I was in Costa Rica recently, and in a supermarket they had eggs on shelves instead of the fridge. WTF? They were brown eggs, but I don't see how that would make any difference.
Eggs
by Anonymous | reply 169 | December 22, 2021 6:15 PM |
British people don't refrigerate eggs, either, I understand.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | December 15, 2021 12:25 AM |
Chickens don't, either.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | December 15, 2021 12:26 AM |
Another flyoverstan SHOCKED that the world doesn't operate like American culture. Eggs are not refrigerated in Europe. They are not steam washed. Eggs in USA are washed of their protective coating. Eggs can keep a month at room temperature in Europe.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | December 15, 2021 12:29 AM |
Growing up in Northern California, my mom did a lot her grocery shopping at a market that didn't refrigerate the eggs either. The eggs were always fine.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | December 15, 2021 12:31 AM |
Refrigerating eggs seems to be an American pastime.
by Anonymous | reply 5 | December 15, 2021 12:32 AM |
[quote]Eggs are not refrigerated in Europe. They are not steam washed.
And they last 7 days.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | December 15, 2021 12:32 AM |
Quite frankly I am glad eggs are washed in the US, the thought of cracking an egg into a bowl with the possibility of there being chicken shit on the outside of that egg makes me uncomfortable.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | December 15, 2021 12:32 AM |
[quote] It turns out that, here in America, eggs are refrigerated because the USDA requires eggs sold for consumption to be washed, processed, and then refrigerated before they come anywhere near a store’s shelves. On the other hand, most European and Asian countries have reached the opposite conclusion, requiring that table eggs not be wet-washed, and also not refrigerated.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | December 15, 2021 12:34 AM |
R5 "custom" perhaps, but not pastime.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | December 15, 2021 12:34 AM |
You don't actually need to refrigerate eggs, they'll keep for a week or two sitting on a counter
Supposedly the reason we do in the U.S. is to prevent bacteria from growing on the shells, because our chickens live in unsanitary conditions.
The actual reason you can't raw eggs is from the risk of bacterial contamination from the shell. The egg itself is fine.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | December 15, 2021 12:35 AM |
I've heard of this being the case in places like France as well, and brought this up on a cooking forum, but someone from there refuted me and said they do indeed refrigerate their eggs.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | December 15, 2021 12:36 AM |
Just read the article at R8. It explains where and why eggs are and are not refrigerated. It has to do with how they are washed/processed.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | December 15, 2021 12:43 AM |
[quote]Supposedly the reason we do in the U.S. is to prevent bacteria from growing on the shells, because our chickens live in unsanitary conditions.
THANKS, Reagan!
by Anonymous | reply 13 | December 15, 2021 12:44 AM |
[quote]British people don't refrigerate eggs, either, I understand.
They don't have to. The whole place is fucken freezing.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | December 15, 2021 12:48 AM |
R14 = Ronald Reagan lover
by Anonymous | reply 16 | December 15, 2021 12:52 AM |
They don't refrigerate eggs in Thailand either, even though the country is infernally hot most of the time.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | December 15, 2021 12:54 AM |
I’m pissed that eggs now come in those plastic clam shell packages. Yay team, more plastic in our landfill. Looking at you Aldi.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | December 15, 2021 1:00 AM |
When I lived in London, they didn't refrigerate the milk, either, at the little local shops. The cartons were just sitting on shelves.
by Anonymous | reply 19 | December 15, 2021 1:09 AM |
OP - I was in Paris and asked for a baloney and cheese sandwich. The garçon stared at me blankly. My husbear speaks French so he ordered "fromage". The garçon served me something that smelled like teen boy stinky feet. And it was 14 Euros. I NEVER IN ALL MY LIFE!
by Anonymous | reply 20 | December 15, 2021 1:09 AM |
So put the plastic clamshell in your recycling, Nimrod.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | December 15, 2021 1:10 AM |
People who don't refrigerate/wash their eggs are the same people who don't circumcise their boys. In short, they're uncivilized. Filthy.
by Anonymous | reply 22 | December 15, 2021 1:13 AM |
Make sure to buy “certified humane” eggs. I’ve never seen them in styrofoam packages.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | December 15, 2021 1:13 AM |
Let's not even mention how the Swedes keep eggs. DIRTY sexual people, the Swedes.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | December 15, 2021 1:14 AM |
R16 Opportunity knocked, I answered.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | December 15, 2021 1:34 AM |
[quote]I was in Paris and asked for a baloney and cheese sandwich. The garçon stared at me blankly
So would I. Who eats baloney who doesn't have to?
by Anonymous | reply 26 | December 15, 2021 1:48 AM |
R26 = satire free zone
by Anonymous | reply 27 | December 15, 2021 1:56 AM |
The only reason that people in Europe might place eggs in a refrigerator is because the door has a niche for them, I do it myself even though there isn't any reason to do so with unwashed eggs.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | December 15, 2021 2:06 AM |
Bette Davis always kept a bowl of fresh eggs on her kitchen counter, just like they did when she was a girl. She also didn't refrigerate the butter.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | December 15, 2021 2:37 AM |
R11 Timmy likes his eggs warm.
by Anonymous | reply 30 | December 15, 2021 3:16 AM |
Eggs! Eggs! Eggs!
You know how I like 'em, Babs.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | December 15, 2021 4:58 AM |
I remember a former boyfriend who worked dairy at Gelsons told me something very similar to what's in this article.
[quote] The case for refrigeration, however, is bolstered by the fact that the shelf life of refrigerated eggs is around 45 days, whereas unrefrigerated eggs are good for only about 21 days. This means that our squeaky clean and refreshingly cool American eggs do last longer than their cosmopolitan counterparts. And that’s important for a large country with a complex, high-mileage national food system.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | December 15, 2021 5:28 AM |
My Ex never refrigerated eggs. I’ve been told that if you do put them in the fridge, you can’t store them at room temp later, but I don’t know if it’s true or not.
by Anonymous | reply 33 | December 15, 2021 5:46 AM |
I am an urban farmer with a flock that lays green, blue, pink, and all shades of brown eggs. There is a natural bloom on the egg when it is layed and it keeps the eggs fresh for several weeks without refrigeration. I will keep eggs on the counter for several days before I place them in the refrigerator. I don't leave them out indefinitely because I deal with hundreds of eggs each month.
