An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.
Thirty-two. That’s the number of eggs Ross McCurdy can crack in one minute with one hand. If you think that sounds impressive, you’re right. McCurdy holds the Guinness World Record for his feat. The secret to his success? Lots and lots of practice. McCurdy is the owner of a diner in Washington state where an average day has him cracking open a few thousand eggs.
While you might not need to crack a thousand eggs in a day, there are benefits to learning how to crack an egg open with one hand. In the kitchen, where multitasking is critical, being able to keep your other hand available while you crack eggs is a big advantage. You can use that other hand to whisk your eggs into a delicate hollandaise sauce, flip a sizzling pile of hash browns, or lift a mug of steaming coffee. Plus, cracking an egg with one hand looks a lot cooler and more elegant than ham-fisting it apart with both of your mitts.
Illustrated by Ted Slampyak
