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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Egg-ceptional Cookbook...

 I remember the very first dozen of farm fresh eggs I received.  My sister Ann had just made the big move from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. Her new neighbors at that time were lucky enough to be raising chickens. Because they were exceptionally  friendly and welcoming the new neighbors gifted her with many of their hen's fresh eggs.  Being the kind and generous sister that Ann always is, on her next trip down from New Hampshire  a dozen of her neighbor's farm fresh eggs came along with her.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven
 
 
Their unique individual sizes and shapes as well as their distinct shades of brown and blue drew me in like a moth to a flame.  They were in a word gorgeous.  I immediately had to cook one up.  Could there some how be butter in these farm eggs?  How could they possibly have gotten butter inside an egg?  I had never had an egg that tasted anything like this.


So begins my love affair with farm eggs.  My hen love affair came much later when I heard the author of this wonderful book The Farmstead Egg Cookbook  by Terry Golson speak.  One Sunday afternoon late last winter I went to a lecture on chicken keeping.  Terry Golson was one of the scheduled guest speakers.  The enthusiastic way she spoke about her hens and the pleasure she received from chicken keeping spread quickly to me. I was beginning to feel this strange need to read as much as I could about chickens.  Could  all this chicken keeping talk be contagious?


I bought her thoughtfully written cookbook that day and read it from cover to cover in one evening.  Not only are there many delicious recipes with gorgeous pictures, but it's also peppered with stunning photos of  her hens. ( The hen above is from the Topsfield Fair this past fall.) Terry also has a web site called chicken keeping. It was here on her web site that my obsession began in earnest. Go here  to learn more about Terry Golson. If you are at all interested in keeping chickens Terry's web site is a must.  Even if chicken keeping is not on your radar at the moment, her web cam for the hens and goats is loads of fun.

40 comments:

  1. I love getting fresh eggs from my mom-in-law's hens. There really is nothing better. That's so true about the butter in the eggs! I will have to look into that book, it sounds wonderful.

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  2. I love fresh eggs. My step sister recently started raising chickens for the eggs. They are absolutely the best. I only wish I lived closer so I could get them more often. The books looks interesting. Thanks!

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  3. How interesting! My post today was about Blue eggs because I had never seen them before...Love the photo you have with the fresh eggs....It ought to be in a cookbook....

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  4. I love the cover of the book. You are so lucky to have really fresh eggs from your chickens.

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  5. What a lovely cook book, I love eggs and am always looking for good ideas for using them! Very pretty photos!

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  6. I love your egg daisy! You've converted me! I'd even like a chicken or two myself! The cookbook looks great, I'm going to have to take a peek at it! The yolks on those eggs, what color! Thank you for sharing!

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  7. There is nothing like a fresh egg like that! I had them once, and they were no doubt the best I ever had. Looks like a great cookbook!

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  8. I'm sure I'm missing out on fresh eggs from chickens, but we have no local supply now.
    One of my neighbours kept hens for a while but sadly they were all taken by Mr Fox. It was too heartbreaking for words.
    xxx

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  9. I love the picture of the eggs on a blue plate. That is WONDERFUL. We get farm fresh eggs from my husband's cousins' farm on the mountain. Sometimes they have tiny baby chicks inside (which grosses me out in the extreme) but on the whole they taste divine!

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  10. I love fresh eggs.... try to prepare a tiramisù.... it would be your best than ever..Have a very nice day...I know you're sleeping now...but here is already after breakfast, hugs, Flavia

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  11. Your egg photos look lovely! Lots of nice eggshell shades. You have inspired me to make egg, anchovy and pepper salad for tonight's dinner.

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  12. You've won the flavor contest at Roba Dolce! I'll need your shipping address so you can receive your gelato and sorbetto! - "Key Lime Pie".. they will make it a gelato, that flavor lends itself more to a creamier texture. Congrats! See post in about an hour.

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  13. I sense that chicken house edging closer and closer in your backyard! Gonna contact Agway to see when their chicks arrive?

    Your egg daisy is so pretty and your hard-boiled with S&P look like the perfect snack!

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  14. There's nothing like going out early in the morning and collecting eggs fresh from the hens for breakfast..and they make the best cakes too!
    Thanks for dropping in...and yes Bella is resting her head on one of my new cushions... is this dog spoilt,or what!

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  15. Now those are some beautiful eggs!!!

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  16. There is simply just nothin' better than a farm fresh egg!!! I grew up with a big old chicken house right on the farm property.

    Now Hubby would tell ya, "there ain't no respectable cattle farmer gonna raise a bunch of chickens!"

