Preparation:
1. To make the dyes, use the same process for each of the dyeing agents: First, add the agents to the saucepan in the proportions listed in step 2. Add a quart of water to the pan, being sure that the contents of the pan are covered with water, and add 2 tablespoons white vinegar. If you must use more than a quart of water to cover the ingredients, increase the vinegar proportionately. Boil the ingredients 30 minutes. If you’ll be cold dipping the eggs (described in step 3), let the dye come to room temperature, then strain it into a mixing bowl and color the eggs, which must be boiled first. If you’ll be boiling the eggs along with the dye, carefully put the eggs in the pan, bring the dye to a boil, and leave in the pan for the appropriate amount of time, specified in the glossary.
2. To make a red-cabbage dye, add 4 cups chopped cabbage to the water-vinegar solution. For a turmeric dye, use 3 tablespoons turmeric. For an onion-skin dye, add 4 cups onion skins (about 12 onions) to the pan. For a beet dye, mix 4 cups chopped beets with the water-vinegar solution. For a coffee dye, substitute 1 quart strong black coffee for the water.
3. The first dyeing technique is the cold-dipping method, in which the eggs and ingredients are boiled separately. After the dye has been strained into a bowl and cooled, lower the cooled eggs into the dye with a metal spoon and let them soak for anywhere from 5 seconds to as long as overnight, depending on the depth of color you desire. Remove the eggs with the spoon, pat them dry with paper towels, and let them dry on a wire rack. The cold-dipping method produces subtle, transparent shades, but it may also create uneven coloring unless the eggs are rotated vigilantly in the dye.
4. The second dyeing technique entails boiling the eggs in the dye for up to 30 minutes; remove the eggs with the spoon, pat them dry with paper towels, and let them dry on a wire rack. This method results in a more uniform color than that produced by cold dipping. The heat also allows the dye to saturate the shells, resulting in very intense colors.
NATURAL EGG DYES
Deep Gold Boil eggs in turmeric solution thirty minutes.
Sienna Boil eggs in onion-skin solution thirty minutes.
Dark, Rich Brown Use the boiling method with black coffee thirty minutes.
Pale Yellow Soak eggs thirty minutes in turmeric solution at room temperature.
Orange Soak eggs thirty minutes in room-temperature onion-skin solution.
Light Brown Using the cold dipping method, let eggs sit in room-temperature black coffee thirty minutes. The longer it soaks, the deeper the color.
Light Pink Soak eggs thirty minutes in room-temperature beet solution.
Light Blue Soak eggs in room-temperature cabbage solution thirty minutes.
Royal Blue Soak eggs in room-temperature cabbage solution overnight. By soaking the eggs in successive dyes, you can get even more colors:
Lavender Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution thirty minutes, followed by room-temperature cabbage solution for thirty seconds.
Chartreuse Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution thirty minutes, followed by room-temperature beet solution for just five seconds.
Salmon Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution thirty minutes, followed by room-temperature beet solution another thirty minutes.
See nategg.jpg saved in images/easter for a color picture of the results of these dyes |
