Last week my coworker Lynn gave me 3 dozen eggs. She has chickens and gets too many eggs for her family to eat. Because I like eggs and didn’t want to waste them, I had to find a way to use them.
I grew up with the 1977 slogan “It’s the incredible, edible egg.” After dietary guidelines warned against cholesterol, egg consumption declined for thirty years. The newly formed American Egg Board started a campaign to increase the sale of eggs. The campaign used a catchy jingle and upbeat TV ads to promote eggs as a versatile, low-cost, high-protein food. The ads are on YouTube if you want to relive them. “Just heat and eat” is one memorable line.
Humans have been consuming eggs for as long as we’ve been walking the earth. Relatively easy to come by, a great source of protein, and versatile in cooking, eggs have played an important role in human diets since the very beginning of history.
According to History.com, the first jungle fowl eggs were in the forests of Southeast Asia. Around 1500 BC they became domesticated and slowly spread to Europe around 900 BC along trade routes. At first chickens weren’t eaten, they were considered a status symbol. In Italy around 500 BC there is evidence that they started eating eggs.
Egg eating spread with the Roman invasion of Europe. Eggs were a common ingredient in the Roman diet and Roman markets had specialized egg sellers called oviarii.
Ancient Romans didn’t really eat breakfast, just leftovers from the night before. Roman cooks used eggs in a variety of dishes both sweet and savory. Roman writer Apicus wrote about 500 recipes including eggy custards, quiches and omelets in his 5th century book, De re coquinaria (On the Subject of Cooking).
As human nutritional reliance on eggs grew over time, so did the number of ways they were utilized in everyday life. Ancient Egyptian bakers used eggs to make breads, early African cultures mixed egg whites into recipes as a thickening agent, and the Romans were fond of turning eggs into tasty cakes and desserts.
Eggs are one of the world’s most perfect foods. Full of protein, 12 grams per serving (2 eggs), and vitamins A, D, E, and B. Eggs help boost bone health, liver function, and our immune system.
Why are eggs sold by the dozen? That has always bugged me. According to FoodTimeline.org, Americans’ embrace of the dozen as standard measure descends from English roots.
Food history sources confirm retail eggs were sold by the dozen during Elizabethan times. They do not tell us why this standard was chosen, nor do they credit a specific person or place for making this decision. Colonial-19th century wholesale exchanges were conducted in boxes or bushel barrels; no count provided.
In the days of industrial food packaging, it makes sense for eggs to be sold in even increments from a practical standpoint. No “baker’s dozen” in the egg carton. It is interesting to note some grocers through time argued eggs should be sold by weight, not count.
Why? Because the actual size of the eggs is different. Today’s egg sellers take this into account. Products are graded by size and grouped, packed, and priced accordingly. While the dozen remains the standard for statistical purposes, eggs are now sold to retail consumers in packs ranging from 6 to 18.
before commercialization of eggs, chickens would lay eggs like crazy in springtime. You would end up with many more than you could possibly eat at that moment, so you found ways to preserve them. Now, eggs are available year-round due to keeping chickens in a controlled environment, so they don’t know about day length. This keeps them laying regularly.
The average American eats 286 eggs per year. Overall, the United States produces 75 billion eggs annually. Want to guess which state contributes the most? It’s Iowa! They produce approximately 16.5 billion eggs.
The next time you balk at the price of a dozen eggs, be grateful that you didn’t have to outrun an angry ostrich or personally domesticate a wild bird to enjoy a delicious omelet. Egg eating has never been so easy.
There are many recipes online for egg dishes and use. Here are some I made with that 3 dozen eggs.
Oven Scrambled Egg Bake
Ingredients
12 large eggs
3 cups mixed cheese (I used Mexican mix cheese)
1 cup whole milk (I used skim and it was fine)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Optional add-ins: sautéed onions, bell peppers, spinach, crumbled bacon
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with room temperature butter. Stir 2 cups of cheese into the egg mixture, reserving 1 cup for topping. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until eggs are set and the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. You can assemble the dish the night before for convenience.
Spinach and Cottage Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
4 large eggs
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk eggs, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Pour into greased 9-inch pie dish. Bake 30-35 minutes or until set and golden brown.
How to Freeze Raw Eggs for Later Use
Place 1-4 eggs at a time in a large glass measuring cup. Use your wire whisk to gently combine the yolk with the white. You don’t want to whip it until frothy, just until it’s combined. Pour into your zip-close freezer bag. Set aside and continue until all your eggs are processed.
Label bags. Place them flat on a baking sheet in your freezer for 3-4 hours. Remove bags from the sheet. You can now freeze and store them in your freezer for up to 3 months. Thawing: Remove bag(s) from freezer and thaw overnight in your refrigerator. Thawed eggs should be used within 24 hours.
