By Debra Morris –
Have you ever wondered why shells on chicken eggs are different colors? You can find some really beautifully colored eggs at your local farmers market. The color of the shells ranges from the usual white, through shades of cream, light brown and brown, to light and dark turquoise.
A chicken’s genes determine the color of the eggshell. You can tell what color the egg will lay by looking at the earlobes. A hen has earlobes you say? Never thought about it? Yes, although their ears are covered in feathers, the chicken’s earlobes are visible and come in a variety of colors. White-feathered hens with white earlobes lay white eggs. Red or brown hens with red earlobes lay brown eggs. Blue to green chicken eggs come from the Aracuana, a breed of chicken developed in Chile. Araucanas have also been crossed with other breeds to produce the Americauna, sometimes referred to as the “Easter Egg Chicken” because of its brightly colored eggs.
The color of a chicken’s feathered coat is irrelevant to the color of the eggs; Chickens actually come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, ranging from the odd-looking Frizzled Cochin to the elegant black-and-white Sheetenvelders. Originally all chicken eggs were probably brown. Over time, selective breeding for white eggs became the norm. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that brown eggs were reintroduced, and then those breeds with bluish eggs came back, although breeders and farmers were obviously familiar with them.
Eggs of different colors have essentially the same taste, with the taste itself being determined by the chicken’s diet. Have you ever cracked open a farm-fresh egg to discover a deep, rich yellow yolk? Compare that to the pale yellow yolk you get in supermarket eggs. Grazing chickens are free to roam and eat insects, grass, and other natural foods in their environment. You can freely consume the required dietary minerals that are passed to the eggs and the shells.
Get your eggs from the Castro Farmers’ Market for the prettiest colors and flavor you can find. Visit Clara’s Egg Farm in Watsonville. Compare them to supermarket eggs. We bet you will notice the difference in quality and taste.
Scrambled eggs with onions and potatoes
1 small potato
1 shallot
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
1 stick of butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese
pinch of salt
Microwave potato on high for 4 to 5 minutes. Let the potato cool for at least 2 minutes and then check if it’s done. Cut the potato into bite-sized pieces and slice 1 teaspoon green onions; Reserve these to add to the scramble.
scrambled eggs
Crack eggs into a bowl. Add ¼ cup milk and a pinch of salt. Break up all the yolks with a fork and beat the mixture until it is the same color and consistency. Add the cream cheese and work into the eggs with a fork.
Heat a pan over medium heat and add a knob of butter. Move the butter around with your spatula and brush the pan with butter. When it starts to sizzle, add chopped potatoes and spring onions.
Add a pinch of salt and pour in the egg mixture. Keep moving the eggs, using a spatula to keep the eggs off the edge of the pan. It should be silky but not undercooked so that it becomes too mushy. You don’t want to overcook your eggs. They become dry and start to clump together. Remove pan from stove and serve.
Debra Morris is spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA). For recipes, information about farmers markets throughout the area, and more, visit the PCFMA website: https://www.pcfma.org/
This month at the Castro Street Farmers Market
Released April 6, 2023
