It's no Yoke | The Eggstraordinary World Pickled Egg Championship, Aldeburgh

What image is conjured up in your mind when you think of the humble, pickled egg? 

British pubs, beer and crisps? Fish and chips shops with bottles of brown liquid lining the counters, containing strange “brain-like” specimens?

Well think again. 

Traditionally, fresh eggs were probably more of a seasonal spring/summer food.  By pickling eggs and other vegetables when they were in plentiful supply, meant that these food sources were preserved and available during the leaner, winter months. 

Today, however, the pickled egg is firmly on the “foodies” up and coming list, and everyone from Jane Grigson and Jamie Oliver to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, have proclaimed to have the best pickled egg recipe. 

To confirm their eggcellent status on the British menu, the 2nd World Pickled Egg Championship will be held later this month on the beautiful Suffolk coast. But let me assure you, this is no yoke; competitors will be taking their pickling prowess very seriously.

The 2012 World Champion title is currently held by The Brewery Tap, Ipswich for their ‘Marmite & Aspall Cyder Pickled Egg’. This year’s stiff competition will be judged by a prestigious panel at the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival, on Sunday 29th September. 

For more information on the World Pickled Egg Championship and Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival, click here. If you are visiting the festival and area for a longer holiday or break, there’s a great choice of self-catering accommodation available in Snape and Aldeburgh. 

RECIPES * Suffolk gastro-pub "The British Larder" created this blinding spiced pickled egg and pork scratchings recipe.* This Jamie Oliver Magazine recipe for pickled quails eggs contains aniseed, coriander and paprika.