"Soft-boiled eggs, please!"

I'm sure anyone can boil eggs.

Well, anyone except me, of course. This morning, daughter number one asked for a boiled egg.

"Hard-boiled or soft-boiled?" I asked her.

"Hmm" she said frowning (my kids always frown when I'm about to cook for them). "What's the difference?"

"Well" I said "Hard-boiled is when the yolk and the white is solid, not runny. Soft-boiled is when it's runny, and you eat it from an egg cup."

"But last time you made me one, it was a bit solid, but I ate it from the egg cup."

"That's true" I said, "but only a bit solid. It could've been worse. No-one told me you had to take the egg out after four minutes if you wanted it runny."

"Well today I'd like it runny please" she said with an expression that told me if it was left in there for four minutes and one second, that would be the last egg I'd ever cook.

I looked at the clock. I waited until the second hand was exactly on the twelve. I dropped the egg into the boiling water and didn't take my eyes off the clock. One minute, two minutes, three minutes, four. I scooped that egg up out of the saucepan and placed it in the egg cup. The moment of truth had arrived. I nervously cracked the top off the egg. It was .....

.... perfect! Not too runny; not solid. Just right. Served with a slice of toast cut into fingers just the right size for dipping, and I have a success!

"It's very yummy Mum" she said approvingly.

"Oh, it was nothing" I said. "Anyone can boil an egg."