On Sun, 25 Dec 2011 09:08:52 +0100, "Giusi" >
wrote:

>
>"Cheri" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>> "Paul M. Cook" > wrote in message
>
>>>> Which is better to use when beating egg whites to a stiff peak: fresh
>>>> eggs or older eggs?? TIA.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Fresh, and use an imaculately clean bowl. Copper if you have one.
>
>>
>> Or just beat egg whites in a bowl, any bowl, and it works. Room temp works
>> best.
>
>Bad advice. If you have never had them refuse to whip you are lucky. The
>faintest hint of fat and they won't do it. Plastic hides fat so it's better
>to avoid it.

Reasonably intelligent folks don't use plastic bowls for beating
anything in the kitchen, most use stainless steel or glass/ceramic.
What's more important to note is to be absolutely certain not to
permit any yolk in with the whites, a tiny speck will ruin the
merengue attempt.

>The copper bowl creates a bit of acid as the whisk hits it,
>that's why it helps them get higher and lighter, but of course these days
>not so many have a $400 copper bowl.

A $400 copper bowl is foodtv claptrap... one can buy a balloon whisk
made of copper for under $20.
http://tylerflorence.com/shop/featur...per-whisk.html

And no one needs a hand hammered/mirror finish bowl wrought to jewelry
standards... very functional copper bowls are readily available for
under $35:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Dutch-10-I...4827809&sr=8-3