The so-called "1000-year-old eggs" neither look nor taste as if they are 1,000 years old, though they are certainly eggs: duck eggs, to be specific. They are prepared by coating the raw eggs with potash and storing them in a large sealed crock for approximately six months, during which the yolk turns a dark blue-green and the white becomes dark brown and translucent.
The flavor can be compared to that of a ripe brie or camenbert and is for most an acquired taste. In some parts of China, they are eaten together with bland raw beancurd or pickled garlic, which is certainly a fair match.
