Vital Farms: The Blue Egg

Tanner and I went to the Barton Creek Farmers Market yesterday, and we found BLUE eggs. I was just mesmerized by the color, but the owner of Vital Farms informed us that the eggs were richer in flavor, and b/c they were pasture-eggs, they were higher in nutrients. We needed eggs anyway, so we picked up a dozen and couldn't wait to try them for breakfast the following morning.


Why are they blue?

Chicken eggs vary in color depending on the hen, typically ranging from bright white to shades of brown and even blue, green, and recently reported purple (found in South Asia)

Source: Wikipedia

The Verdict
The first thing I noticed when I cracked the beautiful blue shell was the dark yellow color of the yolk. According to Vital Farms, they raise their chickens in environments where they might eat wild flowers, herbs, onions and even garlic. This kind of diet causes the yolks to be more pronounced in color and more flavorful. The second thing I noticed was the lack of sulfur I usually smelled when cooking other eggs. I could get used to this. Now for the moment of truth - did they actually taste better? I stuck my fork in a piece of egg white and held it to my mouth. After chewing for a few seconds, I noticed the difference in taste. The lack of sulfur made the egg white taste so delicious (almost like custard). I wanted more. I scooped up the runny yolk and noticed how rich and flavorful it was. I got halfway through my plate, and realized I felt so full. This was unusual, as I was usually still hungry after my egg breakfasts on the weekdays. So, all in all, this was definitely a superior egg. After doing more research, I think that the blue color has nothing to do with the better taste, smell, higher nutrients and fuller feeling. I think all of that can be attributed to the way the chickens are raised (pasture eggs).

There is one catch (isn't there always). The price. At $6/dozen, these are NOT the most affordable eggs. They had regular brown eggs for $5/dozen, and as I said, through my research I don't think the color has any difference in taste. Still, Tanner and I go through 98 eggs (!) in one week, so this doesn't QUITE fit into our budget yet. :) (That would be $45 a week on eggs instead of $15). I'm not sure if they're THAT good. It's definitely a nice treat from time to time, though.