C20: derived from a cartoon in Punch (November, 1895) in which a timid curate, who has been served a bad egg while breakfastingwith his bishop, says that parts of the egg are excellent
curate's egg in American English
British
something that has both good and bad characteristics or parts
Word origin
based on a joke in an 1895 issue of the English magazine Punch: when served a stale egg at his bishop's home, a timid curate says that parts of itare excellent