Allergic to Chicken Eggs? Try Duck Eggs!

Duck eggs may sound exotic to some, but downright weird to others so I am here to tell you my personal and professional opinion about this chicken egg alternative.
Several years ago, I found out that I had a food sensitivity to chicken eggs. Food sensitivities are extremely common and though they don’t mean the throat closing life and death situation if a true allergy, eating foods you are sensitive to on a daily basis will wear down your immune, digestive, and hormonal systems thus placing your health at great risk. Knowing this, I was very disappointed when I found out that I needed to eliminate one of my favorite foods…and not just eggs by themselves, but all of the many other foods/recipes that use eggs. Trying to be healthy and make a gluten-free cake? Nope, it’s got eggs. What about binding your meatloaf, crab cakes or zucchini parmesan? Think again.
It took me quite awhile to try duck eggs because I thought they would taste different from chicken eggs and, if I am being honest, I thought they would taste weird. During a nutrition consultation one day, my client told me that he and his family loved eating duck eggs for breakfast. I asked him about the taste and texture. “They taste like chicken eggs and their texture is richer.” Hmmm. “They are terrific to bake with,” he added. What did I have to lose?
My husband googled duck eggs and our zip code and viola! Up pops several local options listed on Metzer Farms’ website. I chose the closest to me, Hidden Hill Farm, and have been getting farm-fresh, pasture-fed duck eggs ever since.
For those of you in the Santa Cruz area, call Luke Anderton at 831-423-8593 or use the link provided above for the full roster of local, fresh duck egg providers. If you don’t live in my area, google with your zip code or ask at your local health food store.
Duck eggs work great in the protein pancake recipe listed on my recipe page and, for a holiday favorite, I’m going to try making egg nog with them next. You can bet that I’ll post the recipe if it turns out to be a winner.