Pullet My Egg

Because my husband and I spent so much time last Saturday at the first day of the outdoor Brooklyn Flea, noshing on everything and looking at every other thing, I didn't get to our local Fort Greene Greenmarket until after 3:30pm.

To my great dismay, the vendors were already packing up if not already gone. Not to be defeated, I left with a dozen brown eggs from Tello's Green Farm for $3.50 and vowed that I would get to the Carroll Gardens Greenmarket on Sunday morning for my provisions.

My interest is piqued at the Grazin' Angus Acres stand where I inquire about the pullet eggs on display.  They are a beautiful range of browns and seem ever so small, fitting loosely in their egg compartments with room to spare.

I am told that pullet eggs are the "veal" of the egg world, the first eggs of the pullets, young hens under a year old.  There is only a small window of several weeks each year to obtain these early eggs before the hens fully mature and produce bigger eggs.  Even though the $8.00 a dozen gives me pause, I walk away happy to try something new and eager to do an egg comparison.


The Match-up:

On the left, medium size eggs from Tello's Green Farm bought on Saturday.
On the right, pullet eggs from Grazin' Angus Acres bought on Sunday:

 The Poach:

The Match:

On the left, the medium hen egg has a large, round, soft yolk and a firm, well structured white.
On the right, the pullet egg has a large, highly rounded, firm yolk and a soft, loose white.


The Upper Cut:

On the left, the hen's egg, a beautiful orange yellow yolk color and thick consistency.
On the right, the pullet's egg, a richer yellow, orange color and thicker in consistency.


The Split Draw:

Hen's egg:  Rich, creamy, delicious and an everyday treat.
Pullet's egg:  Unctuous, lush, delectable and a seasonal treat.

Both winners in my book, even if the pullet pinches my pocketbook.