Eggs

Eggs are among the most versatile ingredients used in cooking - a part of pasta, cookies, cakes, pastries, sauces, etc. - and can be cooked in a great variety of ways. They can be served plain or with an array of garnishing ingredients, sauces, or other accompaniments. The nutritive value of eggs ensured they would become part of the human diet all over the world from the earliest times; they are also associated with rites and traditions such as Lent and Easter. Egg sizes are Jumbo, Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small and Peewee. Several factors influence the size of an egg, the major factor being the age of the hen: as the hen ages, her eggs increase in size. The breed of hen from which the egg comes is a second factor, and weight of the bird is another. Pullets significantly underweight at sexual maturity will produce small eggs.