Farmer's Market, Fig Balsamic Vinegar and Baby Green Salad Seeds

Yesterday we went to a local Farmer's Market.  We purposely went to this market to visit the people who sell the olive oils and vinegars here and at this website http://www.caloliveoil.com/  

I had tried their Robbins Family Farm Ascolano Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a B. R. Cohn 15 yr old Balsamic Vinegar and loved both.  I wanted to see what other items I might like. 

What a successful day it was indeed!  We came home with four new items to try.

 I made a salad today using the best Balsamic Vinegar I have ever had.  It is B.R. Cohn Fig Balsamic Vinegar.  This vinegar has a sweet, earthy taste and pairs well with the spicy Mesclun and Arugula salad greens.

Mix together: 1 teaspoon of Fig Balsamic Vinegar and two teaspoons of Robbins Family Farm Ascolano olive oil, drizzle over gourmet baby greens that include spicy blend of mesclun lettuces.  I added my pickled eggs and some dried cranberry and pomegranate seeds.   Serve with a crusty old world bread to soak up the olive oil and vinegar left on the plate.  Oh my this was good...

I purchased my Mesclun and Arugula seeds from Botanical Interests Seeds.

I shop local Farmers Markets and companies that support sustainably grown products and also try to always use organic seeds in my garden.  

Pickled Egg Recipe in the Old Norge Canning Jar

I have all these wonderful eggs from Jason so today I made pickled eggs. 

Growing up on a turkey farm in Wisconsin we were never short on eggs. I am sure one of the reasons Mother made these eggs was because of the abundance we had.

It has always been a family tradition to have these eggs on Easter morning for breakfast.  I remember how excited I was as a child to wake up Easter morning, leaping from the bed trying to be the first one down the stairs to search for my Easter basket.  Sometimes it was in the old oven, sometimes under the sink or in the crawl space behind the stairway.  I don't remember all the hiding places now, but I do remember these EGGS! 

After finding our basket my Mother would bring out a canning jar filled to the brim with these eggs.  I remember the first sour bite of the egg, pungent from the spices and the cider vinegar she used.  I am sure that this is the reason I love the taste and smell of anything made with vinegar.

Here is my version:

Easter Morning Pickled Eggs with Tarragon and Fig Balsamic Vinegar


Hard boil 12 eggs, cool and peel.  Place the eggs in a sterilized canning jar.

In a small saucepan over moderate heat add:
1 cup Rice Wine Vinegar (you can use seasoned rice wine vinegar also)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Pickling Spices
2 slices Sweet Onion, rings separated and cut in half
5 Black Pepper Corns
1 tablespoon fresh Tarragon (if using dried Tarragon, use 1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon of a good quality Balsamic Vinegar, I like to use a Fig Balsamic Vinegar from Olive California, this will help to make the eggs a nice rich brown color.


Simmer for a couple of minutes then pour over your eggs.  Make sure the spices that end up at the bottom of the saucepan go in the jar, too.  Cover tightly with a new lid and jar ring, cool and place in refrigerator. 

These should be made one week ahead, depending on how tangy you would like them.  I have eaten them after only 24 hours and they are very good.  Serve these with a teaspoon or so of the brine poured over the egg and a nice piece of toasted whole grain bread for your Easter Breakfast.


You may or may not need all of this brine, it all depends on the size of your eggs and the jar.  I used a wonderful old Norge one quart canning jar that my friend brought back from a trip she made to Norway.  The 12 chicken eggs fit perfectly and had more than enough room.