When I was a little girl, my mom used to make soft boiled eggs and soldiers for breakfast. I would dip the soldiers into the warm, soft yolk and eat them. It’s a warm memory I hold dear to my heart. I’ve been eating soft boiled eggs for breakfast for many years because of my mom. Though I don’t partake in the “soldiers” anymore, every once in a while I tell my kids about them and smile. My mom would butter a slice of bread and then cut it into sticks. She called them soldiers. I don’t know if she made it up, brought it with her from England, or heard about here in the states. I just know that I loved them.
I lost my mom when she was just 45 years old. I was 23, so I wasn’t a little girl anymore, but I hadn’t finished growing up yet. I still hadn’t had any children of my own, so my babies never met their grandmother, they’ve only seen pictures and heard my stories. I still had so many questions to ask, so many things I wanted, and needed to say. In September, it’ll be 20 years since I said goodbye to her. She may have left this Earth, but she never left my heart. I still miss her just as much as I did back then. I still cry once or twice a week without fail, like today. Every once in a while I’ll open a photo album just to see her face and brush my fingers across it, as if to hug her somehow.
And I still think about her every single time I make a soft boiled egg. Today, I wanted soldiers. I don’t know why. I just did. So this post is for you mom. God, I miss you.
Soft Boiled Eggs & Soldiers
2 eggs
1 or 2 slices of bread
spreadable butter or margarine
Put eggs in a saucepan deep enough to cover the eggs with an inch or so water above. Bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water gets to a rolling boil, set the timer for 3 minutes.
Right after setting the timer, butter bread if you prefer them untoasted. Otherwise pop the bread in the toaster, then butter it. Cut into sticks.
When timer goes off, remove eggs from water with a spoon. Serve in egg cups.
What a lovely tribute to your mother. Very sweet. And what a fun recipe to share with your children with memories of her. Someday they will share it with theirs! Thanks for sharing, very special.
oh wow this is huge in the UK In love this
Thank you Kayte :) I sure do miss her!
Rebecca – thank you for telling me that! I wasn't sure if it came from England or not. She never toasted them for me, but I decided to toast them today, not sure why. :)
Oh my gosh you made me cry!!! My mama died the same year I turned 40 and it was still so hard even then being a grown woman. I miss her all the time too – ran across an old family video recently from one of our big 4th of July parties. It was the first time I had heard her voice since she died and I had a meltdown. She also gave me my Kitchen Aid the Christmas she died (she died a few days before) and for awhile every time I used it I bawled.
She used to make soft boiled eggs for my daddy all the time. We didn't have the egg holders, but we put them in a big bowl with lots of butter. Yum!!! We always had buttered toast with them but the "soldiers" thing is new to me though. I guess that is a British thing! Cool.
{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}
This got me all choked up. I'm really close to my mom, it would be really hard to be without her. This is a fun breakfast idea for kid…and grown-ups.
Thank you for sharing the story about your mother. What a great memory of her making this yummy breakfast. My mom did something much like this for me when I was little (but your mom calling it soldiers was so much more clever). My mom would make me a soft egg and break it up over the toast and then cut it into squares with the fork. I loved the runny egg on the toast.
love this! it sounds so comforting right now!
I haven't had soft boiled eggs in a Looooong time! What a fun/delicious way to eat them! I will have to make some "soldiers." :)
Yep, the soldiers are a childhood memory for me in Scotland too. I rarely eat soft boiled eggs now, maybe I should try them again.
Childhood memories of "soldiers" for me too, here in Australia. My mum is from England so I presume it originated from the UK. I used to make them for my daughter too when she was younger, not so much now!
I also choked up…My mom makes these, too, as did my grandmother. Always called them soldiers, too, very British! (though we're from NJ, but the roots are British)
Wow, I am really sentimental this morning myself. It is hard no matter what age you are to lose someone you love so much, but I could not imagine losing my mom at such a young age. My heart goes out to you. We need to all love and appreciate who we have in our lives while we have them because it can happen in an instant that we lose them.
Oh my gosh I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face. I can only imagine how much you miss her and want to share your own kids with her. Food gives us so many great memories.
A very sweet memory. I have never tried a soft boiled egg, but here is a cute Soldier Egg Cup and Toast Cutter at http://www.prezzybox.com and definitely appears British. ::hugs::
I love soft-cooked eggs and buttered toast. So yummy! :)
Hi, i just found your blog and love it! Particularly this post. I am very sorry for the loss of your mom at such a young age. I am 30 and lost my mom just a couple of years ago so I was in my twenties also. This post made me smile because it's something she used to make for me too. I am from England and can say that this is a popular thing to eat there. It's funny the things that can hold memories for us.
I was born in the states but my family is British , I remember Googy Eggs and Soldiers since I was a very small child…Brings a big grin everytime I think of it !!!
Such a nice post, thanks for sharing.
Toasted soldiers is with no doubt my fave breakfast, just a little in front of lucky charms!!!
Toasted soldiers are a big thing in England, I feel it reminds people of childhood somehow. I'm 23 and this big kid isn't giving up on them yet!!
Thank you everyone for your kind comments! :)