A Comprehensive Guide to Egg Plates, Including Uses, Types, and Where to Buy
Egg plates, also known as egg platters or deviled egg trays, are specialized serving dishes designed to hold and present deviled eggs. These plates typically feature individual indentations or compartments that securely cradle the eggs, preventing them from rolling or sliding around. Egg plates come in various materials, including porcelain, ceramic, glass, and plastic, and offer a stylish and practical way to serve this popular appetizer.
Uses of Egg Plates
Egg plates are primarily used for serving deviled eggs, a classic dish consisting of hard-boiled eggs that are halved, filled with a savory or spicy yolk mixture, and often garnished with paprika or fresh herbs. These plates are ideal for potlucks, picnics, holiday gatherings, and any occasion where deviled eggs are on the menu.
Beyond their primary purpose, egg plates can also be used for serving other small appetizers, finger foods, and condiments. Their individual compartments make them perfect for holding olives, pickles, dips, spreads, and even small desserts like mini cupcakes or truffles.
Types of Egg Plates
Egg plates come in a wide variety of styles and designs to suit different tastes and preferences. Some popular types include:
- Classic Egg Plates: These plates feature a simple, elegant design with individual indentations for holding deviled eggs. They are typically made of porcelain or ceramic and come in various colors and patterns.
- Vintage Egg Plates: Vintage egg plates often feature intricate designs and patterns, adding a touch of nostalgia to your table setting. They can be found in antique stores, flea markets, and online marketplaces.
- Modern Egg Plates: Modern egg plates embrace contemporary design elements, with sleek lines, bold colors, and unique shapes. They are often made of glass or acrylic and can add a stylish touch to any gathering.
- Themed Egg Plates: Themed egg plates are designed for specific occasions or holidays, such as Easter, Halloween, or Christmas. They often feature festive designs and colors that match the theme.
- Divided Egg Plates: Divided egg plates feature multiple compartments, allowing you to serve different types of deviled eggs or other appetizers on the same plate. This is a great option for parties or gatherings with diverse dietary preferences.
Materials Used for Egg Plates
Egg plates are typically made from the following materials:
- Porcelain: Porcelain egg plates are known for their durability, elegance, and ability to retain heat, keeping your deviled eggs warm.
- Ceramic: Ceramic egg plates are similar to porcelain but tend to be more affordable and come in a wider variety of colors and patterns.
- Glass: Glass egg plates offer a modern and sophisticated look and are easy to clean. However, they may be more prone to breakage than other materials.
- Plastic: Plastic egg plates are lightweight, shatterproof, and affordable, making them a practical choice for casual gatherings or outdoor events.
Where to Buy Egg Plates
Egg plates can be purchased from a variety of retailers, both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. Some popular places to find egg plates include:
- Online retailers: Amazon, Etsy, Walmart, Target, and specialty kitchenware stores often carry a wide selection of egg plates.
- Department stores: Major department stores like Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale’s may have a selection of egg plates in their home goods or kitchenware sections.
- Antique stores and flea markets: Vintage egg plates can be found in antique stores and flea markets, offering unique and charming options.
- Specialty kitchenware stores: Local kitchenware stores or specialty shops may carry a curated selection of high-quality egg plates.
Egg plates are a practical and stylish way to serve deviled eggs and other appetizers. With their variety of designs, materials, and uses, there’s an egg plate to suit every taste and occasion. Whether you’re hosting a casual gathering or a formal dinner party, an egg plate will add a touch of elegance and functionality to your table setting.
That said, I have one problem with this recipe. Well, not so much the recipe, but the photo. It’s gorgeous, but the eggs are styled on a flat ceramic platter. For a cookbook, that’s fine—the same way it’s fine for models to wear puffer jackets with bikini bottoms on the runway. Both look cool in the right context, but neither actually work in the real world. If you tried to carry that fancy, flat platter from the kitchen counter to the dining room table, those amazing soft-boiled eggs would roll right off, leaving a colorful, jammy mess on the floor.
Deviled egg trays are kind of like functional sculptures, so I have a thing about them and I’m always looking for reasons to use mine. Thus, it was love at first recipe when I was previewing Colu Henry’s upcoming cookbook, Colu Cooks: Easy Fancy Food. I don’t usually become engrossed in a book this quickly, but the Soft-Boiled Eggs With Pickled Chiles drew my attention. I had already been plotting ways to ruin the traditional deviled egg, but Henry’s easy recipe is really far superior to anything I could have come up with on my own.
Since the whole point of the egg-shaped indentations is to keep eggs from toppling over and losing all of their delicious, preferably pickled, toppings, a deviled egg tray is a far more sensible solution. Deviled egg trays can be pretty too. While I have a vintage milk glass with gold trim piece, I also adore the style of these contemporary ceramic egg servers.
Deviled egg trays are useful for more than just deviled (or soft-boiled) eggs if you’re not a fan of them. Any small, roundish finger foods that would benefit from some stability or separation on the platter are ideal for holding in the little oval depressions. I’ve used mine for stuffed dates, stuffed mushrooms, and meatballs. These useful platters can also be used to serve escargots, tartlets, gougères, profiteroles, or cream puffs, and even tiny cheese balls. The culinary world is your oyster when deciding what to serve on a deviled egg tray—another item you can and should definitely present on an attractive deviled egg tray!
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*Due to lighting, colors may differ in photographs, but in person, all glaze colors are the same.
Vintage Housewares: Egg Plates
FAQ
What is an egg plate called?
How do you serve deviled eggs without an egg plate?
What is a deviled egg plate used for?
What are egg trays made of?
Where can I find a cut crystal egg plate?
“Every Southerner needs a cut crystal egg plate like this one,” says Editorial Producer Ivy Odom. Hers was her great aunt’s, but you can also find them on Etsy. If you’re serving deviled eggs during the summer, this tray has a base that can be filled with ice to help keep the eggs cool until they’re devoured by your guests.
Are eggs dairy?
Eggs are not a dairy product, the dairy includes foods produced from the milk of mammals, such as cows and goats. Food products made from milk includes cheese, cream, butter and yogurt. Eggs are laid by birds such as hens and ducks. Eggs are high in protein and also animal products. Eggs are not made from milk, so they are not dairy.
What is a roasted egg called?
Roasted Egg – Beitzah. The beitzah ( ביצה) is an egg. To prepare this one, simply hard boil an egg, then give it a little roast on the stovetop or inside the oven while the shell still encloses it. The egg serves as another reminder of the special holiday sacrifice offering, which was called the hagigah.
What does an egg symbolize?
Others explain that an egg—a traditional food of mourning, since its rounded shape symbolizes the cycle of life—expresses our mourning for the destruction of the Holy Temple and the lack of these sacrifices. 8 Along with mourning comes consolation.