The production processes in the U.S. egg industry wash the bloom off the egg and the eggs have a shorter shelf life and must be refrigerated immediately. Fresh eggs with the bloom intact will last months in the fridge. You simply rinse the non-processed eggs off with cool water before cooking them.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | December 15, 2021 6:00 AM |
Awesome R35 🤣
by Anonymous | reply 36 | December 15, 2021 7:03 AM |
Eggs are a product you usually use up within a week. The same goes with milk (within three days). Wash the shell before cracking them open, and you should be fine. No need to place them in the fridge.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | December 15, 2021 7:14 AM |
American eggs and chicken has been found to contain Salmonella even INSIDE the un-cracked egg shell. Something like 1 in 3 raw chicken breasts have it now. Mostly due to the small tight spaces chicken are kept in for factory farming. Therefore, after eggs are washed, keeping them refrigerated keeps the possibility of that bacteria growing at an exponential rate. You can keep eggs in the fridge for over a month vs a week at room temp. And since most Americans show at grocery stores weekly and not daily like in Europe or south America it makes sense we like the ability to store them longer.
My mother grew up on a farm in the US and they always kept both the eggs and butter out at room temp. But then it was always fresh and the chicken ran free every day. My job as a kid was to corral them back into the chicken coup so the wolves wouldn't get them at night. Sometimes they would still come around and try and open the door. Creepy.
by Anonymous | reply 38 | December 15, 2021 7:19 AM |
R35 I can absolutely imagine black kids watching that and registering and integrating the subtext into their psyches. That makes me very sad.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | December 15, 2021 8:17 AM |
I lived on a farm with chickens years ago, and they sold their eggs to local grocers and did not refrigerate either.
Also, they don't generally refrigerate eggs in Australia.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | December 15, 2021 8:21 AM |
Some supermarkets in Oz put the eggs on a cooling shelf without doors, but some are just left on normal shelves. I put mine in the fridge for convenience, but also because I poach pr boil eggs and like the yolk to stay more intact. If I bake using eggs, they are best at room temperature.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | December 15, 2021 8:27 AM |
I don't refrigerate my butter....sits out on the counter all the time.
by Anonymous | reply 42 | December 15, 2021 8:29 AM |
I don't use much butter and so I do keep it in the fridge. I also prefer it cold in most cases if I use it as a spread. But growing up, my family most often kept butter in a dish on the counter, always at room temperature, and it never went bad.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | December 15, 2021 8:33 AM |
R39 Why would they? Kids don't identify as eggs.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | December 15, 2021 9:15 AM |
Harriet Oelson is a racist!
by Anonymous | reply 45 | December 15, 2021 9:24 AM |
[quote] When I lived in London, they didn't refrigerate the milk, either, at the little local shops. The cartons were just sitting on shelves.
This is total rubbish. In the 52 years I’ve been alive (and lived in this country) I have never once found fresh milk just sitting on a shelf. It’s always refrigerated, even in small shops. Possibly you saw long life or powdered milk, but not fresh.
Eggs are sold from shelves. Some people take them home and refrigerate them…fridges actually have moulded egg racks inside. I don’t…it’s unnecessary & the shells crack when you boil them if they are too cold. (Boiled eggs are more of a thing here in the UK, I think).
by Anonymous | reply 46 | December 15, 2021 10:04 AM |
Weird boiled egg fact: If you are using them as a sandwich filling it is better to use older eggs as it's much easier to remove the shells after cooking, about a week old usually works well.
by Anonymous | reply 47 | December 15, 2021 10:15 AM |
R46 Americans have only eaten hard boiled eggs since WWII. Soft boiled eggs have become a major hipster food trend in the past few years, I'm assuming jammy eggs will follow after that. They call them "6 minute eggs" on restaurant menus.
by Anonymous | reply 48 | December 15, 2021 10:19 AM |
R48 Interesting. 6 minutes, though? Not very soft.
What are jammy eggs? Is that regional?
by Anonymous | reply 49 | December 15, 2021 10:27 AM |
[quote]DIRTY sexual people, the Swedes.
I suspect R24 is from Denmark.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | December 15, 2021 11:15 AM |
R49 Boiled medium, where the yolk is half cooked and has a jammy texture. No idea why they're called 6 minute eggs.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | December 15, 2021 11:28 AM |
[quote] Americans have only eaten hard boiled eggs since WWII
R48 Where did you ever hear that? This article says hard-boiled eggs were served at bars in the 1800s.
"The hard-boiled egg was also a staple ingredient in the saloon “free lunches” of the 1800s...Those lunches were so popular that one Chicago saloon reportedly went through 45 dozen eggs per meal, according to Sismondo’s research."
"The 1896 classic Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Fannie Farmer was one of the first places to suggest using mayo as a binder for the yolk" [in deviled eggs - which are hard-boiled]
by Anonymous | reply 52 | December 15, 2021 11:55 AM |
[quote] And they last 7 days.
That natural coating provided by the hen is called "bloom". Unwashed eggs will last 2 weeks unrefrigerated. Of course if you live in an area that has extremely high temps and you have no air conditioning you should refrigerate your eggs.
by Anonymous | reply 53 | December 15, 2021 12:03 PM |
My great-aunt who raised chickens and pigs used to have a bowl of eggs sitting out. I suspect she went out and got them from underneath the chicken asses every morning.
She also used to make head cheese from pig heads.
by Anonymous | reply 54 | December 15, 2021 12:05 PM |
[Quote] So put the plastic clamshell in your recycling, Nimrod.
I live out in the desert, on a ranch in the Imperial Valley. Recycle opportunities are limited. We usually save our cans and beer bottles for trips to El Centro or Brawley. Most everything else gets buried.
by Anonymous | reply 55 | December 15, 2021 12:09 PM |
My mom always said, if I happened to leave the eggs out too long, "It's okay, Shirley Booth kept her eggs in a bowl on top of the ice box in Come Back Little Sheba". I didn't remember but I recently saw it again and Mom was right.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | December 15, 2021 12:12 PM |
Eggs are purchased somewhat locally by grocery chains. The Aldi in my area in the Northeast always has its eggs recycled cardboard cartons. Walmart always has its eggs in foam clam shells. Ergo, I never buy eggs at Walmart, regardless of how cheaply they are priced.
by Anonymous | reply 57 | December 15, 2021 12:12 PM |
My Walmart has most of their eggs in foam packaging, but they also have a selection of eggs in the carboard shells (at a considerably higher price).
by Anonymous | reply 58 | December 15, 2021 12:16 PM |
R18...I won't buy eggs in plastic packaging...only cardboard packaging. That pisses me off, too.
by Anonymous | reply 59 | December 15, 2021 12:19 PM |
Eggs are not refrigerated at the store in Germany either. The US bathes the eggs in some kind of desinfecant, thus removing the protective layer around them. After this procedure, they have to be kept refrigerated. (In German, we call terticles "eggs", so I'm carefully avoiding any statement that sounds like "We don't wash our eggs". We do.)
by Anonymous | reply 61 | December 15, 2021 1:10 PM |
In the UK most eggs are free range, you can find battery hen eggs but they aren't much cheaper.
Duck eggs are available in every large supermarket, sometimes a bit too fresh.
by Anonymous | reply 62 | December 15, 2021 1:20 PM |
In the US you can now get these naturally occurring blue green brown eggs. Kind of cook. They come from some special breed of chicken. I tried them once, taste the same, but they do seem harder to crack than regular white eggs.
by Anonymous | reply 63 | December 15, 2021 1:34 PM |
A company called Clarence Court does all of the specialty eggs in the UK, they even do Ostrich and Emu.
by Anonymous | reply 64 | December 15, 2021 1:46 PM |
R52 I meant that eating them any other way besides hard boiled stopped after WWII. It's an old thing that's becoming new again.
by Anonymous | reply 65 | December 15, 2021 2:07 PM |
You've never heard of Parmalat, r46? Strange for a Brit or European.
by Anonymous | reply 66 | December 15, 2021 2:18 PM |
It is false that American eggs have to be refrigerated, at least for the reasons given by some above. After eggs in America are washed, they are sprayed with a food-grade mineral oil which replaces the natural oil the chicken lays down. It this were not done the eggs would be susceptible to bacteria and drying out, regardless of holding temperature. The main reason American eggs should be refrigerated is that once removed from refrigeration they will have condensation collect on the shells which can break the mineral oil coating, allowing the egg to spoil or in some cases, grow mold.
American eggs are not riddled with any more salmonella than European eggs, and the different conditions which the chickens are raised in each part of the world has little to do that. All egg laying chickens in Europe are vaccinated against salmonella, which is the real reason they aren’t so concerned about washing the eggs before retailing.
by Anonymous | reply 67 | December 15, 2021 2:37 PM |
R66 Parmalat don't operate in the UK, the profit margin on dairy is wafer thin here.
We have the cheapest milk in Europe at 28p (37c) a pint, a US gallon would cost £1.75 ($2.35), cheese can be bought for under £2.30 ($3.05) per pound.
Long life UHT milk is 50p (67c) per litre, only a fool would enter the UK dairy market.
by Anonymous | reply 68 | December 15, 2021 3:15 PM |
In ref. to R35, how would Caroline know if an egg was double yolk?
by Anonymous | reply 69 | December 15, 2021 3:25 PM |
She candles them, r69.
by Anonymous | reply 70 | December 15, 2021 3:29 PM |
My terticles are not open for discussion, EVAH!!
I just went to Wally Word (Walmart) and bought a dozen jumbo eggs for .85. Just down from them they had medium brown eggs in cardboard egg boxes for $4.26. Nope, I'll stick with the white jumbos for .85.
by Anonymous | reply 71 | December 15, 2021 3:37 PM |
[quote][R66] Parmalat don't operate in the UK, the profit margin on dairy is wafer thin here.
Not since they filed for bankruptcy, but it being a European company absolutely did operate in the UK during your 52 years. I speak from experience.
by Anonymous | reply 72 | December 15, 2021 3:39 PM |
R72 They used to have a farm in Kendal, but that went a generation ago.
The brand didn't really have much general awareness, they weren't exactly St. Ivel or Dairy Crest.
by Anonymous | reply 73 | December 15, 2021 3:55 PM |
Strange, so much "info" coming from someone just a few posts up had NEVER heard of such a thing in their 52 years, r73. Sit down, clown.
by Anonymous | reply 74 | December 15, 2021 4:07 PM |
R19 that's either bullshit, you were mistaken (and they were cartons of UHT milk not fresh milk) or that shop was just mismanaged - fresh milk is always kept refrigerated in the UK, though eggs as everyone has already said are not.
Though, I don't know why but I keep them in the fridge at home.
by Anonymous | reply 75 | December 15, 2021 4:09 PM |
R74 I never said that I hadn't heard of them (I'm not R46 and I'm older than 52), you've mistaken me for another poster.
I know exactly who Parmalat are as I live part of the year in Italy (Lecce), they have quite a big presence there.
by Anonymous | reply 76 | December 15, 2021 4:28 PM |
Americans aren’t familiar with UHT milk and don’t understand that when milk has been treated at high temperatures it is basically “canned” and is shelf stable. This is where the confusion comes from.
