Scishow already covered it
Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
261–270 of 275 posts
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#262Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you preserve the egg in lime, ash, and a few other ingredients for long enough, the egg turns into a "Century Egg" with an almost jello like look and consistency https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_egg Tastes kinda gross though (but I might be biased)
> Tastes kinda gross though (but I might be biased) For context: according to Wikipedia the yolk contains hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Hydrogen sulfide produces a distinct "rotten egg" smell, ammonia is basically what makes cat urine smell like cat urine. I guess it might be an acquired taste and there are likely preparations that make the taste more palatable and mask the smell, but it's fair to say that it's not m…
The level of smell really varies a lot (as does the texture).
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#263Earlier quoted context omitted.
In the case of frying, why isn't it good enough to do the float test?
It is probably good enough, but slightly more inconvenient considering how the eggs are prepared. It is pretty easy to slip an egg from a plate into a frying pan - some folks do this as standard practice. I was never sure of the origins until now. If you are boiling, you are drawing some water anyway. It isn't a big deal at that point to have test water and add it into the pot when you are done.
Yep, that's the reason. Both tests would work fine but it's a matter of convenience.
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#264Earlier quoted context omitted.
Urban folks keeping chickens for their eggs often don't keep roosters.
The people I know in rural areas with chickens all have roosters. Why they do it different in urban? Is it the noise they make early in the morning?
Some roosters start crowing at 5:00 am, they sing non-stop for 15-20 minutes and wait for an hour. When people are sleep again they repeat the bursts. This can last from 5:00 am until 9:00 am or so. All days of the week including sundays and holidays.
Is basically torturing your neighbours, specially if they are of the night owl kind.
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#265Earlier quoted context omitted.
You can buy free range organic eggs at Whole Foods for less than $5 a dozen.
You can't buy pastured eggs for less than $7 a dozen generally. The eggs you are referring to are still from chickens who are stuck more or less indoors at all times, and don't get to engage in "chicken-y" behaviors. "Free range" in this case often means there is access to an outdoor patch, but there's no real reason for the chickens to go there, and the are so depressed that they hardly want to move anyway. As such…
No the eggs I am referring to are from "pastured" chickens. I have seen them go for $5 at a Whole Foods in Northern Virginia as well as the local coop around the corner from me in Syracuse, NY.
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#266Earlier quoted context omitted.
I live in Ireland, in the EU, and I'm fairly sure all the eggs in supermarkets here are washed. There's never a spot of dirt on them. And we always refrigerate, as does everyone I know
My brother in law is a small-scale farmer in Wales and produces chicken and duck eggs. I've previously discussed egg washing with him. My understanding from such conversations is that eggs in the EU are definitely not washed. Supermarket caged-hen eggs are generally clean in appearance due to the lack of items that might otherwise stick to the them. I have found free range supermarket eggs, on the other hand, to some…
If you wash and, worse, brush a porous surface, you are pushing the water and dirt directly inside the egg. If there is not a lot of dirt on the egg surface is healthier to let the egg as is.
In the other hand, you can have perfectly clean eggs if 1) you use a modern nesting box designed to hide the eggs and 2) provide independent sleeping areas higher to discourage the hens to sleep in the nesting boxes.
You could also scratch the surface with an old credit card or a knife but is better not to use water. Storing eggs in the fridge is also convenient, eggs shells shouldn't be in contact with other eggs.
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#267Earlier quoted context omitted.
I live in Ireland, in the EU, and I'm fairly sure all the eggs in supermarkets here are washed. There's never a spot of dirt on them. And we always refrigerate, as does everyone I know
> and I'm fairly sure all the eggs in supermarkets here are washed No, they're not washed. Lack of gunk is due to technique (or just cleaning mechanically) https://www.fsai.ie/faq/egg_washing.html
Also:
http://hoaxes.org/weblog/comments/artificial_dirty_eggs
"Artificially Dirty Eggs, 1973, the Dutch egg industry"
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#268Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can't help but imagine the origins. Long ago, someone either found an egg or tried to preserve an egg this way. They opened it up and found ... that ... and ate it anyway. After not dying, a delicacy was born.
I imagine this is how a lot of previously unthinkable things that required aging were made. Cheese, wine, etc.
My favourite in that respect is a kind of mushroom that you can buy in Finland.
It's deadly poisonous. Unless you cook it thrice and discard the water each time.
I can't fathom the thought process that went into finding this out.
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#269Earlier quoted context omitted.
The people I know in rural areas with chickens all have roosters. Why they do it different in urban? Is it the noise they make early in the morning?
Some roosters start crowing at 5:00 am, they sing non-stop for 15-20 minutes and wait for an hour. When people are sleep again they repeat the bursts. This can last from 5:00 am until 9:00 am or so. All days of the week including sundays and holidays. Is basically torturing your neighbours, specially if they are of the night owl kind.
Makes a lot of sense. Thanks.
Re: Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?
#270Earlier quoted context omitted.
Mileage varies. In my city, the poor neighborhoods are a 30 minute bus ride from a proper grocery. It's a 10 minute drive max. Most people there get food from a bodega type place.
Thats the thing though, a "proper" grocery in most HN readers minds is a large supermarket. Most actual groceries aren't sold by chains though, bodegas, corner delis, green grocers, and an assortment of Asian, Mexican and other small grocers sell a huge chunk of the fresh fruit and vegetables here in the US, since they have the upper hand when it comes to location, price and quality. That being said, many are quick t…
In my state, almost everyone takes EBT. Even farmers markets. A proper grocery in my mind sells produce, dairy, a locally appropriate fresh meat selection and dry goods.
In an urban market, these type of stores are 15,000-30,000 sqft. We have a few markets like this in my city, but they are in nicer areas.
Poor folk have corner stores that are We had a crisis about a decade ago because 80% of these stores were temporarily shut down after the owners were arrested for accepting food stamps for heroin. They aren't nice places that anyone chooses to do business with.