[Sca-cooks] Duck Eggs

[Johnna Holloway]

I did a search through EEBO-TCP and found mentions in various dietaries that indicate they were not recommended.

"DUckesegges are more than Hennes egges: but they be not sauourie, nor nourish so well as Hens egges."

Bartholomaeus, Anglicus, 13th cent. Batman vppon Bartholome his booke… 1582

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"Duckeegges & gose egges I do nat prayse, but pesaunt egges and partryche egges Physycke singulerly doth praise."

Boorde, Andrew, 1490?-1549. A compendyous regyment or a dyetary of healthe 1567?

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"Duckes and Gees Egges bee grose and noysome, but Partriche, Feasauntes, and Hennes egges, ingendreth good bloude."

William Bullein in A newe booke entituled the gouernement of healthe 1558

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Then we come Moffet who wrote his advice in the mid 1590s. Published long after his death in 1655.

Thomas Moffett's Healths Improvement says "Wherefore we condemn (in the way of comparison) all Eggs of Tur∣kies, Peacocks, Geese, Ducks, and all water-fowl, pre∣ferring Hens Eggs before all other, because they are a most usual, familiar, and temperate meat."
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The 1649 Regimen sanitatis Salerni says "so Egges of Duckes, Géese. Shovelards, and such like fowls are vnwholesome in the Regiment of Health and should be eschewed."

What recipes mention them seem to be using them as a measure. One is told use something the size of a ducks egg in another preparation.

Johnnae

On Feb 11, 2013, at 11:51 AM, Donna Green wrote:

> 
> Can anyone think of any period recipes that specifically call for duck eggs as opposed to eggs from chickens or other birds? If so, what are they?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Juana Isabella
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