Egg Fun Facts

Some species of cuckoo lay eggs that closely mimic the appearance of their host species' eggs — a form of brood parasitism refined over millions of years of evolutionary arms race.

Source: Nature, 'Coevolutionary arms races between cuckoos and their hosts' (2000)

animals

Emus lay dark green eggs — nearly black. The pigment (biliverdin) is the same one responsible for bruise discoloration in humans.

Source: Poultry Science, 2013

animals

Quail eggs weigh about 9 grams each — roughly one-fifth the weight of a chicken egg. They have a higher yolk-to-white ratio and are considered a delicacy in many cuisines.

Source: Poultry Science Association

animals

The island nation of Tonga has a megapode bird (the Malau) that buries its eggs in volcanically heated soil rather than incubating them with body heat.

Source: BirdLife International

animals

French omelettes are cooked in under 2 minutes over high heat with constant agitation. The interior should be baveuse (slightly runny). It's considered one of the hardest dishes to master.

Source: Jacques Pépin, La Technique (1976)

cooking

Egg wash (beaten egg brushed on pastry) serves three purposes: it promotes browning, creates a shiny finish, and acts as glue for seeds or toppings.

Source: The Professional Pastry Chef, Bo Friberg

cooking

Meringue comes in three types: French (raw whipped whites + sugar), Swiss (whites heated with sugar over a bain-marie then whipped), and Italian (hot sugar syrup poured into whipping whites).

Source: The Professional Pastry Chef, Bo Friberg

cooking

Older eggs are better for hard-boiling because the albumen shrinks slightly from the shell membrane as the egg ages, making peeling dramatically easier.

Source: Serious Eats — J. Kenji López-Alt, The Food Lab

cooking

A single ostrich egg can make the equivalent of about 24 chicken-egg omelettes and takes approximately 45 minutes to hard-boil.

Source: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

cooking

The average American egg travels about 300 miles from farm to store. An egg purchased at a farmers' market may be less than a day old.

Source: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State

culture

The world's most expensive commercially available eggs are Kadaknath chicken eggs from India, which can sell for up to $10 each due to the breed's rarity and purported health benefits.

Source: National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, India

culture

The phrase 'egg on your face' (meaning public embarrassment) originated in Victorian-era theater, where audiences threw eggs at performers they didn't like.

Source: Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms

history