Q: I am having a birthday brunch for my four-year-old and will be making scrambled eggs. I would like to place them in a serving tin to keep them warm. Is there a way to keep them from turning green? Heidi DaSilva, Riverside, RI

AskFN: Green eggs and... what? It's a harmless chemical reaction, but we can see how it could be aesthetically displeasing. What happens is, when eggs are held for a long time (or, sometimes, cooked in a cast-iron skillet or over too-high heat), the iron in the yolks reacts with the sulfur in the whites to form ferrous sulfide. To avoid it, cook eggs in stainless steel or nonstick pans, serve as soon as possible after cooking, and, if you've got to hold them for a while, do it over a hot pan of water instead of direct heat.

The best way to get soft and fluffy scrambled eggs is to cook them over super-low heat, stirring with a rubber spatula to pile the eggs into loose curds; some people like to do it over a double-boiler, with a whisk, but that's only if you've got 45 minutes and a strong forearm - they are delicious that way, though. Add herbs, cheese, or diced tomatoes when the eggs are three-quarters set. Remember that the longer you cook eggs, the "eggier" they'll taste and the tougher they get. And they keep cooking even after you stop, so take them off the heat before they look done.