Steps to Naturally Dying Eggs
March 19, 2006
Here are the steps to natural dying
1. Place raw eggs in the bottom of a large pan
2. Cover with tepid water
3. Add about a teaspoon of white vinegar
4. Add the natural dye ingredients
5. Bring the contents in the pan to a boil
6. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes depending on the
shade you wish to achieve. The longer it boils, the darker the
shade. Of course, the longer the boil, the more inedible the egg
will be.
7. Remove any solid dye substance and pour water and eggs carefully
into a bowl. If you wish them to be a darker color, leave them in
the bowl and refrigerate over night. Never leave eggs out of
refrigeration for more than one hour. If you do, don’t eat them. You
could get food poisoning from them.
8. Remove the eggs from the water and let them dry in egg cartons.
Another variation on this is the confetti egg. Although they
originated in Renaissance Italy, confetti-filled eggs have long been
a popular part of Mexican Easter celebrations. There, the eggs are
traditionally broken over the head of a friend, who makes a wish
upon their impact. To make a confetti egg, follow these steps:
First you will need to blow everything out of the egg. Then you will
fill it with confetti (or herbs that correspond to your desires if
you choose). Some choose to decorate the eggs and keep them in their
homes, while another custom is the break the eggs.
Red: Boil with the skins of red onions for 30 minutes. The more
skins added, the more color they will absorb.
Pink: Fresh or frozen cranberries or raspberries.
Blue: Canned blueberries or red cabbage leaves.
Yellow: Ground Turmeric, hickory bark, or saffron (tends to be
expensive).
Light Yellow: Orange or lemon peels, carrot tops (the green part) or
celery seed.
Orange: Yellow onion skins.
Greenish-Gold: Yellow Delicious apple peels.
Green: Grass, canned/fresh/frozen spinach.
Purple: Fresh beets, beet juice from canned beets or grape juice.
Beige to Brown: Strong coffee, tea, or the outer layer of an onion
skin.