Product Review...FusionBrands Poachpods

Product Review...FusionBrands Poach pods.

This past week, the kind folks at Fusionbrands sent me a pair of poach pods to try out. The company has a few other products as well. Have you ever heard of the poach pods? Well, I hadn't. But, I was eager to try the poach pods...to see what they were all about. The poach pod can be used to make poached eggs, but it can also be used for a variety of other uses, such as baking, moulding and other creative uses. I chose to test the poach pod to make poached eggs, a challenge for many home cooks. Would it eliminate the stress that often comes with poaching eggs? Well, I was curious to see if it would.

What is a poach pod?

A poach pod is a silicone cup that can be used for baking, moulding, and poaching. The people at Fusionbrands came up with a simple way of poaching eggs that makes perfectly shaped eggs everytime! We all know that poaching eggs can be kind of challenging - It can actually be quite intimidating. But with the poach pods, it makes poaching eggs a snap.

The design:

The poach pod is supposed to mimic a lily pad floating in a pond... and they even made them green to look like lily pads! I loved the cheerful poach pod colors... two shades of green. The pod allows you to float and poach an egg in boiling water just like a lily pad in a pond. It has 3 "leaves" that helps you pick it up without too much trouble. You can break an egg into the pods, drop them into simmering water, and your eggs will be poached to perfection in no time.

How does the "poaching" work?:

Poaching in the pod means you have to use a pot or a skillet with a lid. This allows the steam and heat to do the "poaching". Since silicone doesn't allow for very much heat conduction, the egg is "poached" using both the steam and also the surrounding water.

How are the poached eggs different from regular poached eggs?:

The poach pod eggs are richer in flavor due to the fact that hardly any poaching water mixes in with them. The pod acts like a "shell" that keeps the egg intact and in perfect domed shape. The whites are firmer as the egg cooks from the outside in. This allows you to have a firmer white and a soft yolk. With the poach pods, you will not lose any of the egg white...you get the whole egg!:) Now, I really, really like that. Plus, you don't have to worry too much about watery eggs that need to be blotted dry.

How do you use the poach pods?

The instructions are very easy to follow.

You will need:

A pan/skillet with a lid

oil

eggs

Directions:

Fill the pan with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Lightly oil the pod before cracking an egg into it.

Place it in the simmering water....make sure it isn't at a rolling boil.

Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about 6 minutes.

Cook it longer if you want the yolk to be on the harder side. But I like mine runny. If it is too runny, you can always place it back in the water and cook it some more. That's the cool part about it. There is no stress involved.

Remove the pod when done, using a slotted spoon. I chose to just pick it up with my hands. They weren't hot at all. I used a small spoon around the edge of the cooked egg to release it a bit.

Nothing below that sticks. It slid out beautifully and was perfect in form. Usually when they are done, there is a bit of water on top of the egg, condensation coming off of the pot lid. But it is left behind in the pod as you pick up the egg. You can place the egg on top of a toast, dome side up, or you can place it dome side down. I like to see the yolk, so I just place the egg with the dome side down.

How do you clean and store?

The poach pods can be hand-washed or even placed in the dishwasher. They are easy to store in a drawer for future use.

Overall Review

These pods are perfect for those who have always struggled with poaching eggs. These pods make poaching eggs much easier and eliminates the stress that is often associated with poaching eggs. Now you can have eggs benedict whenever you want! They have a perfect round shape and look absolutely lovely.