Deviled eggs are among the mainstays of the table for parties in a former era. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — At the moment, restaurant owners have reported egg prices at an all-time high. Indeed, at the Hunts Point wholesale market in the Bronx this week, a 30-dozen case of large eggs pushed almost $100. That is double the price they were at the start of 2021. And it brings to mind a past-time food that gives quite a bit of mileage to the item — deviled eggs.

Fluff up the yolks with ricotta cheese, softened butter or cream cheese. But passing the cooked yolk through a strainer or sieve makes it smoother on the palate. (Staten Island Advance File Photo)Staff-Shot

Growing up in the 1970s, any party thrown on my mother’s side of the family featured deviled eggs. The creamy, mayo-y yumminess would be part of a spread for my grandma’s neighbors when entertaining. At the Baptist church she attended in Brooklyn, fellow congregants toted their own versions as a “covered dish” for gatherings.

Grandma wasn’t the best cook, so the whole process of peeling, slicing and prepping the slippery orbs was somewhat remarkable. Although I do believe that people of the Great Depression and World War II eras cannot mess up that food. That said, she paired a platter of stuffed eggs with potato salad, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, croissants and iced tea.

A RARE BIT OF A BITE

Admittedly, I rarely see stuffed eggs anymore in the Staten Island edible arena. Lindsey Rimassa of Relish Caterers at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens said there is no call for the deviled creatures on the Livingston campus.

Chef Brian Kornbrekke from Taste of Honey at Nansen’s Lodge said, “I have seen a lot of new variations like a BLT deviled egg and a dill pickle deviled egg.” But other than that, he added that the finger food was a “classic” and “thing of the past.”

The point of it being classic is actually an understatement. The nosh was the stuff of the Romans, according to various food texts, and served as a spiced up precursor to formal meals. As per AncestralFindings.com, the deviling treatment has withstood the test of time — medieval folk filled egg cavities with raisins, flavored oils or cheeses. They topped boiled versions with sauces or sprinkled them with sugar.

Deviled eggs can be topped with bacon, herbs, shrimp or simply paprika. (Staten Island Advance File Photo)staten island advnce

Flip forward to the 20th century when Julia Child documented the mode of the time — a filler base of cooked yolks, blended mayo, softened butter, salt and pepper. She suggested building things up from there with finely minced herbs, blanched asparagus tips cut into slivers and curried onions.

Blue Smoke in Manhattan features deviled eggs on its restaurants’ menus. As a server shared on a visit there: it is so named for its traditional heat.

On the Italian side of our family, a treasured cookbook has made the rounds over the years — a Polly-O recipe book that cheesed up everything, deviled eggs included.

“Smart hostesses score social hits serving these tempting dainties — ricotta canapes which are easy to prepare and very attractive to serve,” the book coaches.

The formula for the Polly-O fan involves 4 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and cut in half lengthwise. Yolks must be passed through a strainer into a bowl, a processing that makes a smooth outcome on the palate. From there, a cook must eye-ball an equal amount of ricotta cheese to the yolk, add 1 teaspoon each of dry mustard, minced onion, chopped capers and 2 to 3 tablespoons mayo with salt and pepper, to taste.

The Polly-O people instruct, “Pile high in egg white halves and dust lightly with paprika.”

Ed Canlon of Canlon’s Restaurant in Oakwood advises on the prep for six eggs. He yolks it up with 1/4 cup mayo, 1 teaspoon deli mustard and a chopped jalapeno. Bacon crumbles finish the dish.

While high food costs are what they are right now, there’s always respect for an egg.

Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com.

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