All About Eggs

Boiled, poached, fried, Benedict, Florentine, omelettes, pasta, cakes, mayonnaise…eggs are one of the most versatile foodstuffs on Earth, and the key to cooking them to perfection lies at the very beginning…the chicken!

Know your eggs

There’s more to eggs than those laid by Rhode Island Red hens, the type we tend to eat most of. You can find some really interesting flavours at farm shops and supermarkets around the country, and open up a new world of flavour and egg-based dishes.

Do you know where your eggs come from?

Eggs can be from free-range, barn or battery hens, or if you’re really lucky, straight from the chicken coop in your own back garden! A hen able to wander about to its heart’s content, take fresh air, preen, ruffle and supplement its diet with a few protein-enriched snacks from the ground is sure to have a better quality of life than those kept indoors. And with a better quality of life comes a better chance of happiness, and with it better eggs!

Try it out for yourself and take the Egg Test…

In most cases you’ll find free-range boast a far richer flavour and more fulsome yolk, which not only makes for a superior taste experience but will produce lighter cakes, sumptuous pasta, fluffier omelettes and poached eggs that stay together in the pan. And as for eggs fried ‘sunny-side up’, well, it’s like summertime on a plate!

• Look for the British Lion mark on the eggshell and egg box – it shows that the eggs have been produced to the highest standards of food safety.
• Wash your hands after handling eggs.
• Egg shells are porous, so always store away from strong-smelling foods.

Eggy Activities

Egg Decorating

If you’ve a houseful of children over the long Easter weekend, why not start by getting everyone to decorate their own boiled eggs? Be sure to hard-boil your eggs to avoid any messy accidents then let your guests go wild with their designs (Make sure your eggs are perfectly hard-boiled using the Egg Perfect Colour Changing Boiled Egg Timer or our Lakeland Boiled Egg Cooker) – just supply paint, glue, glitter or whatever crafty supplies you have to hand. Or for those among you who prefer a craft activity with an educational slant, let the kids recreate the pace eggs of old for an authentic hands-on learning experience.

Egg Rolling

When everyone’s egg creations are dry, why not engage in the tradition dating back hundreds of years of egg rolling as we know it in this country. This has always taken place around Easter and has always been all about children having fun – first by decorating hard-boiled eggs and then by rolling them down a grassy hill to see whose will go the furthest and survive with the least amount of cracks. It’s simply a case of picking a safe hill to line all your entrants up before they send those eggs-a-rolling! Generally speaking, the top of a steady slope with a good covering of grass is a good place to start, but it goes without saying that the more heavy-handed the launch the less the chance of survival! Expect a few eager egg-rollers to follow their eggs by rolling down the hill themselves, and be ready with a chocolate prize for the winner as well as smaller treats for everyone-else to ensure there are still smiles all around at the finishing line!

Easter Egg Hunt

There’s nothing like the lure of chocolate to tear little ones away from tablets and the TV in search of hidden goodies. Easy to organise and always the most memorable part of Easter for any child, it’s a really fun way to hone your kids’ foraging skills and involve the whole household in a lovely Easter tradition. Whether the treasure you hide is foil-wrapped and of the chocolate variety* or painted eggs with the promise of a chocolate prize at the end, you’ll be amazed at how focused youngsters can be in their bid to find the most munchies.

Love eggs? Take a look at some of our egg inspired recipes…

Egg Flatbreads

A versatile meal made with eggs, parma ham and fresh flatbread dough. Make the dough from scratch or with a breadmaker! View this recipe

Quails Eggs with Dips

Lakeland Tip: Quails eggs are also delicious dipped in celery salt or smoked paprika. View this recipe.

Scotch Eggs

An eggy favourite perfect for picnics and packed lunches. Made with the Lakeland Egg Cooker and Lakeland electric meat mincer . View this recipe

Eggs Florentine

Is there a better brunch dish? View this recipe