Poached, boiled, scrambled, transformed into a medium for painting, added to a cocktail, or thrown into an enemy's home: the greatest possible paradox, the egg remains in a joyful state of suspension between humble household ingredient and eternal source of life.

The egg was already a well-known symbol in ancient times. In ancient Rome, it was used to ward off evil spirits, it found its way into Egyptian mythology, and later the Russian nobility became fascinated with precious egg-shaped artifacts. This first volume in a series published by TASCHEN in collaboration with the cult magazine The Gourmand subjects the egg to visual and literary considerations, celebrating this staple food as an intersection between food and art. Featuring a collection of original essays and archetypal recipes—from the perfect poached egg to elaborate desserts—the book celebrates the diversity of culinary traditions from around the world.