As I sit here tonight munching on hors d'oeuvres that were left over from our open house yesterday, I notice that one in particular is absent - meaning gone, none left, devoured by guests. What was it? The deviled egg.
Although I am a huge egg fan, I never thought to serve deviled ones at a holiday party. I always pictured these as something served at a 1950s ladies bridge or Mahjong luncheon along with fruited jello - both sliding around on those plates with a circle to hold a matching tea cup. These luncheon sets are now plentiful at flea markets.
Earlier this month I went to a party at the house of a woman who would put Martha to shame. She is a doyenne of good taste and lives in a baronial type house that looks like something Timothy Corrigan decorated. As I pranced by the food stations, I was aghast to see not one but three plates of deviled eggs! That is 72 egg halves!
I thought that no one would eat them but by the end of the evening, all were gone.
This started me thinking about our open house and deviled eggs. The recipe was easy. The hardest part was finding the deviled egg plate. I finally tracked one down - the last one in the area - at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Obviously, this is a "beyond" item.
What's more, I went to Cleopatra's mother for 12 fresh eggs.
Yesterday, just before the guests arrived I placed the lowly deviled eggs amidst the stuffed dates, lobster puffs, and apricots in prosciutto, etc.
As folks arrived, I noticed that a young man immediately took a deviled egg and popped it into his mouth. It was the first piece of food to be consumed. What's more within an hour all of the eggs were gone, and a business associate of Mr. Weston's asked, "Do you have any more of those eggs?"
I spent hours planning the menu for yesterday and am seriously rethinking what ought to be served next year. May be I'll pick up some of those luncheon plate sets at the flea market and serve only deviled eggs.
P.S. Well I certainly have egg on my face - but what devilish fun.
Several kind folks wrote to share their thoughts and recipes for deviled party eggs.
Thank you everyone!
Although I am a huge egg fan, I never thought to serve deviled ones at a holiday party. I always pictured these as something served at a 1950s ladies bridge or Mahjong luncheon along with fruited jello - both sliding around on those plates with a circle to hold a matching tea cup. These luncheon sets are now plentiful at flea markets.
Earlier this month I went to a party at the house of a woman who would put Martha to shame. She is a doyenne of good taste and lives in a baronial type house that looks like something Timothy Corrigan decorated. As I pranced by the food stations, I was aghast to see not one but three plates of deviled eggs! That is 72 egg halves!
I thought that no one would eat them but by the end of the evening, all were gone.
This started me thinking about our open house and deviled eggs. The recipe was easy. The hardest part was finding the deviled egg plate. I finally tracked one down - the last one in the area - at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Obviously, this is a "beyond" item.
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| Fitz and Floyd from beyond at Bed, Bath, and Beyond |
What's more, I went to Cleopatra's mother for 12 fresh eggs.
Yesterday, just before the guests arrived I placed the lowly deviled eggs amidst the stuffed dates, lobster puffs, and apricots in prosciutto, etc.
As folks arrived, I noticed that a young man immediately took a deviled egg and popped it into his mouth. It was the first piece of food to be consumed. What's more within an hour all of the eggs were gone, and a business associate of Mr. Weston's asked, "Do you have any more of those eggs?"
I spent hours planning the menu for yesterday and am seriously rethinking what ought to be served next year. May be I'll pick up some of those luncheon plate sets at the flea market and serve only deviled eggs.
P.S. Well I certainly have egg on my face - but what devilish fun.
Several kind folks wrote to share their thoughts and recipes for deviled party eggs.
- A gentle lady in Maryland makes hers with crab meat "which would make my eggs less lowly."
- Another reader suggested ideas for presentation - not just putting the eggs on the "Beyond" plate but adding some garnishes.
- A gentleman from Boston reported that he had attended a party where the hostess served deviled quail eggs. Hmmm. I wonder if my neighbors would be willing to adopt a few quail sisters for Cleopatra...
Thank you everyone!
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