An ‘egg’citing way to decorate Easter eggs 

(Editor”™s note:  Tea expert and Westfair contributor Ellen Easton offers her take on Easter eggs that will enable you to create intricate patterns. Her only real directive with this recipe ”“ be creative: ) 

Marbleized eggs by Ellen Easton  

Ingredients:  

12 jumbo or extra-large eggs 

1 1/2 tablespoons of black tea leaves 

8 cups of water 

 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

Optional: 4-5 drops food coloring (See notes below.) 

Directions: 

Place eggs in a single layer in a large pan covered with water one inch above the eggs. Bring water to a slow boil. Boil for 10 to 12 minutes. Sometimes the pot will start to lose water and the tops of the eggs will be exposed. It”™s OK to add a little more water. Make sure to turn the eggs around so that all sides get exposed to the water. When the eggs are cooked, gently lift the eggs out of the pan and place them under cold running water for approximately 2 minutes or into a bowl of iced water. Set aside.  

When the hard-boiled eggs are cold, gently crack the eggshells all over by rolling them on a paper towel or using the back of a spoon the tap the shells of each egg. Take care to keep the eggshells intact and not break them or let the shells detach from the eggs. The more you crack, the more intricate the design of the marble will be. Make the cracks fairly deep as that is how the tea mixture or food coloring will seep into the egg.  

In a large pan, add black tea leaves, water and salt. Carefully place the cooked eggs, one by one in a single layer, back into the pan. If needed, add additional water to cover them. Optional:  Create colorful marbled eggs by adding one of the following ingredients to the water ”“ 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 4 tablespoons beet juice; 3 tablespoons orange juice; 3 tablespoons brewed coffee; 4 to 5 drops food coloring of your choice.  

Bring water slowly to just a simmer. Cover the pan, lower heat and allow the eggs to simmer for 1 hour. Check to be certain the water remains in the pan. Add more water if needed.  After 1 hour, remove the pan (with the eggs) from heat and let the eggs cool in the liquid. (The longer you leave them in the infused water, the more colorful they become.)  

When cool, drain off the water and wrap the eggs (with the shells still on) in plastic wrap or a sealed plastic bag. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, remove the shells from the eggs. Eggs will now have a marbleized appearance.   

Serve sliced, halved or quartered. Or slice the eggs in half, remove the yolk and use as cups for deviled eggs, chicken, tuna, seafood and chopped salads or additional fillings.