Well, my husband gave up alcohol for Lent, but I'm not willing to give up my long-standing family tradition of dyeing Easter eggs. And I'm afraid I don't go in for the 'boil with beets' routine either. I like a selection of (artificial) colours so you can carefully dip for a range of styles, though to be fair, the under-fives haven't the patience to realise my Martha Stewart ambitions.

 

A big stumbling block is the English predilection for natural, brown eggs. I grew up with American eggs, ghostly white and perfect for dyeing, though admittedly factory-farmed, laden with antibiotics, tasteless and generally presumed to carry salmonella.

 

I definitely prefer the high welfare standards of free-range eggs, but the dark shells don't fit the bill. So this year after inviting loads of friends round for an Easter party, I went on a quest for duck eggs, which are usually white. I struck gold at Waitrose with Gladys May's Braddock Whites (clarencecourt.co.uk) though it was a nerve-wracking ride home on the bus with all those boxes. I was feeling a bit guilty at my over-indulgence, until I read the label. "Gladys May's Braddock Whites enjoy a natural, free-range and idyllic life. Their days are spent ducking and diving in the pond, preening, calling and laying the most divine eggs."

 

It's a strange day when you're actually envious of a duck. Even more so once my house was full of 12 tots (and a few kind mums) and we realised the duck eggs take ages to dye. The youngsters were starting to lose the plot (especially after decorating and devouring several fairy cakes each).  One mum brought a few 'Old Cotswold Legbar' eggs, also by Clarence Court. These pastel-coloured hen eggs take the dye beautifully, so they're a cert for next year. I just hope next year's guests remember to take their eggs with them. After days of egg sandwiches and even a homemade egg curry, I'm feeling far from idyllic myself.