Really, how difficult is it to.......................

[totallyfreaky]

poach a fecking egg?!!

because I cant do it to save my life, arghhhhh.

A drop of vinegar in the water helps the white to coagulate and spinning the water before you put the egg in helps too. Also the egg must be really fresh or else the white will not stay together too well.

I'm with you freaky - I can't do it in a pan of water! I bought a pan with the plastic poaching things already in it - piece of cake now!

I did the drop of vinegar, and spinning the water, the eggs were fresh, though they were in the fridge, should they be room temprature?

The water should be just simmering, if it is boiling sometimes it can be too rough.
I think from the fridge should be ok.

Do it in a ring thingy.

Professional chefs often break it onto a piece of clingfilm, gather up the edges, twist and slide that into the water as it gives a really even shape.

Yes, I think I might have to get one, I got through 6 eggs trying last night

Ooh, might try that.

Take 'em out of the fridge about an hour before you poach them and the eggs have to be under 4 days old.

Delia has a really fool-proof method in her How To Cook book 1, although it doesn't seem to be on her website. Basically you put an inch of water in the pan, wait until there are small bubbles in the bottom then put the eggs in (no swirling). Then let them cook gently for 1 minute then turn the heat off but leave them for another 10 in the hot water. This has never gone wrong for me except when I didn't use fresh eggs.