On our lunch menu we offer an omelette of the day, made with "Kennedyville Eggs". The eggs are from chickens raised by Mary Etta Stoltzfus, on Morgnec Road a few miles outside of Kennedyville, and we've been buying them from her for 20 plus years. They are incredibly fresh brown eggs. Sometimes it is difficult to fully close the carton, because of a couple exceptionally "jumbo" eggs inside; it is not unusual to crack open a double yolker. Now and then Mary Etta has run out to the hen house to gather the last dozen or so to fulfill our standing 10 dozen a week order. We've been stopping by her house each week since 1986, and we've seen Mary Etta and her husband Steve raise their family, start a new business, and most recently, move into the new house they built down the road from the old.
This morning was the last morning Mary Etta will be greeting us with our box of eggs. Her daughter-in-law, Marcia, is taking over. Marcia and her husband, Lamar, have moved into the old farm house, where Lamar and his brothers and sisters grew up, and she is going to be handling the egg business. It was a very emotional morning, to think we won't be seeing Mary Etta each week, but at least the eggs will still be coming to BT. They make such a huge difference in the quality - and taste - of the omelette and quiche at lunch, cream caramels and creme brulees for dessert, and not least of all, the Saturday eggs Benedict, with poached eggs and lemony hollandaise. The shells are so much harder, the eggs so much fresher than any we could get commercially. (Forget about using them for hard boiled eggs, unless you hold some back for a week - they are impossible to peel otherwise!) We could find eggs from a cheaper source, perhaps, but not better eggs, no way. And we are glad - for now at least - we won't have to.
Thanks Mary Etta!
This morning was the last morning Mary Etta will be greeting us with our box of eggs. Her daughter-in-law, Marcia, is taking over. Marcia and her husband, Lamar, have moved into the old farm house, where Lamar and his brothers and sisters grew up, and she is going to be handling the egg business. It was a very emotional morning, to think we won't be seeing Mary Etta each week, but at least the eggs will still be coming to BT. They make such a huge difference in the quality - and taste - of the omelette and quiche at lunch, cream caramels and creme brulees for dessert, and not least of all, the Saturday eggs Benedict, with poached eggs and lemony hollandaise. The shells are so much harder, the eggs so much fresher than any we could get commercially. (Forget about using them for hard boiled eggs, unless you hold some back for a week - they are impossible to peel otherwise!) We could find eggs from a cheaper source, perhaps, but not better eggs, no way. And we are glad - for now at least - we won't have to.
Thanks Mary Etta!
When I was growing up, we bought eggs from this same Amish family when Mary Etta's mother was selling eggs. I remember they had a German Shepherd who would sneak up behind you; I really disliked that dog and hated it when my mom sent me to get eggs! I still don't like German Shepherds!
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