Each Easter Dave’s sister Darnell hosts a crawfish boil for the family. You can count on her to also serve these classic deviled eggs, which are Dave’s favorite. Darnell has a special deviled egg tray that comes with an ice insert to keep the eggs cold even when they sit outside for awhile.
I own a copy of A Southern Belle Primer or Why Princess Magaret will never be a Kappa Kappa Gamma, and in it there is a chapter explaining the expectations people have about their deviled eggs in the South:
“I’ll never forget a picnic where a friend of my mother’s once served us deviled eggs that didn’t have any mayonaise in them at all. It was some fancy kind of oil and mustard she’d gotten from some book. We were all appalled but too polite to say anything. She had them on a deviled egg plate just like they were the real thing. But she didn’t fool anybody. If it doesn’t have mayonaise, it isn’t a deviled egg.”
Deviled eggs also makes the book’s Top Ten List of what to bring to a funeral reception. Broccoli casserole with rice, cream of mushroom soup and Velveeta and grits casserole with butter, eggs and garlic Velveeta also make the list. It appears the Savoies are true Southerners as those exact recipes can be found on Savoie Secrets.
By Darnell, Elizabeth’s sister-in-law
Ingredients
12 eggs
3 Tbsp mayonaise
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup sweet relish, place on paper towel and squeeze out juice
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
paprika if desired
Method
1. Boil eggs either for 10 minutes, or bring to a boil, cover, turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes. (Darnell prefers older eggs as they are easier to peel.)
2. Immediately plunge into ice cold water to cool completely. Peel.
3. Slice in half and carefully remove the yolk.
4. Mash yolk and mix with other ingredients except paprika. Combine until smooth.
5. Spoon into egg whites or use a pastry bag fitted with a star tip to pipe the mixture into the egg whites.
6. Sprinkle with paprika if desired.
My mother-in-law Mary Jane Dronet worked as a demo lady for Sam’s Club in Lake Charles for 22 years. During the 1990s her friend Anne brought this fruit salad to a company potluck. Jane kept the recipe because the main ingredients are easy to have on hand. It also makes quite a bit and is good for serving a crowd. Jane likes to eat it for breakfast with cottage cheese or vanilla yogurt. Add fresh fruit to the mix if the fruit cocktail will be eaten in one day.
Savoie Secrets: It's a Family Recipe 