For an avid gym goer who can say they have “protein goals” with a straight face, I’ve never quite managed to get myself to like eggs, despite their benefits. When I was growing up, my father loved to boil a few eggs for breakfast and the smell of them simmering away on the hob left much to be desired. Add in the fact that I’ve always been something of a picky eater, with texture being the basis of many of my dislikes, and it meant eggs and I were never going to get along. It’s why I’ve never quite come around to an English breakfast, where eggs are scrambled (slimy), fried (rubbery) or poached (wet).
However, I’ve been on something of a culinary journey lately. Having never tried tiramisu because the texture didn’t appeal to me, I finally caved and ordered one on a trip to Italy, where it quickly became my favourite dessert. And mince pies, which I had steered clear of after my first bite of one in year 6, are a dislike I’ve conquered after trying some with thick pastry and a generous filling. Given the expense of adding extra meat to my meals for protein, it seemed fitting to finally give eggs a chance.
My attempts at cooking eggs at home have often disappointed me, with watery whites and yolks so pale it would be too generous to call them yellow. Add to that a frequently bland flavour and I’d be left wondering why I bothered cooking them at all. Enter: Freshlay Farms. If I’ve noticed a theme in the foods I’ve finally come around to lately, it’s that quality matters. Perhaps it wasn’t eggs in general that were the issue, but that I was simply eating the wrong ones. Given that Freshlay Farms Golden Yolkers boasted a Great Taste award 2024 alongside several other accolades, I figured that if they couldn’t win me around then I probably would need to accept that eggs and I were just not meant to be.
I bought a pack of six from the supermarket and decided that I would give myself a week to see how I got on, starting with recipes where they weren’t the main star before heading into distinctively more eggy territory. Going for a comforting dish where eggs certainly feature but don’t overwhelm, I made myself some fried rice. Using some leftover white rice, gochujang, kimchi, a spring onion and some soy sauce, I got to work. I quickly realised the eggs are called Golden Yolkers for a reason – the centre was a deep, sunset orange. Once whisked up and scrambled they retained a vivid colour, and by the time I’d finished eating my bowl of rice I had to concede that they had lent the meal an extra something, and not just protein.
Freshlay Farms says its eggs are perfect for meals where they are the star of the show, so I decided to be a little less cowardly. A few days later when a friend came over for dinner, I fried up a couple of eggs to place on top of our beef stir-fry. When cooking, the whites of the egg didn’t spread out across the pan – as some others are wont to do – and after deciding I’m not quite ready for the runny yolks of sunny side up I flipped them over for a few moments. The results were pleasantly surprising. “This was a good idea,” my friend said, indicating to the fried egg as she cut through it. I was inclined to agree.
Finally, I tried a boiled egg, the type I have always struggled most to get on board with. I went with the Guardian’s timeless recipe for the “perfect boiled egg” given its simple, no-faff instructions. If Freshlay Farms was going to disappoint me, it would be now. I waited seven minutes, plunged them into cold water, and then got to peeling. The yolk was just-set and had a rich flavour and creamy texture, a far cry from the rubbery texture I associated with boiled eggs. What I didn’t expect was that these boiled eggs didn’t come with the sulphur smell I was expecting either, meaning my chef’s candle in the kitchen could remain unlit.
Overall, I have to admit I’m now a convert. Once my eggs ran out, I found myself buying more. As someone who previously hadn’t had them on the shopping list for some time, I was also impressed to discover that not only are Freshlay Farms’ eggs free range, but that you can enter a code on its website to find out exactly where yours came from. Given I have to rely on big supermarkets where I live, I appreciate being able to get farm shop-style fresh eggs without driving for miles in the car. I also made sure to pick up some tinned tomatoes and peppers in my last shop too – it looks like I’m about to discover the joys of shakshuka … about a million years after the rest of the world, but better late than never!
Find out more about Freshlay Farms and why its Golden Yolkers have clinched a Great Taste Award 2024
