Latvian Easter Egg Dyeing. (and French Onion Soup)

  

This year, instead of purchasing a regular “same old, same old” egg dying kit, try using some of the food from your kitchen to color your eggs. Or try your hand at Latvian Egg dyeing, by wrapping eggs with onion skins, tying them snuggly in some silk or old nylons, and gently drop into boiling in water. This is what we did at Terrain today, but you can do at home in your own kitchen. Then make the  French Onion Soup recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence...you will need a lot of onion skins, and find yourself knee deep in onions. When life gives you onions... Make French onion soup!

Spinach = Pale Green
Hibiscus tea = Green
Blueberries = Light to Deep Blue
Red Cabbage = Robin’s egg Blue
Cranberries = Lavender
Beet Juice = Pale Pink
* The longer you leave the eggs in, the more the color changes

Decide what colors you would like to try

Depending on what color you’d like to try, add each item to it’s own small pot

Add enough water to cover eggs

Bring liquid to a low boil for approx. 10-20 minutes

Remove from heat & allow to cool slightly

Add 4 tablespoons of white vinegar

Gently add eggs and boil on low for 15 minutes

Turn off heat, cover, and leave eggs in dye bath until they reach desired color (can be 3 hours for deep shades)

Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and place on rack to dry

You can use a paper towel dampened with a bit of vegetable oil to rub the eggs & give them a slight shine, but I love the natural finish .