I’ve mentioned many of my favorite foods over the years, but one thing I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned are deviled eggs. Mainly because, outside of church potlucks, they don’t seem to be a very popular item. In fact, prior to this, it had been a year or two since I’d even had one.
Well, imagine my surprise when I saw them available at a Publix store! They actually seem to be made in-house, which makes sense considering they have a large deli section. I was hungry and had just been shunned by the authentic Japanese man at the Asian food part of the counter, who simply replied a series of “No’s” when I inquired as to whether or not I could purchase a rice bowl. Apparently 8 am is too early for someone to be hungry for Chinese food. Desperate for a quick bite to partially satisfy my growing need for food, I opted for something similar: deviled eggs.
Publix’s eggs come in at $2.99 for a six count. I don’t really know what I think about that pricing. Like I said, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them anywhere else, so I have nothing to compare them to. For some reason, I feel like it’s a pretty good value, especially considering how high the cost of eggs has skyrocketed within the past few months. Given the already excessive markups prevalent on almost all Publix products, I subconsciously expected to pay $4 or even $5.
The most notable omission can be noticed right off the bat. No paprika. Did the cost of that skyrocket, too? Or is there some kind of nationwide spice shortage, on top of everything else? It’s not that paprika really adds too much to the flavor of most deviled eggs, but it does provide a nice visual enhancement. I never realized just how nice of an addition it is until I saw these, and felt they looked both naked, and bland. Half of them do have a single piece of black olive on the top; my original disappointment still stands. (And why only half? I’m curious as to this decision.)
These actually taste how they look: boring. It’s no wonder they’re $2.99. I don’t recall ever being let down by a Satanic-themed egg, until now. I don’t understand it. The “trademark” flavor profile of a typical “good” example features a heavy bit of tang, courtesy of mustard. Mayonnaise also contributes a creaminess to the center yolk. The two of them combine to form a majority of the middle “filling”. Publix’s version tastes like it was made by a senile old woman who forgot half the ingredients. There is no tang. The filling isn’t very creamy or inviting. If the egg itself is one of the main flavors experienced when eating deviled egg, it’s wrong. All wrong.
Sadly, the olive-laced eggs are slightly better, because they provide a salty “pop” otherwise missing. And I don’t even like black olives. It might not be much, but at least it’s something.
Overall: 3/10. The most boring deviled egg I’ve ever had. The flavor doesn’t “pop” the way it should, with a serious lack of tangy mustard goodness. The filling is visually “passable”, but not as creamy as it should be. There’s not even any paprika adorning the top, making them look naked and bland. The $2.99 retail price seems like a good deal, except that there’s not even $3 worth of flavor in this whole package. I guess I see why other stores don’t offer these in their deli sections; Publix shouldn’t either.
