"deviled eggs" news and stories

Happy National Deviled Egg Day!

Deriving from stuffed eggs, deviled eggs take their fiendish name due to the addition of fiery spices like cayenne or hot sauce. Stuffed eggs may have first appeared in 13th century Andalusia, where boiled eggs were served packed with spicy contents, but the "deviled" moniker didn't surface until the 18th century. Today, deviled eggs refer to any egg hard-cooked egg, sliced in half lengthwise, with its yolk removed, blended with other ingredients, seasonings and mayonnaise or sour cream, then spooned back into its pocket, and often sprinkled with paprika.

Per usual, we scoured the Slashfood Flickr pool for some unique recipes to recommend, finding that Rachel at Coconut&Lime dominated the array. Take inspiration from her culinary experiments -- and feel free to deviate using your favorite additions and seasonings, from horseradish to arugula, prosciutto to cilantro.

• Tarragon, chive and caper deviled eggs (pictured above)
• Spanish deviled eggs
• Guacamole deviled eggs
• Basil deviled eggs
• Wasabi deviled eggs
• Smoked salmon deviled eggs

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured on the site.

I'm a self-confessed deviled-egg worshipper. Even when I'm out at tapas bar Tía Pol, in Manhattan, along with the anchovies and chorizo, I order deviled eggs (or should I say huevos rellenos al pimentón de la vera). And yes, I have a custom plate for them, a sweet, corny gift from my mom back when I was in college -- the grass-green plate with little egg-shaped indentations also holds a set of salt-and-pepper shakers shaped like chickens. Deviled eggs are not exactly about hellfire.

However, we continue to try. In a New York Times story, writer Melissa Clark put an extra dose of devil in her eggs (above, as photographed by Andrew Scrivani) by adding a bit of tomato paste and smoked paprika, which, she says, made them "gently sweet, forcefully spicy and . . . smoky." Emeril Lagasse amps up the heat in his recipe with jalapeños, chipotle and his own Southwest spice blend. The devil, it seems, is in the details.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool for a shot of having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

Zip-close bags are great for food storage, but they serve a multitude of other purposes in the kitchen, too.

• Got foodies in the family? From giant fortune cookies to cranberry mead, stuff their stockings with these gourmand goodies.
• Just livin' the dream: Maine chef Lawrence Klang recently had the opportunity to share the kitchen with French chef and winner of the James Beard Award, Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
• In the realm of the retro appetizers, deviled eggs rank right up there with Jell-O molds. Instead, offer your holidays guests the devilish classic with a modern twist.
• Unlike surrounding Maine towns, Portland does not have an indoor location for its winter market, despite its grueling cold temperatures.

Deviled eggs, a fixture on the appetizer circuit, can give your holiday guests a delicious start to the Thanksgiving feast.