Duck and Chicken EggsA lot of folks turn up their noses at the idea of eating duck eggs. When I was young, I did too.  But if you’ve never tried them, you don’t know what you’re missing.

We recently asked our Facebook fans what they thought of duck eggs. Over 100 people responded, and there was quite the range of response:

  • “They make the best cakes.”
  • “We love them. They make great omelets and quiche and have a better flavor.”
  • “Amazing in baked goods.”
  • “Makes breads and cakes moister.”
  • “I loved making homemade noodles out of them.”

To be fair, not everyone likes duck eggs.

  • “They are gross. They taste very strong and have a tougher texture.”
  • “I don’t care for the taste of them. Turkey eggs are good, though.”

Duck eggs are excellent for baking. They make fantastic soufflés, excellent angel food cakes, superior sponge cakes, great omelets and quiches, marvelous meringue, and nice, light pound cakes. They make cakes richer and fluffier, and their texture helps baked goods stay moist longer. Many people prefer them over chicken eggs for baking.

Lemon Meringue Pie made with duck eggsOne of our Facebook fans reported: “Nothing is better than duck eggs for baked goods. I grew up with an Italian grandmother that only used them. We always raised ducks for that sole purpose.”

If you make your own pasta or egg noodles, try duck eggs in the recipe next time and see how you like them.

After hearing some people don’t care for them, I’ve tested our own duck eggs side-by-side against our chicken eggs and I can’t tell any difference in taste. I did perceive a slight difference in texture — but then again, I’m not exactly an egg connoisseur! Diet can affect the flavor of the eggs — the duck’s diet that is — and some may have a stronger flavor than others. Like eggs from any other fowl, they can be eaten any of the ways you’d normally prepare chicken eggs: fried, omelets, egg salad, deviled, hard boiled, soft boiled, over easy, or scrambled.

If you have a source of duck eggs but haven’t eaten any yet, try them. You might be pleasantly surprised, and don’t be afraid to experiment. If you have eaten or baked with them, what did you think about them?