Personally I don’t care for the taste of the UHT milk. It has a cooked taste much like evaporated milk, widely available in the US in cans.
by Anonymous | reply 77 | December 15, 2021 4:33 PM |
Oh, OK. Thanks, R70
by Anonymous | reply 78 | December 15, 2021 4:54 PM |
R78, candling involves holding the egg in front of a light, in LHOTP times they actually used a candle, and the yolk(s) can be seen because the shell is so thin it allows light to pass. The term “candling” is a holdover term from olden times, still used to describe using modern lasers to check the yolks, describing older techniques.
by Anonymous | reply 79 | December 15, 2021 5:48 PM |
This entire thread should be merged into the underwhelmed thread.
by Anonymous | reply 80 | December 15, 2021 6:28 PM |
Oh no R80. I've been rapt!
by Anonymous | reply 81 | December 15, 2021 7:05 PM |
I'm boiling an egg right now. I cook it for 13 minutes and 20 seconds. I like my egg at the low end of hard boiled- where the yolk is semi solid like paste
My post belongs on the underwhelm me thread
by Anonymous | reply 82 | December 15, 2021 7:06 PM |
You should all give up eggs and go vegan!
by Anonymous | reply 83 | December 15, 2021 7:10 PM |
I love that we had multiple squabbles break out over UHF milk and literal egg shells. Heartwarming, DL.
by Anonymous | reply 84 | December 16, 2021 2:32 AM |
Fresh eggs even uncracked can IN FACT have Salmonella
by Anonymous | reply 85 | December 16, 2021 5:44 AM |
[quote]Americans aren’t familiar with UHT milk and don’t understand that when milk has been treated at high temperatures
Actually, most milk in America is treated that way. Condensed milk in a can is actually cooked way down for concentration, its in a different category of its own. But your average carton of milk in the US is heated at high temp, also known as Pasteurized milk.
Here's a secret, some brands like Heritage which is still pasteurized is done so at lower temps. This cost a little bit more because it takes longer but the result is it tastes SOOO much better. It actually tastes like milk and not water. But it costs a little bit more, not the cheapest thing on the shelf.
by Anonymous | reply 86 | December 16, 2021 5:50 AM |
[quote]People who don't refrigerate/wash their eggs are the same people who don't circumcise their boys. In short, they're uncivilized.
R22. People who circumcise are uncivilized mutilating barbarians.
by Anonymous | reply 87 | December 16, 2021 5:52 AM |
When I was younger and lived at home, we didn't refrigerate butter. We had a ceramic butter dish with a ceramic cover and it stayed on the counter. As we got older, the butter ended up in the refrigerator. But early on, it was always covered on the counter. Great for toast--the butter was always so easily spreadable. In those days, margarine and "I can't believe it's not butter"-type products were not much of a thing. Now however, they've become a staple.
by Anonymous | reply 88 | December 16, 2021 5:57 AM |
"I can't believe it's not butter" is a staple? Not since the 1980s.
Margarine is bad for you, people have moved back to butter the last decade or so.
by Anonymous | reply 89 | December 16, 2021 8:56 AM |
R11 in France all our eggs are sold not refrigerated, and then when we arrive home, we put them in the fridge. 99% of eggs sold are brown, we only recently got white ones. For the milk, it's 99% long life tetra pack, stored on shelves and sold by 6 pack of 1 liter. about 80% is semi skimmed, 15% full fat and 5% skimmed.
by Anonymous | reply 90 | December 16, 2021 10:52 AM |
When I was teaching myself how to cook, I went all in on some Italian recipes including making fresh Mozzarella which requires raw unpasteurized milk. It was a bitch to find. Turns out, in California and many states it's illegal to sell. Too many hyper organic nuts buying unpasteurized milk, not realizing it could be dangerous with lots of pathogen ending up in the hospital. To the point they had to save people from themselves. Now you have to go to a farm or look really hard for it.
by Anonymous | reply 91 | December 16, 2021 11:41 AM |
^One of the greatest Daily Show episodes ever was when they went to West Virginia (I think) the day the state legislature authorized selling unpasteurized milk.
One of the representatives drank raw milk on the podium to prove it was safe. They followed him back to his office where he started vomiting, and tried to interview him while he was lying down miserable on a couch. I googled and couldn't bring the video up. Legendary. Leg and dairy!
by Anonymous | reply 92 | December 16, 2021 11:52 AM |
I stopped buying milk long ago as I would always end up having to throw a lot of it away since I don't use milk a lot. I went to powdered milk and it's been perfectly fine. I make a small amount and use it on cereal and I can't tell the difference. But recently I bought a small carton of Parmalat at the market. I was shocked that the expiration date on the carton is almost a year from the date I bought it. I put in in the fridge and poured some on cereal the next day and it was perfectly fine (I was expecting some nasty taste). So a few days later I bought 3 more boxes I'm keeping in the pantry. I want to try Parmalat in baking. Due to the way it's processed powdered milk is fat free and does not lend itself well to baking where whole milk is required. I'm going to bake a pound cake this weekend using the Parmalat. No more pouring old milk down the drain for me.
by Anonymous | reply 93 | December 16, 2021 12:02 PM |
Parmalat is just pastured milk in a box R93. They claim they heat it at a higher them then regular. What they wont tell you is it destroys the flavor. But if you are someone who drinks powdered milk in the fist place, you have no clue what good milk actually tastes like to begin with. Powdered milk tastes like watery vomit.
by Anonymous | reply 94 | December 16, 2021 12:09 PM |
It makes me sad to think about the life those poor chickens live.
by Anonymous | reply 95 | December 16, 2021 12:13 PM |
chicken farming in the US is a atrocious, worse than any other country
by Anonymous | reply 96 | December 16, 2021 12:17 PM |
[quote]Americans have only eaten hard boiled eggs since WWII
[quote] R52 I meant that eating them any other way besides hard boiled stopped after WWII. It's an old thing that's becoming new again.
R65 I'm sorry, could you clarify? I still have no idea what you're talking about.
by Anonymous | reply 97 | December 16, 2021 3:52 PM |
There is a big worldwide outbreak of Avian Flu (H5N1) at the moment, the UK is starting a mass slaughter program so eggs might become more expensive.
by Anonymous | reply 98 | December 17, 2021 2:01 AM |
Some of you fools need to shut your fiesty traps or I will egg your grinch lairs.
by Anonymous | reply 99 | December 17, 2021 5:07 AM |
You can buy eggs that don't need to be refrigerated at farmer's markets.
by Anonymous | reply 100 | December 17, 2021 5:10 AM |
Or I can deliver some over the fence via air delivery service.
by Anonymous | reply 101 | December 17, 2021 5:12 AM |
[quote] "I was in Costa Rica recently..."
