Inspect the eggs prior to purchasing them.
Make sure they are not dirty or cracked.
Dangerous bacteria may enter a cracked egg.Store eggs in their original carton in the
refrigerator until you are ready to prepare them.
Eggs tend to take on odors of foods around them, so try to
store them away from foods with heavy odors (such as onions, fish,
etc.)The American
Egg Board recommends the following method for boiling
the perfect Easter egg:Place
eggs in a single layer in a saucepan.Add
enough tap water to come at least 1 inch above the eggs.A
tablespoon of vinegar can be added to allow better dye coverage
after cooking.Cover the pan and quickly bring just to
boiling. Turn off
heat.If necessary, remove the pan from the burner
to prevent further boiling.Let
eggs stand, covered, in the hot water for 15 minutes.Immediately
run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water until
completely cooled.Refrigerate the eggs.
Eggs
should always be cooked well regardless of the cooking method or
style. The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) recommends cooking eggs until both the yolk and
the white are firm, not runny. Cooking
them this way destroys Salmonella and other harmful bacteria that may
be in the eggs.Wash
your hands thoroughly after handling eggs (and try not to handle them
excessively while dying, hiding, etc.).
The shell of an egg is very porous and can allow bacteria to
penetrate to the inside.HIDING
THE EGGS:
Make sure to avoid areas where the eggs may come into contact
with pets, wild animals, insects or lawn chemicals.
Some
egg suppliers sell pre-cooked Easter eggs that are resin coated for
extra protection against contamination and longer shelf life.
American
Egg Board guidelines for Easter eggs:
(1)
If
you wont be coloring your eggs immediately after cooking them, store
them in their cartons in the refrigerator.
Then, after they have been hidden and found, refrigerate them
again.
(2)
Dont eat cracked eggs or eggs that have been out of the
refrigerator for more than two hours.
(3)
If you plan to use hard-cooked eggs as a centerpiece, cook extra
eggs for eating and discard the ones that are left out of refrigeration
for decoration.