Eggs

Aleishall Girard Maxon

An egg can symbolize so many things. Eggs always remind me of the freshness of birth and the delicacy and strength that brand new beings seem to have. Whether it’s a tiny bird fluttering its wings for the first time or a turtle slowly crawling out of its shell, eggs are the beginning of a lifetime. Speckled in a nest, dyed in a basket or scrambled in a burrito, eggs are a quintessential part of birth, life and of course cuisine.

While the number of factory farms on which eggs are produced has increased over the years, there are a number of small farmers that are still raising and tending chickens in a traditional and humane manor. These are the people from whom you want to buy your eggs. While they are one of my favorite ingredients, both alone and in the context of so many recipes, it’s important to be aware of where your eggs are coming from. Standard commercial eggs should be strictly avoided as chances are they have come from a manufacturer who kept the chickens in unsavory conditions and fed them various drugs. These mass-produced eggs are usually void of any natural nutrients, and what’s worse can often be contaminated with salmonella. Choosing to purchase eggs produced on a factory farm is not only detrimental to your health, it also contributes to the perpetuation of inhumane animal treatment.

Don’t let all this scare you away, however. For those who lead a primarily or completely vegetarian lifestyle, eggs are a fantastic source of protein. Though it is substantially less than that of meat, the quality of the protein found in eggs is what makes them not only delicious, but also nutritious. They have eight essential amino acids, are high in vitamins A, B, D and E and contain the minerals iron, phosphorus and zinc. When produced in the proper conditions, eggs can be one of the most delicious naturally occurring foods ever discovered!