Colorado eggs are no shell game

ith 120 million eggs laid in Colorado’s economy every year, they’re a hot commodity — in fact, eggs are collectively the ninth-largest agriculture product in the state behind wheat, Colorado Egg Producers Association President Jerry Wilkins said.What most don’t know is the Colorado market is driven by only six main egg producers, which help support employment and income for 250 farm families.Stores such as Albertson’s, Costco, King Soopers and a number of convenience stores provide the option to buy local eggs.”It’s pretty exciting that specialty eggs on a store level come from a pretty small group of farmers with a little over 4 million egg-laying hens,” Wilkins said. “There’s efficiencies in place when you can produce that much every day all year. It’s a pretty amazing operation.”Egg terms can be confusing when making a selection, but Wilkins has found 82 percent of eggs sold and produced in Colorado are conventional or cage-free, 12 percent are nutritionally enhanced and 4 percent organic. With an abundance of choices, labeling gives the consumer the best amount of information to make the right decision, he said.With local eggs, it’s about freshness.”I represent family farms not only because it supports the local economy, but also because those eggs are delivered between 48 to 72 hours and they cook up great,” Wilkins said. “It affects the taste, and those meringues stand up taller when you cook them in your pan.”Where to goThe breakfast spot Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, is popping up all around the state, including Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, Centennial and, most recently, Lone Tree. Spencer Lomax, chief culinary conductor and purchasing officer, said sometimes the gaps in breakfast restaurants are that customers want the sausage — they just don’t want to know how it’s made or where it comes from.”To us, we see freshness as a huge factor and have a relationship with a local supplier,” Lomax said. “A local egg is high quality and responsibly raised, typically cage-free and free of antibiotic.”The company has recently decided to serve “almost” 100 percent local eggs, Lomax said.”We’re proud to serve Colorado eggs from just up the road in Platteville,” a town near Greeley, he said. “It’s awesome that we can support local farmers. Eggs are super-versatile and offer a great source of protein. They’re just so good and the classic perfect breakfast.”The most popular egg dish at Snooze is the eggs Benedict, and it has six different styles. There’s the classic ham Benedict. But for those who enjoy a multitude of flavors — and a twist on the traditional — the Caprese features heirloom tomatoes tossed with pesto and served with mozzarella on a ciabatta bun with poached eggs, cream cheese hollandaise and a balsamic reduction.If you’re stopping in at Snooze for the first time, Lomax recommends his favorite — the breakfast pot pie. It’s a flaky puff pastry smothered with homemade rosemary sausage gravy, topped with an egg and served with hash browns.Chef tipsFood expert Jason Morse, chef of 5280 Culinary and member of the American Culinary Foundation for the Colorado Chefs Association, always goes for jumbo eggs when cooking breakfast. For hard-boiled eggs, older jumbo eggs peel easier, he said.He advises to use local eggs, as they’re grade AA and meet FDA specifications. Local producers take great care of their flocks and take pride in producing the most consistent eggs on the market, he said. Local equals fresher.As a chef, Morse urges consumers to do their research when buying eggs instead of relying on television and online advertising.