While I was cooking my eggs this morning, my roommate took one look out the window and said: “it’s supposed to be record heat today. 96 degrees!” A childhood curiosity then reemerged: Is it possible to stone-fry an egg on a summer day?

After doing some research I discovered that the frying surface needs to be about 150 degrees Fahrenheit for at least fifteen seconds for an egg to cook properly. While the air temperature doesn’t naturally get that high on this planet, some materials with high heat retention get close if placed in direct sunlight for long enough.

Reading further down the forum, I read conflicting stories about whether or not it’s possible with a stone. One poster said he/she tried it in Death Valley a while ago and nothing happened. However, it wasn’t stated which season it was, much less the day’s temperature. Many of the other posters claimed to have seen it done on asphalt, cement sidewalks, and solid iron pans. One Phoenix, AZ blogger tried it on the street on a 112 degree day, and little happened.

I suppose now is as good a time as any to find out for yourself.

Warning: The Phoenix, AZ blogger had a run-in with the police while conducting his experiment. If you are going to try this out, be sure to check your local laws about cooking eggs on the pavement!