To Beat the Egg Whites

The best equipment in which to beat egg whites is the French hammered-copper, half-moon-shaped bowl with a balloon whisk. As the egg whites inflate, they tend to cling to the hammered dents in the bowl and become the most beautiful whites imaginable. (I’ve always wondered why some manufacturer didn’t dent the metal mixing bowl of his mixer rather than making it so shiny and smooth that it causes the eggs constantly to slip back down as they are whipped.)

But, since very few households have French equipment, here’s how to get the best results from your electric mixer.