Whip up sesame-crusted eggs for your Japanese breakfast

To get the best results from cooking eggs, use the freshest ones you have.

In a fresh egg, there will be two distinct parts of the egg white — a thick, jelly-like albumen-rich layer surrounding the center and a thinner portion toward the edge — and the plump yolk. Over time, the proteins in egg whites liquify and these layers become less distinguishable.

There are, as always, exceptions to the rule of “fresh is best.” Hard-boiled eggs for egg sandwiches, for example, are much easier to peel if they are at least a week old. Over time, the egg white shrinks away from the shell as the inner air expands, allowing the layers to separate more easily.