HOMECOOKINGCHRONICLES
Southern style
deviled eggs
BY BRIAN MEDFORD
I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest for over 20 years, but
my food heart still belongs to the South. When I moved to
Seattle, the idea that people ordered iced tea at a restau-
rant and expected it to be unsweetened was shocking. Who
would order that on purpose? Eventually, I gave up drinking
iced tea when I ate out. I couldn’t bear to see the undissolved
sugar sitting at the bottom of my glass. I know that sugar felt
rejected.
Over the years, I’ve adapted and let go of certain innate
food expectations, sometimes graciously and sometimes not.
I no longer expect to see a baked macaroni and cheese casse-
role on a Thanksgiving table, and I know the pie is going to
be pumpkin and not sweet potato. There are no boiled pea-
nuts and rarely a mountain of buttery mashed potatoes in a
yellow Pyrex bowl like my nana made.
My sister-in-law almost brought me to tears once when
I was visiting North Carolina. She served a plate of sliced
tomatoes, white onion and quick pickles alongside of supper.
For all I remember, we could have been eating lasagna, but
that side dish sure was familiar and comforting.
While my accent has softened, and I sometimes strug-
gle to understand my relatives when we talk on the phone,
I’m still hungry for the food of my youth. Although it’s not
always good for my waistline, I’m fine with loosening my
belt for a bite or two of memory.
It’s almost Easter, and while they’re not originally South-
ern, deviled eggs were featured prominently at our spring-
time table, particularly after hunting for their brightly dyed
shells in the backyard. And an Easter church potluck without
deviled eggs may not be worth going to at all.
The earliest known printed American recipe for deviled
eggs was in a local Montgomery, Alabama, publication in
1877. There are endless variations and must have ingredients
for deviled eggs. For me, simple recipes are best, no fancy
piping technique and no hard to find or expensive ingredi-
ents. I do, however, think yellow mustard is non-negotiable.
Pull up to the table, have a deviled egg as an appetizer or
even your entire meal, and think of home.
Deviled Eggs
Adapted from Sean Brock, makes 12 eggs
• Six large eggs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 4 tablespoons bread and butter or dill pickles, finely
diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pickle brine
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Hot sauce to taste (I like Crystal Hot Sauce)
• Smoked paprika
Preparation
Place six eggs in a large saucepan and cover with room
temperature water. Boil the eggs for two minutes. Remove
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Brian Medford
Deviled eggs seasoned with paprika and served with fresh pickles.
the pan from the stove, cover it and let the eggs remain in the
water for nine minutes. Drain the eggs in a colander and peel
them under cold water.
Cut the eggs lengthwise in half, remove the yolks, and put
them in a medium bowl. Set the whites aside. Add in may-
onnaise and mustard to the bowl and mash together. Add the
pickles, brine, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add hot
sauce to taste.
Transfer the mixture to a zip top plastic bag, seal and snip
off one bottom corner. Pipe the yolk mixture into the egg
whites, sprinkle with paprika and serve.
Brian Medford is the owner of Idlewild Biscuits and
Bakes in Astoria. He teaches cooking classes at The Pantry
in Seattle. Contact him at blmedford@gmail.com.