Gloria Vanderbilt's Sybaritic "Breakfast for Two"!

Breakfast for Two
6 eggs
1/2 stick butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Black or red caviar, about 1/2 pound

Accompaniments:
Pumpernickel
Champagne

The night before, remove the eggs from refrigerator and leave in a bowl. They will be ready at room temperature by morning. Prepare a double boiler by putting a good-sized dollop of butter, about half a stick, in the top part. Add a few grinds of pepper, but no salt. Place on the base of the double boiler, partly filled with warm (not hot) water, bring very slowly to a boil, stirring the butter occasionally until it is melted. Break the eggs into the melted butter. With a wooden fork, gently stir yolks and whites until lightly but smoothly blended, but not cooked at all. Remove the double boiler from the heat and allow the mixture to settle in. Eggs are most sensitive, and need time to adjust to new conditions.

Use your instinct to know when to replace the double boiler on the stove (!). Turn heat on the stove to very low. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture from time to time, so that gradually it begins to scramble. Now and then remove the double boiler from the stove to allow the eggs to take their own time. At no time should the mixture start sticking to the sides of the pan. The eggs are ready when they are loosely bound together in large curds. Remove from the heat immediately and divide onto two preheated plates. In the center of each serving put several large spoonfuls of large grain caviar. Serve instantly with slices of dark pumpernickel and a split of ice-cold champagne.

From Food in Vogue by Maxime de la Falaise, copyright 1980, Doubleday & Company, New York.