*Kusta Ritsa
by Anonymous | reply 102 | December 17, 2021 5:56 AM |
Even if you don't need to refrigerate eggs, what's the harm in doing so?
by Anonymous | reply 103 | December 17, 2021 8:44 AM |
No harm at all, R103. In the UK (and elsewhere in Europe) it’s just not necessary…although it doesn’t matter if you do.
by Anonymous | reply 104 | December 17, 2021 8:51 AM |
Where does one find these Costa Rican eggs?
Does one fly to Costa Rica to get them?
Or do any of the better gourmet food stores carry them?
by Anonymous | reply 105 | December 17, 2021 9:00 AM |
You don't need to refrigerate eggs but the LAST a LOT LONGER. 7 to 10 days at room temp vs 3–5 weeks refrigerated.
by Anonymous | reply 106 | December 17, 2021 10:15 AM |
Might they hatch on my kitchen counter?
by Anonymous | reply 107 | December 17, 2021 9:01 PM |
R107 Duck eggs are easier to hatch than chicken eggs as they are more likely to be fertilised, I doubt US supermarket eggs would hatch as the protective coating is removed..
by Anonymous | reply 108 | December 17, 2021 10:54 PM |
R108, the greatest difference is there is more likely to be a gander in the gooseyard than a rooster in the henhouse. .
by Anonymous | reply 109 | December 18, 2021 12:58 AM |
[quote] I doubt US supermarket eggs would hatch as the protective coating is removed..
US eggs will not hatch because they are not fertilized. You would have to go to a real farm to get the kind that could hatch.
by Anonymous | reply 111 | December 18, 2021 10:25 AM |
[quote] chicken farming in the US is a atrocious, worse than any other country
I have a hard time believing it's necessarily worse here than in China, but I know it's unconscionably bad here. Growing up, my family went to the Delmarva (Delaware/Maryland/Virginia) region beaches every summer, and driving through Delaware, we always passed these long buildings that gave off such a stench we all gagged in the car—industrial chicken coops.
Because chickens are somewhat territorial, they peck at one another when their spaces are invaded, and some American poultry companies CHOP THE BEAKS OFF chickens so they don't injure one another because they are confined to tiny boxes. Those chickens are force fed with eye droppers.
I eat chicken and eggs, but I only buy organic, antibiotic-free free-range chicken and eggs in the grocery store, and I have significantly limited eating out because of these industrial animal abuses.
I've reduced my meat intake a lot because of animal abuse, but I am still carnivorous. I have totally eliminated pork from my diet because of the absolutely evil way pigs are farmed in the U.S. My love of bacon is not justification for nightmarish farming practices, and I don't want to ingest flesh of any animal whose entire life has been a horror and whose tissue is steeped in stress hormones. It's not good for anybody involved.
by Anonymous | reply 112 | December 18, 2021 11:27 AM |
R117, you know there are farmer’s markets where small farmers who humanely raise animals sell the meat. The grocery store is not your only option.
by Anonymous | reply 113 | December 18, 2021 1:30 PM |
R113 I have been losing my taste for meat more and more every year. I used to feel like I didn't eat anything if I was given a meal without any meat, and these days I can go a day or two and then realize I haven't had any meat at all, not intentionally, just because I eat a lot of veggies and nuts nowadays. Sometimes the smell of beef cooking turns me off now, and sometimes I don't like the taste of chicken. And as for pork, I've already eliminated it and as much as I do love bacon (and I eat it if it has been cooked and served at a conference, for example), I have zero interest in reintroducing it when I've lost interest.
I eat more fish than any other meat nowadays, and I buy fish according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's sustainable seafood chart.
I eliminated shrimp years ago after reading a long report about how damaging and unhealthful the shrimp farming industry is, and I just got a blood test back saying I am allergic to shrimp, crab and lobster.
by Anonymous | reply 114 | December 18, 2021 1:40 PM |
[quote] My mom always said, if I happened to leave the eggs out too long, "It's okay, Shirley Booth kept her eggs in a bowl on top of the ice box in Come Back Little Sheba".
Explain Dataloungers without saying you are explaining Dataloungers
by Anonymous | reply 115 | December 18, 2021 1:41 PM |
[quote]I just got a blood test back saying I am allergic to shrimp, crab and lobster.
Without shrimp and lobster, I don't think life would be worth living.
by Anonymous | reply 116 | December 18, 2021 2:47 PM |
[quote]US eggs will not hatch because they are not fertilized.
That reminds me that I once cracked an egg and the most hideous thing was inside - identifiable portions of what it would be if it had hatched!
by Anonymous | reply 117 | December 18, 2021 2:50 PM |
R116 Strange life ya got there!
I grew up on fried shrimp. I love, love, love them. But they're very unhealthful and I learned to go without them a long time ago. I like grilled shrimp with pasta, etc., but eliminating that has not been a problem for me.
I also grew up crabbing in summers in Delaware, and I never ate the crabs because I felt bad seeing them poured into boiling water alive. Eventually I came to like crab cakes, but I can take them or leave them.
I never liked crab or lobster meat on their own very much. It's too sweet for me and pulling it out of a carcass of what looks like a giant insect is a total turnoff to me.
Still, I have eaten all of these throughout my life and was really surprised to learn I am now allergic. But I developed a strange immune system disorder that makes me more and more allergic by the year. It's kind of awful.
by Anonymous | reply 118 | December 18, 2021 2:54 PM |
R5 Indeed, and they believe all their fruit and vegetables must be refrigerated as well. They think butter is spoilt after sitting at room temp longer than 20-30 minutes. They ruin things such as tomatoes and avocados by putting them in their fridge.
Soy Sauce, as well as Vinegar-based condiments must be refrigerated as well, or "someone may get food poisoned" What a bunch of rubbish.
by Anonymous | reply 119 | December 18, 2021 4:22 PM |
R119 I get your point, and you do have a point, but literally what the fuck are those examples? 🤣
Do we do that Americans? We don't, do we? I don't.
by Anonymous | reply 120 | December 18, 2021 5:07 PM |
It's important to keep all your food in the refrigerator to keep the roaches and mice off of it.
