Like most things, the price of eggs has risen steadily over the past few years. Paying extra is not on the to-do list of some folks, so raising chickens has begun to catch on again in locations where it’s allowed.
Successful poultry people often find that they end up with too many eggs, and then comes the question of whether to sell them or give them away. But there’s a third option where ingenuity and tradition meet.
For example, for thousands of years in China, extra eggs were preserved using a mixture of lime, ash and salt. Wrapped in rice husks for several weeks, the end product becomes what is known as a century or thousand-year egg. These eggs are not actually that old. They are best consumed within about three months.
Dark brown, greyish or black, I’m not sure I could get one of these things near my mouth, yet people consume them. Supposedly they taste pungent, like a very smelly cheese, with a hint of ammonia. It’s probably an acquired taste.
Much closer to home, I prefer an invention by the Pennsylvania Dutch. Last Friday night, on the closing weekend of this year’s Kutztown Folk Festival, we invited a bunch of musician friends to our home for an old-fashioned “haus” (house) party and “cham” (music jam).
We all had a wonderful time eating, playing, singing and talking about the news of the day and pretty much blowing off some steam during a leisurely couple of hours. As always, the crown jewel of our food fare for the evening was an enormous centerpiece of food created by our friends at Dietrich’s Meats and Country Store in Greenwich Township.
Known colloquially as a Dutch platter, the tray was groaning with cured meats of all kinds, and all of them were delightful and eagerly consumed by all. Accompanying the meats was an assortment of mustards, including savory horseradish yellow mustard. Various cheeses rounded out the tray, and sides included pretzels, pickles and delicious and colorful red beet eggs.
Did you know that red beet eggs are a Pennsylvania Dutch invention? It’s true! There are several variations, but the frugal Pennsylvanians who came from the Palatinate region of Germany, starting back in the late 1600s, did indeed invent a tasty way to preserve eggs so that none were wasted, and the life of the egg as a food product could be extended over a long period.
Red beet eggs go through a pickling process that preserves them for consumption later. Usual ingredients include eggs, red beets, onions, salt, sugar, cloves, vinegar and other spices and herbs. Variations include the use of a cinnamon stick and other herbs to taste.
The eggs are hardboiled and peeled, then placed into a non-reactive container like a glass jar. Heated brine is poured over the eggs, and then they are cooled and stored.
In our region, red beet eggs, in their distinctive red, pink or even purple brine, and summer picnics seem to go hand in hand. Many people enjoy them year-round, and guess what? They’re actually pretty good for you. Red beet eggs contain a good amount of lutein, which is very good for the eyes. Lutein is found in egg yolks and red beets.
Go figure, somehow, without knowing, by benefit of the ages, the Pennsylvania Dutch created a food product that serves up lutein, a super food for the eyes! Red beet eggs also help to fight bowel inflammation, can aid digestive health, can assist in detoxifying blood and can be a true friend in helping to lower high blood pressure. They’re a Dutchie super food.
Dave Kline is an award-winning writer, photographer, show host and producer, singer-songwriter, travel guide and community advocate. Reach him at davesmountainfolklore@gmail.com.
