local duck eggs

Several years ago, I participated in a natural building workshop in Athens, Ohio.  It was taught by Ianto Evans and hosted by a lovely family on what I would consider to be a small working farm. There were goats and ducks.  It was eye opening to see the phenomenal amount of work it was to maintain.  In addition to feeding, there was milking and collecting eggs to be done daily. Putting the ducks into their house each night required some time and managing the whereabouts of the goats frequently presented a significant challenge.

There was one evening when our host produced the most amazing frozen custard made with eggs and milk she had gathered that day, and it is an experience that I will never forget.  All of her meals were nutritious, tasty, and included very fresh ingredients but this treat exceeded all of them. The custard was luscious.

This was my introduction to duck eggs, and there is something different about them. I have been researching and it seems they have a higher fat and cholesterol content as well as more protein in the white. This makes the texture a bit different from chicken eggs which some people prefer for baking.

I am pleased to learn that we have a farmer bringing duck eggs to our local farmers market and this week I was fortunate enough to end up with some. I could just eat them. I probably will do this with a few. Alan recommends them for baking, a pastry chef he worked with preferred them and used them exclusively to great effect. Regardless of the form in which I consume them, I will put them to good use and enjoy every moment of it.

Now, if only I could manage some quail eggs. . .