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COME INTO THE KITCHEN, GARDENER: Duck Eggs

By Ken Gland.

Photo credit: Karen England.
Just two ducks and a few days worth of laying equals a dozen fresh eggs!

Early in the pandemic, mainly to control garden snails, I got two ducks to join my two old hens already in the chicken coop. You can read about my snail exploits here -

Photo credit: Karen England.
The coop crew at Edgehill Herb Farm, Vista, California.

Now, well into this horrible plague, I have snails and duck eggs!

If you haven't gotten ducks for yourself like I have, you may be a lucky duck (I quack myself up!) with a neighbor that has some duck eggs to give you and duck eggs are sold at Farmer's Markets.

Using duck eggs instead of hen's eggs in baking is a little tricky, since baking is a science and there is a volume difference between the types of eggs, but in the art of cooking I use them interchangeably. I make everything with duck eggs that I used to make with hen eggs; omelets, quiches, frittatas, casseroles, breads, cookies, cakes, pies, tarts, etc... I love to put a fried egg, hen or duck, on top of anything; salad, rice, toast, pasta, vegetables, sandwiches, soups . . .




photo credit: Karen England.
Karen England puts a fried egg, duck or hen, on everything. Seen here atop "Creamed Parsley", one of the many recipes included in her contribution to the 2021 Herb of the Year Book (TM) all about Parsley! Book available soon at edgehillherbfarm.blog

"What’s the Difference Between a Chicken Egg and a Duck Egg?" According to Annaliese Keller on https://edibleparadise.com/home-page-stories/pastry-chefs-secret-ingredient-duck-eggs/
"If you’ve never tried duck eggs, you may be wondering how they differ from chicken eggs. Duck eggs are larger than some chicken eggs, but not by much. They are about the size of a jumbo chicken egg, slightly more oblong in shape, and have harder, off-white or grayish shells. The yolks are a deeper shade of orange gold than chicken eggs.
Some people taste no difference between duck eggs and chicken eggs and others claim that duck eggs taste ‘eggier’ and creamier. Another plus for duck eggs is that people who have an allergy to chicken eggs may be able to tolerate duck eggs. Pastured, free-range duck eggs have more than twice the nutritional value of chicken eggs and are much higher in Omega 3 fatty acids. . .
... You can substitute one duck egg for one chicken egg in recipes if your duck eggs are not much bigger than chicken eggs. The official substitution ratio is two duck eggs for every three chicken eggs."


- has a recipe for a cake by Miriam Nice calling for 5 duck eggs, saying "Duck eggs make this sponge extra light and fluffy - cover in a rich buttercream for a show stopping Easter bake or stunning birthday cake." Photo by Immediate Media Company Ltd.



And the Epicurious website -

- has a recipe by Hank Shaw for a completely different kind of cake calling for 4 duck eggs, saying "This is an insanely easy cake to make. It goes together in just minutes and tastes awesome: a touch ducky—more so if you use wild duck fat—sweet, but not overly so, with a little hit of rosemary to even things out." Photo by Holly A. Heyser.


If you haven't tried duck eggs, I hope that you will. They are great!


Photo credit: Karen England.
Ducks need water, so two small ponds were installed for their enjoyment, one inside the coop and one outside. The nutrient rich water is being reused to revitalize a sad little apple and other stone fruits orchard nearby.
 
Photo credit: Karen England.
The ducks have names, they are Marjoram and Oregano respectively.

Ken Gland (another of SDHS President Karen England's noms de plume) has taken to writing for the San Diego Horticultural Society and for the International Herb Association from her garden shed/old soap-works that has been famously renamed "The Pub". The ducks periodically come visit her for the snails...

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