Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Ask Mary: Buying Eggs



Dear Mary,
What kind of eggs should I buy? White or brown? Large or Xlarge? Grass fed, free range and organic? There are so many options out there, and it gets confusing.
Thanks, Melanie


This is a tough question, but thankfully, there is really no right or wrong answer. My personal preference is to buy large eggs because most recipes call for them. Using Xlarge eggs in place of large eggs in a recipe might throw off the balance of what you are cooking.

As far color goes, I don't think one tastes different from the other, but I do like to use them as a way to know which I should eat first out of my fridge – in other words, I use them to indicate which one is more perishable. I like to alternate buying brown eggs one week and white the next as a way to color code their age.

When it comes to how the chickens are raised and fed, I prefer to buy eggs made from free-range, grass fed chickens. And if there is an organic option, I always choose it. Again, this has little to do with taste, but a lot to do with supporting sustainable agriculture.

Happy Cooking!
Mary

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