Egg Coddlers

Before silicone egg cups, egg cookers, and egg bites there was the egg coddler.
Egg coddlers were popular in Britain in the late 1800s and early 1900s and were designed to gently cook eggs in simmering water. You butter the cup, crack in an egg, add a splash of cream and a few optional extras (herbs, cheese, ham, smoked salmon), screw on the lid, and let it “coddle” until perfectly soft and silky.
They were often made of fine porcelain—most famously by Royal Worcester—and came in beautiful floral, herb, and game bird patterns. Many households had several, because each person could have their egg cooked exactly how they liked it.
The best part? They’re still completely usable today—and make breakfast feel delightfully fancy with very little effort.
Would you try a coddled egg, or are you firmly set on fried or scrambled?