Buttered Eggs

When hens are laying constantly in the summer, it’s hard to believe you could ever be without eggs. But winter will come and with it, a dearth of eggs. Frugal Irish farm families in times past knew what to do when the eggs were flowing and the cows were giving milk freely, too: butter the eggs. It’s best practiced on eggs that are literally still warm from being laid. A very thin layer of butter is rubbed around the egg, sealing it airtight and preserving it for several months. Eggshells are so porous the buttery flavor permeates the egg, which is why eggs are still buttered today rather than merely refrigerated.