Beakerhead festival gets Calgary chefs crackin'

This year, Beakerhead is cooking for eggheads. 

The festival of science, art and technology is challenging Calgary chefs and mixologists to get creative with eggs.

"The egg is just so incredibly versatile in terms of the protein content, the water content, the fat content and depending how you cook it  — it will go from a soufflé to a flan to scramble eggs," said Paul Gordon, coordinator of Beakerhead's Engineered Eats.

There are 24 local restaurants and bars developing a special egg-citing dish or drink for the event this week.

"There's definitely a lot of creativity and excitement in Calgary in the food scene and I think chefs really like to have the opportunity to showcase what they can do outside of perhaps what they would normally do in the restaurant," said Gordon.

Egg proteins change when you heat them, beat them or mix them with other ingredients — making them an ideal food to experiment with in the kitchen.

Some of the more daring dishes being served up include Bite Groceteria's deep fried deviled egg with blue cheese and hot sauce and a glass cup filled with 64.5 C egg yolk, fried egg white foam, bacon powder and brioche from Winebar Kensington.

Gordon says there are no limits or boundaries to the recipes.

"Some things that look like eggs, but aren't egg," he said, referring to a non-egg toad-in-the-hole being served up by The Fine Diner.

Adventurous eaters can pack in the protein from Sept. 16 to 20.

How do you like your eggs?

Here are some ideas from Calgary Eyeopener listeners: