D asked me about this the other day and I wasn't sure if I was crazy in my reply, but apparently I was right. I actually looked it up, though, that's how exciting my life is. What IS the difference between brown and white eggs? (Some people mistakenly think the brown are better for you). I do buy brown, but I just like the way they look! (Although after seeing the above picture I may rethink it...that is one ugly bastard).
Straight Dope Staff replies:
There is one major, MAJOR difference between brown eggs and white eggs.
Brown eggs are brown and white eggs are white.
Does that answer your question?
No? OK then. According to the Egg Nutrition Board (and who should know better?), "White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. There is no difference in taste or nutrition between white and brown eggs." The people at Crisco (who may know even more than the egg nutritionists) go further to say, "They simply come from two different breeds of chickens. Brown eggs, however, are more expensive because the chickens that lay them eat more than those that lay white eggs." Among the breeds that lay brown eggs are the Rhode Island Red, the New Hampshire and the Plymouth Rock--all larger birds that require more food.
But Bill Finch of the Mobile Register suggests that brown eggs may have tasted better at one time. He says, "For years, the chickens preferred by commercial growers happened to lay white eggs. A few smart cooks sought out brown eggs because most of the home-reared American flocks, which had access to flavor-enhancing weeds and bugs, happened to lay brown eggs. Commercial egg producers eventually got wise to this. They started raising chickens that laid brown eggs, and charged a premium for them at the store.
Hot stuff.
I thought to look it up while I was at the grocery store waiting to have D's prescriptions filled. D has had a root canal and is going to have a crown put on this Wednesday. The pharmacist offered to have it ready in ten minutes so I wandered around. The only thing I needed was wine and inasmuch as I don't care what people think of me, I just didn't want to show back up at his counter to pick up goddamn Vicodin with a bottle of cheap white in hand.
11 comments:
Yeah, there is no difference. Brown is more common up here. The best eggs seem to come from the local small farms...the egg yolk is dark orange (in spring/summer) and the egg is "perky" when cracked...I just mean it doesn't spread out. You know, some of those supermarket eggs, the white just runs like water.
Anyway, I've had great brown, white, and blue fresh eggs.
Vicodin and cheap wine?
They'd think you had Eminem in the car waiting for you.
Hope yer man feels better.
Vel: Jeez, only you could top me with the whole "blue fresh eggs" bit! And those would be SO YUM.
And apparently the brown used to come from small local farms? Eggs is good all the time.
Mob: That made me lol. I don't know, D seems to have this weird idea that Vicodin will make you a drug whore addict for life. No more "House, M.D." for him, jesus.
That's quite a potential scandal among the egg growers of this country. I wonder if they throw it down at their annual conventions.
The puns at this point are endless.
And I almost didn't post this, I mean *damn*, the controversy in just *posting* something of this nature is risky enough.
I run a support group for folks who have excess prescription drugs on their hands. Just ship them to me and everything will be allllll better!
Ha, I'd have to admit, I didn't know the diff either. What a let down.
Just give D a few Palahniuk novels to read and i'm sure he'll feel 100% better about his vicodin paranoia.
Skyler'sD: Oops, already took them all!
MacG: It's all a lie. The brown ones are special, I just wanted everyone to think otherwise.
And yes, Palahniuk's novels do have the ability to give you something else to think about, that's for sure...
My Dad lives in the Lake District and up until quite recently had a load of hens. The eggs were the best I've tasted with deep yellow yolks.
Sadly, the buzzards took a shine to the hens and kept swooping down and having at them.
Maybe they liked the eggs too.
Dang, poor hens!! I need some tasty farm eggs...
There's something a bit revolting about FRESHLY laid eggs. I really don't want to think too long an hard about the origins of most everything I eat. I'm a weenie.
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