The other day my daughter asked me if I would teach her how to make scrambled eggs. She couldn't understand why hers always turned out a bit rubbery and slightly overcooked. She had watched me for many years at the stove, making her favorite dish, but hadn't been able to master it. In showing her the tricks, I was able to write down the most important points for my readers. A caveat is that I like my scrambled eggs creamy in soft curds that literally melt in your mouth.

The first thing I do is whisk the eggs until they are nicely blended. Then I pour them through a fine-meshed strainer to remove the albumen that causes white pieces to form when cooking. Straining the eggs will ensure a light and fluffy final result.

The milk adds a subtle creaminess to the eggs, but the most important ingredient for this recipe is patience; it's slow for the eggs to cook on low heat. No need to hurry the process. I slowly cook the eggs, stirring constantly, on medium-low heat, until they are very creamy and soft curds form, about 3 to 4 more minutes At this point, take the eggs off the heat where they will continue to cook until they are served.

If you want to add any extra flavors, add them once the soft curds have formed. Cook a minute more. Some tasty additions include chopped, cooked pancetta, bacon or prosciutto and grated cheddar, fontina, Swiss, crumbled goat or blue cheese. Serve these elegant scrambled eggs with warm muffins, toast or your favorite breakfast pastries and bowls of cafe au lait. If you're cooking for a crowd, this recipe doubles or triples well, but you'll need to use a much larger and higher skillet.

My Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Serves 2 to 3

8 large eggs

2 tablespoons milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or parsley, for garnish

1. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs. Put a fine strainer over another mixing bowl and strain the eggs, making sure that the albumen (the white stringy part) remains in the strainer. Add the milk, salt and pepper to the eggs, and stir to combine.

2. In a medium non-stick skillet, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Add the eggs stir continuously with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula. When the eggs begin to curd, keep stirring about 3 more minutes or until the eggs are very creamy. Continue cooking until the eggs are still creamy but not dry, or until desired consistency is reached, about 2 to 3 more minutes.

3. Turn into a shallow bowl and garnish with chives or parsley. Serve immediately.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)