Spring is here… images of bright flowers and eggs are everywhere. The egg is a classic symbol associated with Easter and a roasted egg is also part of the Seder Plate for Passover. While we see lots and lots of hen eggs around, we don’t see too many other eggs out there. I decided to do some research to see if we are eating the right eggs or if we should switch to something like an ostrich egg.
Here is what I found:
Chicken Eggs – These are the most common eggs found as they have a mild flavor and contain lots of vitamins and nutrients. The shell varies color depending on the type of chicken it comes from.
Duck Eggs – A duck egg is very similar in size to a chicken egg. The differences are that it has larger yolk giving it a richer taste and also providing more fat and protein compared with a chicken egg. The shell on a duck egg is also thicker than a chicken egg, allowing them to stay fresher longer.
Turkey Eggs – These eggs tend to be pretty rare as farmers find more value in raising a large turkey compared with selling the eggs. The eggs are similar in size and flavor to a duck egg. They have a thicker yolk and white giving them a creamier consistency. Turkey eggs are favored for pastries for this reason.
Goose Eggs – Goose eggs are twice the size of chicken eggs. They are also rare, like turkey eggs, but for a different reason. A goose only lays about 40 eggs per year making them hard to find. Goose eggs are heavier than a chicken egg and provide more protein.
Quail Eggs – These eggs are tiny and delicate. They are often found poached or fried atop a fancy salad in a fancy restaurant. Don’t get the real quail egg confused with this chocolate version by Rococo chocolates. The flavor and nutritional value of a quail egg is similar to a chicken egg but you would need to eat a lot more to get the same benefits because of their smaller size.
Pheasant Eggs – Pheasant eggs are similar in size to a duck egg but have a gamier flavor due to the flavor of the bird. The taste is light and rich like a quail egg.
Ostrich Eggs – Ostrich Eggs are 20x larger than a chicken egg. That would be very convenient if you are making eggs for a large group. The egg has a similar yolk to a chicken egg but their hard shell make them difficult to open. A single ostrich egg packs about 2000 calories… a single egg would cover your suggested daily intake!
After all of that research it appears that we eat lots of chicken eggs for a couple of reasons… they are easy to produce in large quantities and they have a mild flavor while providing us with lots of nutrients.
I hope you have an egg-cellent day!
Happy Friday,
Julie
