Hey everyone! Welcome back to The Coop with Meyer Hatchery - where we talk all things poultry in hopes of inspiring crazy chicken keepers and educating future flock owners. Each week we like to take a Meyer Moment to cover relevant happenings. 

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about deviled eggs and the day dedicated to their honor, November 2nd. Sure, it seems that there is a day to celebrate nearly everything but this versatile and delicious variation of eggs certainly deserves some recognition!

The exact origins of deviled eggs are believed to go all the way back to ancient Rome. Eggs were boiled and then seasoned with a variety of spices and sauces, and served as an appetizer for gatherings and feasts. 

Boiled eggs were enjoyed throughout the ages in various fashions. A 13th-century Spanish cookbook has a recipe for mixing boiled egg yolks with various spices and sauces, then stuffing the yolk mixture back into the egg and topping with pepper. The first known American recipe for deviled eggs was printed in 1877, and the first mention of mayonnaise in deviled eggs was in a 1896 cookbook.

This boiled and seasoned dish does have an odd name as far as foods are concerned. This designation can be attributed to variations of word meaning, language differences, and many years of history. As a culinary term, deviled was first mentioned by the British in the 1700s to describe anything spicy, zesty, or highly seasoned. America continued the tradition of this egg dish and the name stuck. For those who don’t like the “underworld” connotation of deviled eggs, the same dish has also been known to be called dressed eggs, stuffed eggs, or salad eggs.

Today, the ways to enjoy deviled eggs are only limited by your imagination. The Meyer Hatchery blog features a few rifts of deviled eggs, including bacon, avocado, mustard, balsamic, and even holiday variations. 

The perfect deviled eggs begin with a perfectly boiled egg, and even the way to cook the eggs varies widely. Fresh eggs from your chickens can be hard to peel due to the protective bloom. After a few days, more air has had a chance to enter the egg and the egg white has slightly shrunk, making peeling much easier. If you don’t want to wait 7-10 days for eggs to become easier to peel, other tips include adding salt or vinegar to the boiling water, using a pressure cooker or egg steamer, or rinsing with cold water immediately after boiling.  

We hope you enjoyed this Meyer Moment about the history of delicious deviled eggs and the many ways they can be enjoyed for Deviled Egg Day! 

Enjoy the rest of your week and as always, thank you for listening to The Coop!