| Besides chicken eggs, there are many other types of eggs that are used as food:
Duck eggs:
Domestic ducks have come from wild waterfowls. Their eggs are a little bit larger than chicken eggs and approximately weigh 90 gm and the color of the shell varies from pale green-blue to white. Duck eggs contain more fat and have an oilier texture than regular chicken eggs. The taste of duck eggs is strong and owing to this, they are ideally suitable for baking. The egg white is more dense and elastic in a boiled state than chicken eggs and therefore, duck eggs are not liked by many. Delightful golden biscuits can be made out of eggs thanks to their bright yoke but the egg white is not suitable for this.
Duck eggs are often laid in mud; hence it is necessary to thoroughly wash them before use. It is recommended to boil the duck eggs for no less than 10 minutes. Duck eggs can be purchased in specialized shops. Duck eggs are to be stored in the refrigerator and should be consumed as soon as possible. For best results, let the eggs acquire room temperature before preparation.
Goose eggs:
Geese are well-known for their hostility, noisiness and people say that geese can replace sentry dogs. A goose egg is two-times the size of a chicken egg and approximately weigh 200gm each. The shell of a goose egg is limestone-white and usually very hard. With geese, as well as with ducks, they are not clean birds and therefore, their eggs are to be thoroughly cleaned before their use so as to get rid of harmful bacteria.
Even though taste of goose eggs is stronger than chicken eggs, they are less aromatic than duck eggs and not so fatty. They can be boiled and simply served or can be used as an ingredient of baked dishes, in vegetable baked puddings and in gratins.
Turkey eggs:
These eggs approximately weigh 75 gm and the shell of the eggs is cream-white in color with light specks. Smaller eggs of young birds are usually paler than the eggs of older birds. Though turkeys are reared almost everywhere in the world, their eggs are found very rarely. Birds are usually reared for the sake of their meat and therefore, the eggs are kept for breeding. However, it is possible to find turkey eggs either in villages or in farms. The difference between the turkey eggs and chicken eggs is very minute and turkey eggs can be used for baking.
Pheasant eggs:
In size, the pheasant eggs are similar to guinea eggs. The color of pheasant eggs varies starting from a buff color to green-blue or olive; specks are present on the shells of these eggs. Pheasant eggs have a very strong taste and they can be boiled for use in salads, baked and can be prepared practically in any method. Before adding the eggs to other ingredients, it is necessary to break it in a cup to make sure that the egg can be used.
Ostrich eggs:
Since the ostrich's meat began to gain popularity, the possibility of finding an ostrich's eggs also increased. Ostrich eggs weigh 450 gm and more. Comparatively, the eggs have a strong taste and therefore, it would be better to bake them. The pale egg shell is very strong and it’s very difficult to break the egg. Ostriches lay eggs in the summer and it is not possible to get these eggs in other seasons.
Emu eggs:
The Australian emu is little bit smaller than an ostrich. They are protected by laws and hence a special permission is to be obtained to collect the emu eggs. However, emus are bred in farms for the sake of meat and eggs. Eggs are laid in winter and the bird lays up to 20 dark cyan eggs with very hard shells in a single go. It is better to bake emu eggs, but it is possible to make scrambled eggs with then or to use them as an ingredient in unsweetened dishes.
Eggs of wild birds:
In the majority of western countries, eggs of wild birds are protected by environmental protection laws. However, it is possible to hunt seagull eggs after obtaining special permission. Seagull eggs are dark, spotty, green or dark blue with a gentle fish taste.
Guinea eggs:
These birds are relatives of pheasants and chickens. Their eggs are similar to bantam eggs; the eggs are two times smaller than chicken eggs and weigh about 25gm. The egg shell is always light brown in color. The taste of guinea eggs is gentle and mild. Guinea eggs are ideally suitable for decorating dishes or for adding to salads and the eggs are good for baking. |
