Deviled Eggs

I have always known why they are called Deviled Eggs. It has always been,for me, a devil of a job getting the eggs from the shell.

I cannot believe I am 66 years old and writing about the fact that I have always hated making Deviled Eggs, simply because I could never get the shells to come off while leaving the egg intact. The reason I choose to write about this today is because of the experience I just had with this same ordeal.

We have about 30 chickens, give or take a few. All ages and kinds. We simply love having chickens around the farm. The eggs are probably cheaper in town, although not as healthy and nutritious,when you consider the cost of feed, but we keep on,keeping our chickens, regardless. We don't use them for meat, since it is unbearable for me to eat one after having raised it, fed it daily, called it by name, then decapitated it. No way could I do that.When I was young, it did not bother me quite so much.

We go through long dry spells when the hens are not laying, but when they do lay, we are bombarded with eggs. I try to rotate the eggs stored in the extra fridge in the basement, keeping the older eggs to the front to be used next or given to friends and family. Today I brought up a dozen of the 'next in line' eggs and put them on to boil. Boiled eggs are so handy and nutritious for a quick snack.

I brought the eggs to a boiling point, then turned the burner down to medium and let them continue boiling for another 20 minutes or so, although I was not really timing them. I turned the burner off, let them set for a few minutes then drained the hot water off and covered them with cold water. I then used a method my Father had taught me when I was very young. I take a spoon and peck on the eggshell, making sure the shell was totally cracked all over.Then dropped them back into the cold water. One by one, I grabbed and gently twisted each egg with both hands, as though I were twisting the lid off of a jar of face cream. The entire shell slipped right off. No pick, pick, picking, nor torn up egg. I may try this procedure again, just to see if it works every time. If it does,making Deviled Eggs may not be such a devil of a job after all.