If you live in NYC, anyway.
by Anonymous | reply 121 | December 18, 2021 5:44 PM |
[quote]Explain Dataloungers without saying you are explaining Dataloungers
R115 She was kidding. My mom had a sense of humor. I would explain Dataloungers by saying they're like you, not me. They have to psychoanalyze people to the nth degree and take something funny and make you think you're wierd for remembering it.
by Anonymous | reply 122 | December 18, 2021 6:10 PM |
R120 Two bits: are you R5? I don't understand what exactly your question is about my examples... they are simply examples of items we do not refrigerate in tbe UK. Living here now for TOO LONG, I've noticed these differences. It's not necessary to refrigerate everything is all.
I've had many interesting disputes with my American partner since moving in with him. Most Americans do believe as he does.. If you were looking for examples of tbe vinegar- based condiments I mentioned, here's just a PARTIAL list: (including actual bottles of vinegar)
Mustard
Unopened Pickles/Relish /Chutney
Ketchup/Brown Sauce
Worcestershire
BBQ sauce
Much of the fruit is ruined in the fridge, as much of it isn't quite ripe at time of purchase. It never improves once it is refrigerated. We don't generally do this.
by Anonymous | reply 123 | December 18, 2021 6:27 PM |
Other differences: I place Parsley, Cilantro, other fresh cut herbs( and Asparagus) in water in pint glasses.... I don't refrigerate any of those either. I don't always refrigerate fresh greens religiously either, or mushrooms for that matter. Every shop in America holds these under refrigeration.
I think most peaches served fold from a fridge are completely inedible. Americans serve cheese straight from the fridge as well. It's best to let it come up to room temp for optimal flavour.
Perhaps this is why the fridges are so terribly big here?
by Anonymous | reply 124 | December 18, 2021 6:41 PM |
R118 = not a New Yorker
by Anonymous | reply 125 | December 18, 2021 7:17 PM |
I have a large US french door style fridge in the UK, I still serve cheese and preserves at room temperature by leaving them out for a couple of hours.
by Anonymous | reply 126 | December 18, 2021 8:35 PM |
Euro people like their fruit hot and sitting in the sun. Americans generally like them cool or cold. The reason most Americans refrigerate everything is because of the way they shop. A lot of places like Itlay or France for example dont have big grocery stores, most people buy what they need for the day fresh. So they use it that day, nothing really to go bad except meat.
Most Americans don't have access to such fresh fruit stands on the corner, they shop in big super markets usually for a week or two at a time. Ergo, the fridge comes in handing if you need to extend the shelf life. Plus as someone mentioned above, keeps the bugs and things trying to eat that sweet smelling fruit from actually getting to it or invading your home. Including indoor pets who play while the master is away.
Also, Americans tend to have more space in their homes so a standard size American refrigerator is usually 2 or 3 times what you might find in a lot of European countries. So American refrigerators are basically cold storage. Sort of like how cruise ships and big restaurants operate. Its a air tight, cool safe place to store food.
by Anonymous | reply 127 | December 18, 2021 10:54 PM |
[quote]Most Americans don't have access to such fresh fruit stands on the corner
R127, you haven't been to my place on Lex and 72nd!
by Anonymous | reply 128 | December 18, 2021 11:41 PM |
R127 The best selling refrigerator size in the UK and Europe looks like this, they aren't exactly tiny. The freezer of a similar size is below.
by Anonymous | reply 129 | December 19, 2021 12:12 AM |
Actually that's tiny by American standards r129. Something you might only see in a cheap apartment. Americans love their refrigerators. This is what most middle class Americans with a house, 2 kids and a dog would typically have in their house if they were to buy one today. Lots of space, different temperature zones, specialized features and lots of bells and whistles.
Its almost becoming the hub of the kitchen instead of the fireplace or stove. Not everyone cooks, but everyone sooner or later will open the fridge. Which is why I think product designer are starting to really invest in interactive technology with them.
by Anonymous | reply 130 | December 19, 2021 9:05 AM |
[quote]Most "Americans don't have access to such fresh fruit stands on the corner [R127]", you haven't been to my place on Lex and 72nd!
Why would I? My comment was about Americans in general, as in all the states from east to west not some silly queen who wants to humble brag about her location.
by Anonymous | reply 131 | December 19, 2021 9:08 AM |
R124 Well, I don't refrigerate anything that's shelf stable like condiments or vinegar. Or unopened jars (?) Only certain fruits that spoil quickly, like berries.
You have a point that many items are unnecessarily refrigerated in the U.S. due to fear of spoilage. Your examples were totally crazy and sound fake.
You seem to be intentionally misunderstanding some behavior of the people around you and attributing to Americans when it's really whatever type you're around in the place you live. Maybe you live in Manhattan and everyone has roaches, like a commenter above mentioned.
Judging by this "peering at zoo animals" attitude I think I recognize which poster you are anyway, can't say I'm interested in what you think about this. You have a deep seated loathing of the people of the country you live in that you seem to cling to like a security blanket. I certainly hope it's you're one person and not a type!
by Anonymous | reply 132 | December 19, 2021 9:14 AM |
Also, that was me R120 who is not R5 and it's nuts that you were assuming that.
by Anonymous | reply 133 | December 19, 2021 9:15 AM |
I have a dedicated low profile flat draw in my fridge just for cheese, it's full to the brim. Yes, I do in fact remove it and let it come to room temp before serving. I think Americans are learning to do that more and more, as high quality cheeses from around the world are readily available in most cities.
