Easter is an egg-zuberant time

 SHEPHERDSVILLE – In this thoughtful and joyous season of Springtime, including the religious holidays, one symbol holds true for every Bullitt Countian: The egg.

The blogger might be a few eggs short of a dozen, but not the American Egg Board.

Fist-sized, oval, plain white, one of Mother Nature’s most simplistic creations has become a universal symbol of the season.

Why? It’s just an egg.

But an egg can be poached, scrambled, deviled, fried, hard boiled... even decorated.

Humanoids praising the existence of hen ovary bi-products began long ago, well before Passover and Easter events took place.

Origins of egg worship date to Pagan rituals involving the Sun. Both represented fertility and new life, and Springtime was when the Earth’s new life occurred. Hence (or hen-ce), egg decoration and worship in the Spring.

Eventually eggs became symbolic of the Resurrection of Jesus, a perfect compliment for Christianity’s most important of holidays.

The American Egg Board (AEB) discusses much of the egg’s background in its Eggcyclopedia, which can be found at one of AEB's promotional websites, www.incredibleegg.org.

For example: The age-old question, which came first, the chicken or the egg? The AEB cites The Bible, specifically Chapter One of the Book of Genesis and the Creation story. Man was created on the sixth day, but chickens, along with other fowl, were created on day four.

In the scientific field, researchers conclude that evidence of both chicken and egg existence precedes man by millions of years.

Either way, both were around well before historians, so it’s still anyone’s guess which was first.

The Eggcyclopedia includes egg facts, history and legends, nutrition and recipes, and a detailed description of an egg’s structure and production.

According to the Eggcyclopedia, Egyptians believed the god Ptah created eggs from the Sun and the Moon.

Eggs are used in pet food. They are as nutritious for animals as they are for humans.

A debate exists around the origin of the omelet. Ancient Romans are believed to have created the first, called an ovemele, a mixture of eggs and honey. The French word, amelette, means blade and describes an omelet’s shape.

Egg substitutes do contain egg white, but the yolk is replaced by other ingredients such as vegetable oil, non-fat milk or tofu.

Christians may eat eggs as a protein substitute on Fridays during the Lenten season, when they refrain from meat. In centuries past eggs were not allowed for consumption during Lent, making them a special Easter treat. Meat, milk and cheese were also not allowed in those days.

The full week following Easter is designated in the United States as Egg Salad Week, mainly as a helpful way to get rid of all those Easter eggs. Family Breakfast Week takes place in September.

Following the Easter season there is a surplus of eggs and market sales drop. May is known as National Egg Month and lower egg prices generally continue throughout the Summer as hens continue to produce them.

A month, a week, and the egg even has its own World Egg Day, celebrated annually on the second Sunday in October.

Much more fun and interesting information can be found within the Eggcyclopedia and at www.incredibleegg.org, including egg recipes. nutritional facts, games and even ideas for feeding eggs to pets.