What Are Deviled Eggs?

Even the most casual of Sporked fans have probably noticed my fanatical devotion to deviled eggs. I manage to mention them in articles about some of the most innocuous foods like mayonnaise or Dijon mustard. It’s safe to say that I have an addiction and, finally, Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling has enabled me further by allowing me to dedicate precious web space to this Culinary King, the Princess of the Picnic Spread, the Earl of Appetizers: the deviled egg.

What are deviled eggs?

Historians tell of Leonardo da Vinci, perhaps history’’s greatest thinker, traveling to Spain and requesting to see an invention that might rival any of his own. Person after person presented him with wild contraptions, at which da Vinci simply yawned. 

Finally, a simple restaurant owner presented him with a small plate of deviled eggs. Intrigued, da Vinci took one bite and burst into tears. He proclaimed, “I will never again tinker with an invention, for there are no more inventions to conquer.” He shook the man’s hand, got into his homemade rocket ship, and hurtled into space, never to be seen again.

This is a true story that I did not make up.

What are deviled eggs, really?

A deviled egg is a classic appetizer. It’s made of a cooled, hardboiled egg that has been cut in half and had its yolk removed. The yolk is combined with ingredients like mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and other ingredients, forming a soft mixture that is piped back into the empty egg white halves. They are then often topped with a sprinkle of paprika or some other garnish.

Who invented deviled eggs?

God? Satan? Some extraplanar entity with more knowledge than our entire universe? Nay, it sprung from the mind of man himself.

There are records of “spiced egg appetizers” that date back to ancient Rome. However, the earliest recipe that most resembles our modern day notion of the deviled egg comes from 13th century Spain. So, who invented deviled eggs, exactly? We don’t know for sure, but we thank them very much. 

Why are they called deviled eggs?

I’m proud to say that this isn’t the first time I’ve written about deviled food; check out this article about deviled ham where, of course, I mention deviled eggs. How could I not? I’m trying to cultivate an image, you see.

The long and short of it is this: The term “deviled” was used in 18th century England to describe foods that had been made spicy. And, since deviled eggs are often made with paprika, they’re “spicy” and thereby “deviled.” 

What do you put in deviled eggs?

Here’s my personal, classic, deviled egg recipe: mayo, Dijon mustard, mustard powder, salt, pepper, all mixed with yolk and extruded back into the whites. Top with paprika. Slide down your throat. Sometimes I will garnish with a pickled jalapeno slice. I’ve seen other recipes that call for things like sweet pickle relish, but that’s not my style. The nice thing about deviled eggs is the yolk mixture is like a blank canvas; channel your inner da Vinci and design it as you wish.