It's kind of considered low class now to just go straight from the cold fridge to serving, but people still do it. They don't know any better. 30 years ago most of the cheese was total crap made by KRAFT and called something like "cheese flavored". Now the choices are amazing! I can get cheese from all over the world.
by Anonymous | reply 134 | December 19, 2021 9:37 AM |
R127 In France we have big supermarket, the first one opened at a cross road "Carrefour" in Sainte Geneviève des Bois, not far from Paris in 1963. Since then they multiplied, killing mom and pa grocery shops in the process. I go to the supermarket every saturday with my car, but if I forgot smth I can go to Monoprix, a medium size supermarket, on my way to the RER station. We also have fridge+freezer, as well as microwave...
by Anonymous | reply 135 | December 19, 2021 6:41 PM |
I know someone (here in the U.K.) who is engaged to a kitchen designer, and he's noticed over the last few years, that a lot of traditional features are being brought back into kitchens.
The one I like the most is a proper larder with a big cold shelf made of marble. They went out of fashion when fridges became ubiquitous. I want one!
by Anonymous | reply 136 | December 20, 2021 11:47 AM |
Do Europeans still cook in a microwave? Most people I know in the US dont use them. They are in every house and apartment but the only time I use mine is to heat a cup of water or something. Never actually cook in them.
by Anonymous | reply 137 | December 20, 2021 12:11 PM |
R137, live a little. Open a new window.
Now, get to work. It's already December 20.
by Anonymous | reply 138 | December 20, 2021 1:05 PM |
I don't cook in a microwave but I do more than heat water. Heat soup, heat up leftovers, make instant oatmeal...
by Anonymous | reply 139 | December 20, 2021 5:54 PM |
R137 I cook in the microwave because I grow up in a Tupperware house, where you learn to use the microwave to cook, not just reheat things. But most of the time it's process frozen food from Picard (the frozen food supermarket, not Jean Luc).
by Anonymous | reply 140 | December 20, 2021 6:00 PM |
[quote]But most of the time it's process frozen food from Picard (the frozen food supermarket, not Jean Luc).
Btw, I didn't mean heating frozen processed food, when I was referring to cooking. I also heat up a frozen Swanson's lasagna or something like that.
by Anonymous | reply 141 | December 20, 2021 6:14 PM |
Sauteing onions is much easier in the microwave, i've never made a full meal in one.
by Anonymous | reply 142 | December 20, 2021 6:41 PM |
R133 WOW, what a strange tangent calling me crazy, simply because I asked if you were R5... I made a direct reply to a specific poster who was R5.... you specifically directed your remarks to me, in the post immediately following...so I was just checking.
I think things get confusing here when some of us should be making a general post, rather than inserting a "rebuttal" to words of agreement to a specific poster.
In these cases when I have a related comment immediately after, I say "I'm not R5 (in this case)... but...That's a bit more polite; don't you think? I think you're simply looking to argue with ME here.
My attempts to clarify do not make me crazy either. I don't get how you think I hate an entire nation of people, simply because I find this habit of keeping everything under refrigeration odd, and annoying to ME in the home of my partner.
You seem to be taking silly differences too seriously. Nothing needs to become this emotional either. I never said YOU personally did any of this. Who's crazy now ? My examples are my own... not "crazy" or fake". My finding this odd and noting it here falls under pointless bitchery... NOTHING DEEPER.
My remarks are simply MY observations... not an indictment of the American people! You've some special problem with me, apparently. You have a chip on your shoulder mate, or you're a sperg to continue responding to statements that don't specifically involve you. Please back off awhile. You do this in other threads as well. (I've checked!)
I ❤️❤️❤️America, Americans, American style, and the American way. Just don't refrigerate my tomatoes or tomato ketchup, HP Sauce, or my fruit and veg.
by Anonymous | reply 143 | December 20, 2021 6:50 PM |
R14, ketchup is 80% sugar, not much tomato.
by Anonymous | reply 144 | December 20, 2021 8:44 PM |
R141 my bad, I cook my rice in the microwave, I also cook my egg. I find cooking for one easier in a microwave.
by Anonymous | reply 145 | December 21, 2021 6:43 AM |
Do Americans refrigerate their butter? I'm talking about butter as a basis for your sandwich filling/topping.
by Anonymous | reply 146 | December 21, 2021 6:52 AM |
[quote]The one I like the most is a proper larder with a big cold shelf made of marble.
I have this in my house here in England (an old farmhouse). I do also have a fridge of course, but the cold shelf in the larder is useful because it’s a large surface area and cool but a bit less cold than the fridge. I mostly use it for potatoes, eggs and onions to be honest - or to temporarily store something large, like a Christmas turkey or a big pot of soup. I keep butter in a ceramic dish in the kitchen. The only time I put it in the fridge is on hot summer days.
by Anonymous | reply 147 | December 21, 2021 7:10 AM |
[quote]Do Americans refrigerate their butter?
Yes, everyone does except for people who were raised on farms and know it's ok to leave it out. It's dairy so it falls into that category of spoiling fast (even though it really does not). In fact refrigerators used to come with a special butter compartment or tray, although I rarely see that now. That's why there are numerous butter products like whipped butter with olive oil that you can buy, take it straight out of the fridg and spread easily. Some old school fancy restaurants used to sever butter on small ice trays to keep it cold. Fast food places almost always keep it cold. More modern upscale restaurants will sever it at room temp so it's easy to spread.
by Anonymous | reply 148 | December 21, 2021 11:12 AM |
Funny, R148. I was raised by my grandparents and they have this specific little box where one keeps the "spreadable" butter in. Perfect room temperature, never went bad.
by Anonymous | reply 149 | December 21, 2021 11:27 AM |
Well I refrigerated a box of Parmalat milk I bought off the shelf at the market and then used it on a bowl of cereal. Tasted perfectly fine to me. I couldn't tell any difference between it and regular whole milk.
by Anonymous | reply 150 | December 21, 2021 11:35 AM |
Cereal has flavor usually. Try a side by side taste test with a box milk like parmalat and some milk that is actually fresh and organic. You can tasted the difference.
by Anonymous | reply 151 | December 21, 2021 11:40 AM |
It may taste differently alone, side by side. But I don't drink milk as a beverage, unless it's flavored in some way. Personally I don't find the taste of milk on its own very satisfying. My only reason for buying the Parmalat was so I could have whole milk at the ready and not have to make a trip to the market to a carton, much of which would probably end up down the drain. I keep powdered milk in the house, but I can't do any baking with that. I baked a pound cake using the Parmalat and could not tell one bit of difference between using it and whole milk. I'm sold on it and will be using it from now on.
by Anonymous | reply 152 | December 21, 2021 11:53 AM |
151 posts to a thread about refrigering eggs!
