The History of Eggs

History of eggs

 

Now that we are in the festive season with lots of joy, celebration, and family time, we are always searching for something to learn about within this time of the year. Here at Eggbert we decided that the topic for our readers, this festive season would find it interesting to be informed about the history behind eggs.

 

When and why did people start eating eggs?

Since the beginning of human history, people have consumed eggs. The history is deep and diverse, and there are countless culinary applications. People have been eating eggs for how long, where, and why

 

Where?

Anywhere eggs may be found. In various regions of the world, different types of eggs have been and continue to be consumed. The most popular options are ostrich and chicken.

 

Why?

Eggs are a great source of protein, may be used in a wide variety of recipes (from simple boiled, fried, or filled dishes to elaborate quiche, custards, or meringue), and are suitable for the meatless fasting days that some religions mandate. 

“It’s possible that at some point in the early history of man, female game birds were regarded as a source of both meat and eggs. Men learned that they could get female jungle fowls to lay more eggs and even continue to lay eggs over a longer laying season by removing from the nest any eggs they didn’t want to hatch (or that they just wanted to eat).” The Chicken Book by Page Smith and Charles Daniel.

“Humans have been aware of and fond of eggs for many years. By 3200 BCE, India had domesticated jungle birds. Fowl were domesticated and producing eggs for human consumption before 1400 B.C.E., according to records from China and Egypt, and there is archaeological proof of egg consumption reaching back to the Neolithic period. Egg-laying hens were discovered by the Romans in England, Gaul, and among the Germans. Columbus’ second journey brought the first domesticated poultry to North America in 1493.” Dictionary of Food and Culture.

 

Where did the word “egg” come from in English?

“The name of the egg can be traced to an ancient Indo-European source that is connected to words meaning “bird.” -A-Z Guide to Food & Drink

 

When and why did people begin using eggs in baking?

We may now include eggs in our diet without endangering the chicken’s reproductive cycle thanks to farming the magnificently laying hen. However, following Pericles’ reign, when the chicken was brought to Africa, the few ancient Greek recipes that do include eggs are from. The practice of utilizing eggs in cooking was slow to take hold. We have heard of egg white-based thagomata and a variety of egg yolk-based stuffings. The traditional Roman cake known as the libum, on the other hand, required one egg for every pound of flour. Eggs were frequently used by pastry chefs in cakes and pastries throughout the Roman era.

Baked custard was created by Apicius (25 BC) using milk, honey, and eggs that were beaten and cooked over low heat in an earthenware dish. Eggs first entered the kitchen with Apicius, who repeatedly addressed them in the Ars Magirica. There is no proof that eggs were consumed as a dish within itself; rather, beaten eggs were employed to thicken and bind sauces and ragouts. Hardboiled eggs also formed a component of many recipes, occasionally with cheese. This could just mean that they weren’t deemed fascinating enough to warrant specific mention, rather than that they weren’t consumed at all.