Where the unique double-yolk eggs are found

Double-yolk duck eggs are nutritious and rare, yet diners will find this delicacy at various restaurants in Cao Bưu.

Where the unique double-yolk eggs are found

Inside a restaurant in Dương Châu, a city in Jiangsu province in eastern China, a waiter serves Anne Ewbank, an American diner, a plate of boiled duck eggs. It seems like a common dish. However, upon closer inspection, Anne notices that each egg has two yolks instead of one. That morning, as she enjoyed her breakfast, she wondered: How do the eateries offering zaocha (morning tea) ensure an endless supply of double-yolk eggs?

Later, she learns that the eggs served alongside canh há cảo and sandingbao (steamed buns with bamboo shoots, chicken, and pork) are not randomly chosen. These eggs come from the nearby town of Cao Bưu, renowned for its double-yolk duck eggs.

Although often referred to as a suburb of Dương Châu, Cao Bưu can be considered a city with nearly a million residents. Living amidst rivers, lakes, and the Grand Canal, Cao Bưu residents primarily rely on poultry farming. According to historian Professor Antonia Finnane, in Cao Bưu, people raise ducks, eat ducks, sell and give ducks, especially during family celebrations and festivals. During weddings or when a new member joins the family, Cao Bưu residents often gift ducks as a gesture of goodwill towards each other.

Promotional websites for Cao Bưu tourism advertise that the local duck farming industry dates back to the sixth century. Over hundreds of years, food enthusiasts and many writers and poets have praised the blue-green eggs of the Cao Bưu brown duck breed. However, no one knows exactly when local duck farmers could reliably produce the peculiar occurrence of a double-yolk egg. Double-yolk duck eggs are richer in nutrients, and their rarity makes them a symbol of good fortune. Moreover, double-yolk eggs always fetch a price six to eight times higher than regular eggs.

Local farmers diligently breed Cao Bưu ducks through generations to produce double yolks. According to a 2010 study by Dương Châu University, a double-yolk egg often fails to hatch. If it does, the ducklings may suffer severe deformities or become stuck together. 2 – 10% of eggs laid by Cao Bưu ducks contain double yolks.

Farmers can instantly identify a double-yolk egg, even though the shell appears no different from single-yolk eggs. But there's a surefire way for them to inspect the inside of an egg without breaking it: shining a light through the egg reveals two dark shadows representing the double yolks.

Whether the egg has a single or double yolk, farmers subsequently soak them in saltwater, pack them, and send them to local restaurants and eateries. The eggs are boiled and sliced, with the yolks appearing orange-red, rich, and oily, imparting a sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with breakfast pastries and tea.

Earlier this year, Cao Bưu hosted its 15th biannual double-yolk duck egg festival. This event has spurred local investment projects such as the opening of the Chinese Duck Culture Museum in 2011, and the increasingly renowned commemorative festivals. If you can't make it to Cao Bưu during the April festival, you can still enjoy the specialty of double-yolk eggs at many tea houses, restaurants, and eateries in the town.

According to Bảo Ngọc/ Vnexpress

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Reference: Travel Guide by Mytour