In US, a pastry chef attempts to crack an egg-free menu
Since avian flu turned eggs into a luxury item, pastry chef Annie Clemmons has spent countless hours in her Maryland workshop, racking her brains about how to replace them in her recipes.
"It won't taste like chickpeas!" she told AFP as she poured aquafaba -- the watery byproduct of the cooked pulses -- into the bowl of her electric mixer.
A customer had recently ordered a meringue-based red fruit pavlova, and requested that it be delivered the same day.
Instead of beating egg whites until they are stiff, as in the traditional recipe, Clemmons uses an alternative well known to vegan and egg-intolerant cooks.
"It takes a bit longer," she said, adding: "you won't see the difference in color or taste."
And for the custard, she uses cornstarch as a thickener.
"It won't be as creamy," she said, adding a spoonful of cardamom to enhance the flavor.
- 'Like gold' -
The increasing number of outbreaks of avian flu on US farms has made eggs an expensive -- and rare -- commodity.
And so Clemmons has been looking for ways to replace this "foundational ingredient."
"They're like gold," she said, showing off the 20 eggs she still has in stock. "Never in a million years did I think it would be a luxury item."
Annie Clemmons, owner of online bakery Chapman's DC, bakes an eggless pavlova in the ghost kitchen she uses for her business in Silver Spring, Maryland, on March 17, 2025. Since avian flu turned eggs into a luxury item, pastry chef Annie Clemmons has spent countless hours in her Maryland workshop, racking her brains about how to replace them in her recipes. The increasing number of outbreaks of avian flu on US farms has made eggs an expensive - and rare - commodity.
She estimates that an egg that used to cost eight cents now costs 45 cents -- more than five times the price.
The 51-year-old set up Chapman's DC -- a pastry home-delivery business -- in 2020, after her hotel and restaurant-sector work dried up due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"I have to think really hard about when I'm going to use those eggs," said Clemmons, whose business delivers to homes in the Washington metro area. "I don't know next time I'll be able to use eggs with abandon."
"I'm grateful again that I have substitutes and other tools to use, but I really, really wish we could get the egg back soon," she added.
- No end point -
The White House this week touted a sharp drop in wholesale prices for standard eggs "for three straight weeks."
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, this is the result of both sluggish demand in the face of high prices and a respite of avian flu, which has so far led to the euthanasia of more than 30 million laying hens.
"However, these declines have yet to be reflected at store shelves," the agency said in a recent statement.
According to consumer price index data, egg prices increased by over 12 percent in February, and by close to 59 percent from a year before.
Clemmons noted that President Donald Trump promised that the price of groceries would start to fall on the day after he took office.
"I can't see the end point," she said.
The single mother said she prides herself on her customers' support when they are faced with adjusted recipes or price increases.
But, she added, the new administration's mass layoffs of federal workers has undoubtedly hampered demand for her cakes.
"I live in the Washington DC area and a huge portion of my community has suffered a disruption, this upheaval of losing their income, their jobs, their livelihood," she said.
"People are being a little more cautious with their spending," she added. "So I don't get as many orders."
Beyond eggs, Clemmons said she is also concerned about a potential knock-on effect from Trump's tariff policies on another essential ingredient: sugar.
If sugar prices were to rise sharply, Clemmons expects she would then reach her limit, and could be forced to start looking for a new job. —AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Million-plus pilgrims begin haj under blazing sun
More than a million pilgrims joined Islam's most important rite under a beating sun on Wednesday, as the Haj kicked off with the Saudi hosts scrambling to avoid last year's 1,000-plus deaths in sweltering heat. With temperatures expected to top 40 degrees Celsius, robed pilgrims slowly circled the Kaaba — the black cube at the heart of Mecca's Grand Mosque which is Islam's holiest site. State media reported that others had begun arriving in the sprawling tent city of Mina on Mecca's outskirts where they will stay overnight before the Haj's high-point on Thursday — on Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is believed to have delivered his final sermon. About 1.4 million pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of the Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam. Authorities have ratcheted up heat protection measures such as extra shade to avoid a repeat of last year, when 1,301 people died as temperatures hit 51.8C. On Wednesday, pilgrims performed the 'Tawaf' — walking seven times around the Kaaba. Before entering Mecca, pilgrims must first enter a state of purity, called 'Ihram', which requires special dress and behaviour. Men don a seamless shroud-like white garment that emphasises unity among believers, regardless of their social status or nationality. Women, in turn, wear loose dresses, also white, exposing just their faces and hands. Pilgrims arriving on buses had begun already trickling into Mina on Tuesday afternoon, greeted by staff offering them coffee and dates. 'I am so happy, it's such an amazing feeling,' said Reem al Shogre, a 35-year-old Saudi performing the pilgrimage for the first time. Artificial intelligence Following last year's lethal heatwave, authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials to improve protection. Shaded areas have been enlarged by 50,000 square metres, thousands of additional medics will be on standby and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, Hajj Minister Tawfiq al Rabiah said last week. Artificial intelligence technology will help process the deluge of data, including video from a new fleet of drones, to better manage the massive crowds. Authorities said most of the deaths last year were among unregistered pilgrims who lacked access to air-conditioned tents and buses. This year, they have cracked down on the unregistered, using frequent raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts. Haj permits are allocated to countries on a quota basis and distributed to individuals. But even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs prompt many to attempt the Haj without a permit, even though they risk arrest and deportation if caught. Large crowds at the Haj have proved hazardous in the past, most notably in 2015 when a stampede during the 'stoning the devil' ritual in Mina killed up to 2,300 people in the deadliest haj disaster. — AFP
Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Million-plus pilgrims begin hajj under blazing sun
Mecca, Saudi Arabia: More than a million pilgrims joined Islam's most important rite under a beating sun on Wednesday, as the hajj kicked off with the Saudi hosts scrambling to avoid last year's 1,000-plus deaths in sweltering heat. With temperatures expected to top 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), robed pilgrims slowly circled the Kaaba -- the black cube at the heart of Mecca's Grand Mosque which is Islam's holiest site. State media reported that others had begun arriving in the sprawling tent city of Mina on Mecca's outskirts where they will stay overnight before the hajj's high-point Thursday -- prayers on Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his final sermon. About 1.4 million pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of the hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam that must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means. Authorities have ratcheted up heat protection measures such as extra shade to avoid a repeat of last year, when 1,301 people died as temperatures hit 51.8C (125.2F). On Wednesday, pilgrims will perform the tawaf -- walking seven times around the Kaaba, which Muslims pray towards each day. Before entering Mecca, pilgrims must first enter a state of purity, called ihram, which requires special dress and behaviour. Men don a seamless shroud-like white garment that emphasises unity among believers, regardless of their social status or nationality. Women, in turn, wear loose dresses, also white, exposing just their faces and hands. Pilgrims arriving on buses had begun already trickling into Mina on Tuesday afternoon, greeted by staff offering them coffee and dates. "I am so happy, it's such an amazing feeling," said Reem al-Shogre, a 35-year-old Saudi performing the pilgrimage for the first time. - Artificial intelligence - Following last year's lethal heatwave, authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials to improve protection. Shaded areas have been enlarged by 50,000 square metres (12 acres), thousands of additional medics will be on standby and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, Hajj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told AFP last week. Artificial intelligence technology will help process the deluge of data, including video from a new fleet of drones, to better manage the massive crowds. Authorities said most of the deaths last year were among unregistered pilgrims who lacked access to air-conditioned tents and buses. This year, they have cracked down on the unregistered, using frequent raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts. Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota basis and distributed to individuals by lottery. But even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs prompt many to attempt the hajj without a permit, even though they risk arrest and deportation if caught. Large crowds at the hajj have proved hazardous in the past, most notably in 2015 when a stampede during the "stoning the devil" ritual in Mina killed up to 2,300 people in the deadliest hajj disaster. Saudi Arabia earns billions of dollars a year from the hajj, and the lesser pilgrimage known as umrah, undertaken at other times of the year.
Observer
3 days ago
- Observer
Philippines warns of health emergency as HIV cases soar
Philippine medical authorities on Tuesday warned of a looming "public health emergency" as HIV infections have soared this year, with young males especially hard-hit. On average, 57 new cases a day were tallied in the country of 117 million people over the first three months of 2025, a 50 percent jump from a year earlier, health department data shows. "We now have the highest number of new cases here in the Western Pacific," Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said in a video message released Tuesday. "What is frightening is, our youth make up many of the new cases," he said. "It would be in our interest to (declare) a public health emergency, a national emergency for HIV to mobilise the entire society, the whole of government to help us in this campaign to reduce the number of new HIV cases," Herbosa added. The health department said 95 percent of newly reported cases were male, with 33 percent aged 15-24 and 47 percent aged 25-34. The government did not explain the causes behind the surge, which it said had set back government attempts to hit global targets set by a United Nations campaign to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Under Philippine law, the president can declare a health emergency if an epidemic poses a threat to national security. The start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 was the last time that was done. Just 55 percent of those living with HIV in the Philippines have been diagnosed, the health department said, while only 66 percent of those diagnosed are on life-saving antiretroviral therapy. Sexual contact remains the predominant mode of transmission, with the bulk of cases since 2007 attributed to men having sex with men. HIV cases have been on the rise in the Philippines since 2021, with 252,800 people estimated to be living with HIV in the country by the end of this year.
