It’s National Deviled Egg Day, so here are tips to make perfect boiled eggs. (1) Test eggs for freshness: A fresh egg will sink in a bowl of water. Raw eggs that float are over the hill. (2) Fresh eggs peel more easily, but make sure they’re more than 3 days old. (3) To avoid a green ring around the yolk, don’t overcook.

Try this technique for easy-to-peel eggs with beautiful yellow centers: Place eggs in a pot of cold water, add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and remove from heat; let sit for 13 minutes. Drain and immediately place eggs in an ice water bath until completely cooled. They should be perfect, and you can proceed with your favorite deviled egg recipe.

Deviled eggs topped with a piece of Smokra,
pickled okra from Rick’s Picks. Photo courtesy Rick’s Picks.