Throughout much of history, the image of the egg has been a symbol of renewal, Easter and spring. Ancient Egyptians and Persians, for instance, dyed eggs in pastel colors as gifts symbolizing renewed life and rebirth.

Irish cooking authority Darina Allen has an interesting theory about the egg's symbolism. "It seems to me likely that the Easter egg tradition is also rooted in the ancient custom of Lenten fasting, which was common to both Eastern and Western Christendom.

The last eggs were eaten up in the form of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, but the hens didn't know it was Lent, they went on laying. The surplus of eggs which accumulated was enjoyed at Easter in all sorts of different ways."

Today it's not just tradition that encourages us to use eggs during this season but marketing and pricing, too. Eggs are usually inexpensive at Easter and as long as the eggs are purchased before the expiration date printed on the carton, are properly handled — have no cracked shells and are kept refrigerated in their original carton at 40 degrees or slightly below — they should be fine to use over a three- to five-week period, according to the USDA.

In the carton, the rounded ends of the egg should be pointed up to keep air pockets on top and to keep the yolks centered. The porous egg shell can absorb odors, so store eggs away from strong-smelling foods.

BARRY WONG / THE SEATTLE TIMES Soft-cooked eggs make an elegant but quick and easy breakfast.

If a recipe leaves you with leftover uncooked egg yolks or egg whites, the leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for two and four days, respectively. Cover egg yolks with water to prevent them from becoming too thick. (Pasteurized liquid eggs should be stored in the refrigerator and used by the printed expiration date on the package.)

If a recipe calls for working with uncooked eggs at room temperature, the eggs can be removed from the refrigerator 30 minutes before using. A quicker method of taking the chill off the eggs is to put them in a single layer in a bowl and cover with warm — not hot — tap water, then set aside five minutes.

Eggs may be frozen without harming their quality but should first be removed from the shell. Beat whole eggs slightly, place in a tightly sealed container and freeze up to nine months. Egg whites and yolks can be frozen up to six months, but the yolks should first be whisked with a pinch of salt to keep them from thickening. And always defrost eggs in the refrigerator.

Hard-cooked eggs should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within a week. When eggs are hard-cooked, their protective coating is washed away and the pores are exposed, making it easier for the eggs to be contaminated.

Hard-cooked eggs should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking. If they've been used as decoration and have been left at room temperature longer than two hours they should be discarded.

CeCe Sullivan: csullivan@seattletimes.com