From gourmet chefs to adventurous home cooks, many people seem to be experimenting with different kinds of eggs. Here are some popular types of eggs you may be surprised to find at your local farmer’s market, co-
Duck Eggs
This egg type is higher in fat, potassium, and iron per gram than chicken eggs. They are larger (70g compared to 50g), taste richer or creamier, and have thicker shells. Egg fans remark that duck eggs work great in baked goods, use one for one in recipes.
Quail Eggs
You may have seen quail eggs on the pages of Gourmet magazines or the menus of fancy restaurants, but don’t be intimidated by these delicious little nuggets. Quail eggs are small, about a fifth to a fourth of the size of a chicken egg, so they’re cute to pickle or devil and serve as appetizers. Because they’re the size of a grape tomato, boiled quail eggs are attractive in summer salads. Chefs say quail eggs taste like chicken eggs and have about the same ratios of nutritional content. Quail eggs have beautiful markings and come in lovely tan/grey colors, so they make great table decorations. Look for them at farmers markets or gourmet shops.
Turkey Eggs
Turkey eggs are hard to find because hatched turkeys are far more valuable than their eggs. Look for a small producer who raises turkeys and have extra eggs. Turkey eggs are one-half times bigger than a large chicken egg and have a rich, creamy flavor. Pastry chefs prefer turkey eggs when they can get their hands on them because the large yolks make better pastries and the thick whites make better meringues.
Ostrich Eggs
Humans have been eating ostrich eggs for thousands of years, and for good reason: Just one of these eggs is the equivalent of two dozen chicken eggs and can feed a dozen people. You probably won’t find this egg type at your local market, but if you have an ostrich farm nearby you may get lucky. The flavor of ostrich eggs is nearly indistinguishable from chicken eggs, but you need a drill or a hack saw to cut it open.
Chicken Eggs
Different kinds of chickens lay different kinds of eggs, and if you’ve only got the white kind in your fridge, it’s time to branch out. Check your local farmers market or co-op for chicken eggs in beautiful pastel hues and a variety of sizes. They taste similar, though many say that brown or blue eggs are more nutritious than white eggs. Whether or not that’s true, brown, blue and pink eggs are more likely to be free range or organic.
