The Lure of Farm Fresh Eggs
August 5, 2011 • Breakfast, Food for Thought
It happens slowly. You get your first carton of eggs from a local organic farmer, and the first thing you notice is the variety. From white to light blue or green, from very faintly tan to an Easter egg sort of speckled thing. And it occurs to you, these eggs come from different chickens. This is a farm that hasn’t bred out the variety in their girls. The sizes vary too – from almost too small for me to call one egg in a recipe to jumbo eggs that give me pause thinking of the poor hen who had to lay that thing.
Then you start cooking with these farm fresh eggs and the wonder continues. You crack that first egg and are shocked at how vibrant the yolk is – not a measly pale yellow, but a deep rich color, nearly orange. And my goodness, the taste. I hope you won’t think I’m exaggerating when I say it’s a little life changing. Visit a local farmer or farmers’ market and get some farm fresh eggs for yourself – you’ll see what I mean – then use them in any number of creative ways:
Make an omelet, or any other fancy breakfast dish where the egg is the star.
Make spaghetti carbonara – it’s where that yolk is really going to give you some bang for the buck.
Make deviled eggs – but if you do, make sure to follow my technique for soaking in ice water with baking soda before you attempt to peel the hard cooked eggs. Really fresh eggs are harder to peel cleanly.
And when you have finished enjoying those fabulous farm fresh eggs, give a little thanks to the sweet hens who gave them to you!
Comments
8 Comments • Comments Feed
Barbara | Creative Culinary says:
Now I’m dying to know…where are your eggs coming from? I would love to make a trek to a local farmer and try some farm fresh eggs; it’s all we had as kids, maybe I feel an urge to go back to my roots!
August 6, 2011 at 11:27 am
Michele says:
Barb, my CSA farm offers them. I started with one dozen every other week, then the next year went to a dozen a week, and now I get – gasp – two dozen a week! I also see that at local farmers’ markets around town.
August 6, 2011 at 11:53 am
Lea Ann says:
I bought my first farm fresh eggs this year. And yes, the colors were beautiful, not to mention the yolks and the rich taste.
August 6, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Cheryl W. says:
We have our own little chicken farm where we enjoy an abundance of fresh cage free organic eggs. I have always eaten store bought eggs and when we started raising our own, I had a hang up of not eating fresh eggs (I know weird huh). We would sell our eggs and then I would buy store eggs. LOL Finally I started using them in baked items and eventually in everything. My husband still calls me crazy for that. But your right, once you have had farm fresh eggs, there is no turning back.
August 10, 2011 at 12:02 am
Michele says:
Cheryl, perhaps you had a subconscious fear about eating the babies of the mamas you were taking care of!
August 10, 2011 at 5:37 am
Cheryl W. says:
It is possible! LOL. Now, I have no reservations at all!
August 11, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Donna Hickey says:
Hi Michele,
Where would you buy CSA eggs during the months when farmers’ markets are not available?? Whole Foods? Natural Grocers???
Donna
February 27, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Michele says:
Good question, Donna! Since eggs are my breakfast of choice, I really struggle during the months I can’t get them from the farm. I have some friends who have their own chickens and sometimes get some from them, but generally during these months I just look for the very best all natural, organic, free-range, local eggs I can find in the store. They’re not quite as great as my farm eggs, but better than the average store egg.
February 27, 2012 at 2:55 pm