Good lawd.
Here's a crazy thought: Processing and refrigerating, and not processing and not refrigerating—both approaches work. People eat eggs all over the world and don't get sick and die from them. People know what they are doing. Sometimes more than one technique can work equally well and squabbling is unnecessary.
Just a thought. Carry on bickering!
by Anonymous | reply 153 | December 21, 2021 11:59 AM |
Eggs do not need to be refrigerated. And you can eat raw cookie dough too.
It's an American neurotic safety culture thing. Just ignore and enjoy life OP.
by Anonymous | reply 154 | December 21, 2021 12:03 PM |
Commercially raised eggs in the US can only be left out if they're going to be used relatively fast (within 2 hours - or within 1 hour if the temperature is over 90°) Otherwise they need to be refrigerated. That is just fact.
by Anonymous | reply 155 | December 21, 2021 12:10 PM |
Americans have a safety culture thing going on that they just can't seem to shake. They are not at fault--they seem to have been born that way.
by Anonymous | reply 156 | December 21, 2021 12:13 PM |
[quote]Americans have a safety culture thing going on that they just can't seem to shake.
That's an odd comment when you consider people in the UK freak out about any kind of food with preservative or food coloring. Really, you are not going to die because of food coloring.
by Anonymous | reply 157 | December 21, 2021 12:18 PM |
R154, Reagan's deregulation ruined eggs and chicken in the 1980s. Before, it was perfectly fine to eat raw cookie dough, now salmonella is a factor.
by Anonymous | reply 158 | December 21, 2021 12:58 PM |
R157 Why must these things be equated with death as the arbiter of them being safe? Causality is diffcult to prove. You may make such a claim, and few will challenge you, but that doesn't make the substance good for you either.
Many such colours are possible or known carcinogens, especially those derived from petroleum. Others such as Tartrazine, (Yellow # something in American speak) are known to affect concentration, and hyperactivity in children. We can do without many, or all, as Annatto is natural and harmless, as is Turmeric.
Caramel Colour and Red Dyes are also cancer causing. One can easily read up on them for free @ pubmed.
by Anonymous | reply 159 | December 21, 2021 1:00 PM |
I don't think the U.K. is obsessed with safety, just because we want to avoid artificial colours and flavourings. There's enough evidence to suggest it's a wise move.
by Anonymous | reply 160 | December 21, 2021 5:37 PM |
Artificial colourings are unnecessary unless you are trying to replicate real food with corn syrup and starch
Preservatives are OK, but the UK is so small that most fresh food isn't transported more than 100 miles. Often much less
by Anonymous | reply 161 | December 22, 2021 1:39 AM |
[quote]Why must these things be equated with death as the arbiter of them being safe? Causality is diffcult to prove. You may make such a claim, and few will challenge you, but that doesn't make the substance good for you either. Many such colours are possible or known carcinogens, bla, bla, bal.....
Wow, that went right over your head. Americans point out how you can get sick or die from Salmonella poisoning by eating eggs that are left out at room temp and your proclaim them silly and paranoid since it's never happened to you. But when someone points out Brits are just as silly about other things like food coloring "oh no! Danger!!!! Cancer!!! Studies!!. Well dude, I could point to studies about Salmonella poisoning and raw eggs too. And it can hurt you immediately not like food coloring which would take years and years of high quantities to prove your point.
by Anonymous | reply 162 | December 22, 2021 6:42 AM |
Having lived in the UK during the Mad Cow days, complemented by several major salmonella outbreaks which required the slaughter of every chicken in the UK, I find it hard to think food safety is a big deal for the Brits. They have a very controlling and paternalistic society and government that is so far up their individual asses that they can no longer see it or believe it is happening. They are inured to it. They don't know what they think about food safety. They just trust that ' the proper authorities' are taking 'all appropriate measures,' blah, blah, blah.
Where is a Currie, the Junior Minister for Health, when they need her to dissemble and keep them placated?
by Anonymous | reply 163 | December 22, 2021 12:35 PM |
R163 Have the US Government ever slaughtered all of the chickens in the USA to curb a major salmonella outbreak?
We currently have an Avian Flu epidemic in the UK and millions of poultry are being destroyed, food safety is taken very seriously here.
by Anonymous | reply 164 | December 22, 2021 12:53 PM |
R164, there have been many cullings of chickens in the US because of disease. However, our country is very large, and your country is about the size of one of our mall parking lots so we have a lot more chickens here.
Also, OP, The real issue is that you are in a Third World country, and they don’t have refrigerators to store their eggs. If you go to a first world country, you’ll find the eggs safely nestled in their own dedicated chillers.
by Anonymous | reply 165 | December 22, 2021 3:19 PM |
[quote]Americans have a safety culture thing going on that they just can't seem to shake. They are not at fault--they seem to have been born that way.
"At fault" for being safe, and healthy, and avoiding food borne illnesses. Interesting.
by Anonymous | reply 166 | December 22, 2021 3:28 PM |
For those that don't keep butter in the fridge, are you from New England? I am and we NEVER kept the butter in the fridge. Bette was a fellow Masshole.
My partner is from rural PA about an hour from Pittsburgh and we fight over the butter. Meanwhile, his people keep terrible towels and put french fries on salads and you think not keeping butter in the fridge is gross? BITCH PLEASE.
by Anonymous | reply 167 | December 22, 2021 3:30 PM |
I'm from Massachusetts and we always refrigerated the butter. Though I knew random families who had it on the table all day.
by Anonymous | reply 168 | December 22, 2021 3:33 PM |
[quote]Have the US Government ever slaughtered all of the chickens in the USA
2 million just last year.
by Anonymous | reply 169 | December 22, 2021 6:15 PM |