Easter eggs colored with onion skins

Dzien dobry!

Well, this year I decided to dye my Easter eggs with onion skins according to a "recipe" I got off of another Polish site. (They turned out beautifully! I had organic brown eggs from a local farmer's market. I used both red and yellow onion skins. The results were a beautiful crimson and deep amber color.) It stated that one could "polish" the eggs with oil to make them shiny.

Despite using only a little oil and being very gentle, the oil started to take some of the color off.

What did I do wrong?

Regards,
Karinka

Add vinegar- it sets the colour.

I did add vinegar and a little salt to the water when I boiled the skins/eggs. Perhaps it wasn't enough.

Thanks for your reply!
Karinka

Did you wait for the eggs to cool down before treating them with oil? The colour goes off if the eggs are still warm.

Yes. I let them cool down in the "skin water" for about 30 minutes. Then I placed them in the refrigerator. Should I have oiled them before refrigerating them?

Regards,
Karinka

No, I don't think it matters. Frankly, I don't know why the color went off. It's a good idea to wash the eggs in warm water before boiling - sometimes they're a bit waxy and it helps to wash it off. But I've never seen oil to dissolve the dye. No idea really.

I found this link: greekfood.about.com/od/greekcookingtips/ht/redeggs.htm

Make sure the eggs are thoroughly dry. Perhaps dry them overnight, then use only a tiny bit of olive oil on them. Don't rub them too hard with a towel.

latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/04/test-kitchen-tips-giving-a-sheen-to-your-easter-eggs.html

For shiny Easter eggs, rub them with a very light coating of vegetable oil after the dye is dried. I learned this tip from a fellow L.A. Times staffer, Anne, who happened to walk by the Test Kitchen last week as we were shooting eggs for our Easter stories running this weekend in the Saturday section. She drizzled a little vegetable oil on a folded paper towel and rubbed it over an egg. The oil gave the dyed egg a glossy sheen.

A little oil goes a long way; a lightly oiled paper towel or cloth should be able to coat at least several eggs. Also, be sure to rub off any extra oil -- too much and the eggs can become very slippery.

yes,. it is still popular.

Onion skin eggs on the right

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