[Borek]

Not very chemical, but igniting vodka was not very chemical too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_pisanka

These will be what we call in Poland kraszanka:

1. Put onion peelings and water into pot. The older and drier the peelings the better, you don't use a fresh ones. The more peelings the better. You will prefer to use and old pot, as it may get colored and can be hard to clean.

2. Wash eggs with some detergent. Eggs are covered with fat - it keeps them fresh for much longer, but it makes them hard to get colored.

3. Put eggs into cold water with peelings and boil them - I wait till they start to boil plus about 10 minutes, or (when coloring) even a little bit longer.

4. And they are brown You may try to scratch something with sharp tool, although it is not easy - I mean egg shell is rather delicate so you need some experience to make a scratch and not a hole. They can be eaten just like hard boiled eggs are, even if the shell was broken and egg became stained.

[Arkcon]

I like to do this too ... I'll use red onion skins, or spinach leaves, or berry juice, for different colors.  I add vinegar, because the kits in my childhood always called for that, and it does help the color stick, and keeps red and blue colors from going brown.  I don't get PAAS(TM) saturated colors, just a suggestion of color, the onion peels work the best, like above.  Still, kinda fun.  Served with salted roe, instead of salt, for the grownups to eat.

[Borek]

I believe vinegar plays similar role to washing with detergent, but - as always - I can be wrong

Do you have any roots/connections in Eastern Europe, or is it completely random?

[ARGOS++]

How the same procedure is used in parts of Germany, and in Switzerland: "Oster-Eier (Ester Eggs)”.
(That’s not engraved.)

Happy Estern – Frohe Ostern!
                                            ARGOS⁺⁺

[enahs]

So in Poland your Eggs come with a serial number on them? How creepy.

[Borek]

Producers code (not individual hen ) and date of lying. But I have idea as to what regulations are, as not all eggs are treated this way.

[Arkcon]

Yeah, we have the numbered eggs here in the US as well.  Some even have the company logo.  We always used to color eggs with food dye -- not intricate colorings like the Ukraine, not the natural onion peel like Germanic nations/Poland.  But I did hear of it, and wanted to try some cheap, real food coloring.  I like the subtle colors you get when you go non-commercial.

[constant thinker]

So in Poland your Eggs come with a serial number on them? How creepy.

I noticed the serial numbers too. I thought it odd until...

Yeah, we have the numbered eggs here in the US as well.  Some even have the company logo.  We always used to color eggs with food dye -- not intricate colorings like the Ukraine, not the natural onion peel like Germanic nations/Poland.  But I did hear of it, and wanted to try some cheap, real food coloring.  I like the subtle colors you get when you go non-commercial.

Which I still find odd because I have never seen eggs tagged with company logos or serial numbers. The cartons yes, but individual eggs no.

I'd be turned off from buying eggs with serial numbers. Although this might not make sense to you guys, it seams authoritarian to me.


Back to coloring eggs though. I used to paint them when I was little kid. It brought lots of joy to my little heart. I liked most easter egg hunts (although we used the plastic eggs).

Cool coloring trick though, maybe I'll freak out my parents one day with it.... Or everyone at work.