There are thousands of ways to make good eggs and a several ways to make perfect ones. Below I have outlined some ways to make usually perfect eggs of various kinds. Jacque Pepin, whose recipes I have not used here, also has perfected egg-making. Check out his cookbooks or watch his PBS TV shows to get the scoop, if my suggestions don't work for you. The focus here is simple American-style breakfast and snack eggs.
Scrambled Eggs. Take 3 eggs, 1/3 c whole milk, and sea salt to taste. Beat until well-blended, but not frothy. Now, in a non-stick pan, melt unsalted butter on medium-high heat (I use unsalted butter for everything, because I can always add salt--use whatever butter you have, but adjust salt accordingly). When butter just starts to get bubbly and foamy, add the eggs and move them back and forth exposing uncooked egg to the pan surface. Note that eggs will continue to cook after you take them off the heat, so don't overcook them. I like them with pepper so add it now. If you like a little cheese in your eggs, add it already crumbled or shredded durin the last 30 seconds. Fresh herbs, also, should be added at the very end, so they are cooked just enough to expose their flavor.
In Stanley Tucci's BIG NIGHT, one of my favorite movies, they use olive oil in place of butter. This gives the eggs a distinctly different flavor, but one that I like very much. Give it a try. It makes a flatter custard, but it is great on crusty bread. If you are going to go his route, you might as well add a little garlic to the oil and sprinkle the final product with fresh chopped basil and parmesiano reggiano.
Finally, if you want a lighter, loftier outcome, you can separate the yolks from the whites and wisk the whites alone until they get frothy, but not stiff at all. Then fold the yolks back in gently. These eggs will appear to have much more volume when they are cooked. A couple of eggs, looks more like a three-egg omlet.
Fried Eggs. Melt the buter in a non-stick pan on medium heat. It is hot enough when you can't hold your hand over the pan for 10 seconds. The butter will foam up and then calm down. When is gets calm, put eggs in the pan and cover, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 2 1/2 minutes, letting the steam cook the tops. If you like them over easy, flip them after 1 min 45 sec, and cook them on the other side for no more than 45 seconds. They will probably be done at about 30 seconds.
Poached Eggs. Boil water in a skillet with 2 tbls. of white wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. When it is boiling, pour in each egg from a separate cup (in which you cracked the thing). Cook for 4 minutes.
Hard-boiled Eggs. Start with cold water in a medium deep pan. The water should completely over the eggs plus at least 1 inch. Puncture eggs on wide end with a pin or needle. Place eggs in water and bring the water to a boil. Cover the eggs and turn off the heat and let it sit there for 10 minutes. Then dump the eggs into ice water for 5 minutes. This is one where Jacque has a different method that I also like very much. Check it out.
