Susie’s Climax Creations Duck Eggs
Spring is in full swing.
At the local duck pond the girls have gone missing. They are tucked away keeping their newly laid eggs safe and warm. The male ducks congregate on the banks of the water in waiting. Soon the ducklings will arrive. Elsewhere ramps are popping up from the ground, proving that once again life can rise from this recently frozen earth.
I suppose you could forage for these local or seasonal treasures. Or you could just go to the farmers market. Ramps seem to be everywhere. Duck eggs are a little harder to come by. Sure, you could visit Quattro’s Game Farm if you were in Dutchess county. But if you find yourself west of the river, there’s Susie’s Climax Creations.
This small Greene county producer can be found at the Schenectady Greenmarket. And their commitment to the care and feeding of their birds is remarkable. This is how they describe what they do:
“Through Humane, Natural, Organic, Chemical Free methods we offer our animals a happy, healthy and productive life. Our animals are provided with a pasture-based environment while treating them humanely and with loving respect throughout their lives. All of our birds are fed Certified Organic freshly milled grains & seeds. We custom mix the organic grains and seeds with Icelandic kelp and minerals to ensure a proper diet. Our feed does not contain any antibiotics, hormones or soy, which is detrimental to organic practices. We refuse to compromise the quality of the feed by using soy. Only the best organic feed is offered to our fowl.”
Duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs with a much greater proportion of yolks to whites. Gently poached or soft boiled, they make for a lovely breakfast. But a duck egg omelet–in the classic French style–makes for a delightful meal anytime.
And since it’s spring, it’s almost a no brainer to stuff the omelet with sautéed ramps.
Eggs with onions was always a favorite dish of mine growing up. This is a much more grown up version of the form. I can think of no better teacher on how to do this than Jacques Pepin. He makes it look so easy. Don’t worry if yours isn’t perfect. Mine isn’t.
First, prepare the ramps. Here is a simple recipe that works well. You will only have to hold these for couple of minutes, because the omelet itself cooks in a flash.
When the omelet is done, slice a lengthwise slit in the top with the tip of a sharp knife. Push the ends of the omelet together to create a pouch, and spoon in the sautéed ramps.
As the weather warms up, remember the simple omelet. It’s a great thing to cook without heating up the entire kitchen. And it can be filled with whatever farm fresh seasonal produce you have around the house. It is quick, elegant and delicious.
But duck eggs make it extraordinary, and Susie’s are fantastic.
About Daniel B.
A west coast transplant now living in Albany, Daniel Berman is applying his communication strategy background to food writing with the ultimate goal of improving the culinary landscape in the Capital Region. He writes the FUSSYlittleBLOG and contributes regularly to All Over Albany.