Eggs

[cabrales]

I believe I have had devilled or similar eggs at Blue Smoke. Could you discuss how you came up with the inclusion of this item in the Blue Smoke menu?

Also, what are your views on the utilization of eggs (in non-breakfast items) at other restaurants that you created?

[Danny Meyer]

Blue Smoke's menu -- both appetizers and main courses -- include lots of things you do -- and don't -- typically see in a barbecue restaurant. Devilled Eggs? We'd always have them at picnics or box lunch affairs when I was growing up in St. Louis. Sometimes we'd have them with Fried Chicken (not particularly Kosher) and sometimes with barbecued ribs. But I always loved them, and loved tasting how everyone's family had a slightly different recipe for them. They're also fun to make. At Blue Smoke, we go through so many, I've commented that I wish we could find a way to make money on spent eggshells. But we're not in the composting business.

Barbecue can be filling (and it's hard to stop eating when it's good), so we have looked for appetizers that are delcious, make you feel happy, and don't necessarily put you over the top before the main course arrives. Unlike a lot of barbecue joints, our appetizer section does not primarily consist of fried foods. Devilled Eggs -- when done well -- are a fun way to begin, and they're also really easy to share at the table. A lot of people order one just to put in the middle of the table. I also love the little watercress, onion and toasted almond salad we serve with the eggs.

As for how and when we use eggs at the other restaurants, it changes all the time, but we do use them. Currently at Union Square Cafe there's a lunch dish with Greenmarket Eggs, Montasio Cheese Polenta and crispy Guanciale (smoked pork jowl). We tyr to use aracona eggs (brilliant orange yolks!) from Windfall Farms whenever we can get them. Tabla (actually Bread Bar) has been doing fried eggs with tomato curry and lamb sikh kebab. At Eleven Madison Park, there's a wonderful version of Frisee aux Lardons with poached egg. Gramercy Tavern, we've recently served Pickled Egg with roasted beet salad. People like eggs, and I think they're tremendously underutilized in fine dining.

[vengroff]

Excellent. I though Le Zinc was the only place to get a devilled egg in this town.

[cabrales]

But I always loved them, and loved tasting how everyone's family had a slightly different recipe for them.  

Thanks for your insightful answer. Is there anything unexpected about the recipe for the devilled eggs served at Blue Smoke?