Double-yolk duck eggs

Double-yolk duck eggs

　　Double-yolk duck eggs are a specialty of Gaoyou in Yangzhou. They are so named because each egg contains two yolks. Ducks in this region produce double yolks—sometimes even triple yolks—due to the nutritious feed and robust health of the ducks, which leads to consecutive ovulations. Gaoyou’s salted duck eggs are renowned for their vibrant red color and rich oil content. When a double-yolk salted duck egg is boiled and sliced open, the egg white is as smooth as creamy white jade, and the yolk resembles the glowing red of an orange, making for a delightful and uniquely flavored treat. (Yangzhou)

　　Gaoyou double-yolk eggs are a local specialty of Gaoyou, Jiangsu Province. The local Gaoyou shelducks can lay eggs with two, three, four, or even more yolks.

　　On June 24, 2002, the State Quality Supervision and Inspection Administration approved Document No. 57, officially implementing geographical indication product protection for Gaoyou duck eggs starting immediately. On September 13, under the supervision of the China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS), about 11 national experts reviewed and finalized the mandatory national standards for Gaoyou duck eggs. The Gaoyou Duck Industrial Park was designated as a national agricultural standardization demonstration site for Gaoyou ducks. This marked the tenth product in China—and the second in the province after Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar—to receive national geographical indication protection, and the first among national aquatic and agricultural products to earn such recognition. This signifies that Gaoyou duck eggs have officially entered the ranks of "nationally protected" products. It also means that among the three historically famous ducks—the Gaoyou duck, Beijing duck, and Shaoxing duck—Gaoyou ducks are leading the way in standardized production.

　　Over 900 years ago, Qin Shaoyou, a famous poet of the Northern Song Dynasty, once gifted duck eggs to his teacher and friend—Su Shi, who was then the prefect of Xuzhou. More than 300 years ago, the great literary figure Yuan Mei visited Gaoyou and tasted the local duck eggs, which left a deep impression on him. He recorded his thoughts in the “Pickled Eggs” section of his "Suiyuan Shidan" (Recipe Book of the Suiyuan Garden): “For pickled eggs, those from Gaoyou are the best, with fine color and rich oil. Imperial Scholar Gao Wen was particularly fond of them. At banquets, they are the first to be served to guests, placed neatly on a plate. It’s best to serve them halved with shells on, using both yolk and white; removing the yolk and leaving only the white ruins the full flavor and causes the oil to dissipate.” Gaoyou duck egg processing plants were also established early. In the 31st year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1905), the first egg product enterprise in Gaoyou, the Yuyuan Egg Factory, was founded. In 1909, Gaoyou double-yolk duck eggs participated in the Nanyang Industrial Exposition and gained international recognition as a famous product. The following year, they were exported to over 10 countries and regions including the United States, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia.

　　Gaoyou ducks and their eggs have long enjoyed enduring fame due to their superior quality and unique flavor. Gaoyou ducks, also called shelducks because the females’ feathers resemble those of sparrows, are known for their strong physique, adaptability, deep diving ability, skill at finding live food, dual-purpose for meat and eggs, and low fat content. They are made into various dishes such as salted duck, osmanthus duck, pipa duck, crispy duck, and marinated duck, each with a distinct taste. Among these, “old duck soup” is the most popular. With its cooling properties and the addition of herbal ingredients such as ginseng and astragalus, it serves as a nourishing dish for men during the winter season, thus becoming a traditional highlight at banquets. Gaoyou ducks lay many eggs with large sizes and proportionally big yolks, especially known for producing many double-yolk eggs, gaining fame both domestically and abroad. The quality of their eggs can be summarized as egg whites that are “fresh, delicate, and tender,” and yolks that are “red, sandy, and oily.” Wang Zengqi described them vividly in his essay "Hometown Foods": “Having seen the vast ocean, no other water will do; compared to other salted duck eggs, I truly look down on them.” “The highlight of Gaoyou salted eggs is their delicate texture and rich oil. The egg white is tender—not dry or powdery like those elsewhere, which taste like chewing limestone. Their richness in oil is unmatched elsewhere. Usually, when eating, one taps the air pocket and scoops out the egg with chopsticks. As soon as the chopstick tip pierces in—squeak—red oil oozes out.”

　　The ubiquitous high-quality water resources—rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and marshes—serve as natural feeding grounds for Gaoyou ducks. The various small creatures floating on the water or living beneath it provide the ducks with their favorite “live food.” These conditions also offer ideal natural advantages for developing ecological duck farming and green products in recent years. In recent years, several high-quality brands, such as Red Sun, Sanhu, and Qinyou, have been developed, earning well-known or famous trademarks and green food certifications.

　　The people of Gaoyou have not only nurtured the refined treasures of Gaoyou ducks and double-yolk eggs but have also created a rich duck culture. In the 1950s, Gaoyou folk singer Xia Guozhen’s song “Counting Duck Eggs” became widely acclaimed in the capital for its humorous, lively melody and strong local flavor, earning praise from Premier Zhou Enlai. The Gaoyou duck is the calling card of the people of Gaoyou. “You may not know the people of Gaoyou, but you’ve surely heard of their duck eggs.”

　　As the iconic ambassadors of Gaoyou, Gaoyou ducks and double-yolk eggs have since ancient times been tribute items to the imperial court and cherished gifts for family and friends.