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Natural Dyes for Easter Eggs
What material makes what color?
Brown: Strong brewed tea or coffee,
white oak, juniper berry, barberry
Lavender/Blue:
Red cabbage leaves, violet blossoms, grape juice, blackberries, grapes
Light
yellow:
Orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, turmeric (1/2 teaspoon per cup of
water), chamomile, sage, celery leaves
Mint green:
Spinach leaves (or another dark green leafy vegetable), tansy, nettle,
chervil, sorrel, parsley
Orange: Yellow onion skins, carrots
Pink/Red:
Red onion skins, fresh beets, cranberry juice, safflower seeds, paprika,
rose hip tea
Directions for dying:
It is best to use white eggs, or eggs that are as light as possible.
Place eggs, in a single layer, in the bottom of a large pan and cover
them with water.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of vinegar.
Add the material you are using for your dye. The more material you use
the darker the color will be.
Heat on high just until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 20
minutes (to cook the eggs).
Carefully remove whatever material you used for the coloring.
Gently put eggs in a dish, cover them with the remaining liquid dye and
let them stand for awhile. The longer they sit, the
darker they will be.
NOTE: Adding lemon juice to any created color will lighten it.
Word of Caution:
Eggs should sit out no longer than two hours if they are to
remain safe to eat.
Hard-cooking them for more than 15 minutes will toughen them up, yet
leave them looking beautiful.
Some colors might seep into the egg white, which makes them less
appetizing.
So, you might want to use these colorful eggs for decoration only, or
refrigerate them right away, until mealtime. |