    God bless and have yourself a marvelous day sweetie!!!

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  17. Winter dreams are wonderful. Your shed is a hen house and you gather fresh eggs from your girls every morning! Blog it and it will come! Peace. Brianne

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  18. Awesome post ! MMM I love eggs, your post brought back memories for me as a child on the farm and how I loved fetching the eggs for mum from our hens ! Thanx for that ! Have a great day !

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  19. I too have a friend with chickens they lay the wonderful blue eggs. I am going to look for that book it would make a wonderful gift for her. your eggs look very yummy
    cathy

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  20. I had no idea people kept their own chickens in any setting other than a farm! Oh, and I've also never had a fresh egg but your description makes me want to get some asap! :)

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  21. oh my friend...my friend...you have struck a cord with me over here...CHICKENS !!! i HAVE to get some this Spring..oh...that BOOK !!!!
    i think my heart rate went up.... LOVE IT !!!! and the pictures of those beautifully cooked halves of eggs...{sigh} we are kindred spirits ...john and i celebrate our 30th anniversary on the 30th of this month..i see you have been married about 25 years..and i grew up in an italian family too. my mother was from Genoa. spoke italian before english...

    i am excited about you and me and mary and our sarabeth dessert day!!! let's pick a day to post together around Valentines Day

    :-)
    xxx
    kary and teddy

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  22. A cookbook just about eggs sounds delightful. I like eggs cooked pretty much any way.

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  23. You really have a lovely blog. I am so glad I stumbled upon you. I live in the city in So. Calif. The exact opposite of you and I'd love to have a couple of chickens. I found out I can have up to three. Now I have to convince the hubby.

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  24. I would love to have chickens! My PA grandmother had a large chicken coop on her property and i loved to collect the eggs whenever we visited her. I can still smell that coop in my mind:) The eggs had the darkest golden yolks and thickest whites of any egg I've ever had since. I miss them!

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  25. Cookbook sounds great - I really miss the eggs from my organic veg box during the winter. I buy the organic ones in the supermaret, but they are just not as good.

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  26. Seems to be a good cookbook--I will have to check it out.
    Thanks for sharing!

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  27. I love your photo's. We will certainly read the book as we want to keep a few chickens. The eggs looked so delicious I'm making some for dinner!! Hope you miss the storm! Susan :)

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  28. love the simplicity of eggs... I really want hens so badly! blue eggs are all the rage over in the UK at the moment too!... beautiful pics as usual x

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  29. hi susan...don't you LOVE san francisco? it is my FAVORITE !!!! and YES !!! i just happen to have 2 beautiful avocados from an oragnic avocado farm up highway one in Cayucos...they are beauties...and i have applewood smoked bacon...we have high hopes over here :-)

    and thanks for the kind words about the bread, my friend

    i am looking forrward to our Valentines Baking together ...can't wait

    have a cozy weekend

    sending love,
    kary and teddy
    xxx

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  30. Can not wait to check out that cookbook. Nothing better than a farm fresh egg. My chicks are not laying right now, thinking we need to increase the lighting. Great photo of your barred rock. That is the breed we have, along with 20 pearl guineas... Enjoy!

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  31. Ok-this is so strange...would you believe I just found her blog about an hour ago and had never heard of her before? I went nuts-she has a hen camera--I was so excited. It is awesome. We just have to call a spade a spade here--you must have chickens :)

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  32. I just love eggs. I will have to check out her cookbook and website.

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  33. I love eggs, in all forms!
    Have a sweet Sunday xx

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  34. mmmmm i do love good fresh eggs and wish i had room here for some chickens.

    hello my lovely

    i have a little award for you on my blog, which i think you so much deserve.
    don't worry if you don't do the award thing, i'll understand. just wanted to mention how much i love your beautiful blog

    warmest hugs xxx

    millie

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  35. What a great interesting post about fresh farm eggs. I have wanted to have chickens out here but I am so afraid I would not be able to protect them from creatures that roam here at night.
    Wanted to check on you and to thank you for such a sweet comment to help me get through this time in my life.
    I appreciate you so much
    Love
    Maggie

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  36. I really like your photos, loving the yellow yolks and the array of colourful shells. I remember collecting fresh eggs as a child. I grew up on a farm. Mum and I were always so excited to discover a double yolker! x

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  37. Thanks for the mention! Whoever tunes into hencam.com today will see a lot of snow, some bored chickens and one happy, snow-loving rabbit.

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  38. OK, now I am kicking myself for never having a fresh farm egg before! I can't wait until we get chickens!

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