "runny" egg, and is an alternate method to flipping for cooking an egg over easy (this is occasionally called 'sunny side down').

[Clanad]

I could probably argue with the egg thing, but redman41 covers it fairly well. Problem is, the differing terms are very regional... An over-hard egg in the southern U.S. becomes "over-and-break-it" here in the western U.S.

However, as far as the salad dressings go, you'll find a reasonably consisten stock-in-trade around the country. The top five offerings are Italian (not to be confused with vinegar and oil) Ranch, Blue Cheese, French and Thousand Island. True, each restaurant may have a specialty, but if you hear one or more you have doubts about just ask for them "on the side" in which case each requested dressing will be brought in it's seperate container... (at my local small town restaurant ("The Busy Bee") the waitress, who calls every one "Honey" the entire bottle is set before you). Ask for the house specialty, if they have one.

Plain mayonaisse on salad? "Elmer, prepare the ride 'em out of town rail!"

Welcome to the U.S., by the way!

[McMouse]

You wouldn't get me ordering eggs in a country that named a State after a bucket of fried chicken.

[Vimto]

Well that was a ton of fun. Thank you all for your contributions. You all now know why I am totally confused but I shall have some amusement in putting your good advice into practice on my coming visit to Texas in May.
Very droll McMouse, you've just have to be from near Glasgow with a name like that: I presume you are referring to Rhode Island reds!! I think in this case the chicken came second. For a representative of a Nation whose preponderance on a Saturday night is to feast on deep fried Mars bars I would keep a little mum about others eating habbits. For myself, I'll stick to black puddings made from pig's blood.

[Quizmonster]

I think it's more likely that McM was referring to Kentucky, don't you, Vimto?

[McMouse]

Thanks Quiz.

[Vimto]

Of course he was but the chicken still came second as the whole point of this thread is that the egg came first. Have to go, tea on the table and guess what? it's egg mayonaise!