On Friday, I ate eggs that had sat outdoors . . . unrefrigerated . . . for hours. How disgusting! Oh, wait. How natural! How disgusting? How natural?I got a dozen eggs from farmers in Pennsylvania. They crossed a little more than 100 miles and an experience gap of an entire lifetime. I'm two generations from the farm, and my eggs were delivered through the hands of a PhD nutritionist and a physician before they reached my kitchen.
We split a CSA membership, and let's just say that we split on our view of unrefrigerated eggs.
Some people spend their professional lives discussing salmonella and sterilization. They correctly pointed out that supermarkets refrigerate eggs and stamp them with "sell by" dates. They sent me links about outbreaks. Other people -- and by other people, I mean, "I" -- had a couple emails with the farmers (who have almost nine months of farming experience at this point) and the argument that, "The farmers say it's totally cool."
Let's just say: More eggs for me. I passed up the street food in Thailand. I firmly believe in separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables. But the farmers were so casual and confident, and I joined a CSA to break out of my shrink-wrapped experience with supermarket food. Plus, I surveyed the Internet: Chicken-lover Web site - check. Survivalist Web site - check. Somebody who claims to be "Answers.com" - check. Everyone said eggs last days -- if not longer -- at room temperature.
Those fresh eggs were just as delicious as people say on "SurvivalistBoards.com." I fried the first three in a little butter and sprinkled them with salt. Clearly, the buildup encouraged me to taste more flavor and freshness than my supermarket eggs. I really enjoyed them. I also appreciate the lesson and the chance for a city mouse to try something new.
Anyone know a local source for fresh eggs?
10 comments:
I get mine from 5adayCSA.com or my secret underground raw milk connection. Yes, I'm one of "those" people. Bootlegging milk. Don't tell my mom! :)
There are a number of sources for local/area eggs. You might have to (gasp!) come into the city to see what your options are. Waverly Farmer's Market has multiple folks selling eggs; I recommend Broom's Bloom and/or Andy's Eggs (same stall) there. The Baltimore market on Sunday (under the JFX downtown) has even more; I recommend Hen's Nest. You can also get Hen's Nest, which are my standard egg, at Mill Valley General Store at 28th St. and Sisson, right at the bottom of the offramp from the JFX, Thursday-Sunday. I will say that I haven't bought a non-local egg (or chicken, for that matter) in several years. Doubtless some of these are available in the 'burbs as well.
MOM's Organic Market in East Columbia sells eggs from a Maryland farm.
I get my eggs delivered from South Mountain Creamery - they are fresh and yummy.
And as for refrigeration - I lived in Honduras for years and we never refrigerated the eggs and I never had them go bad nor did I ever get sick from them. I've heard that as long as the eggs have NEVER been refrigerated they are fine staying on your counter, but if they have spent time in a fridge then they need to go back in the fridge.
There used to be a farm just down the road from Larriland that sold eggs. You may not have to drive all the way into the city. The MOM tip is good too, I buy eggs there. I firmly believe that if you buy food that is not mass-produced the odds greatly increase that it's going to be safe to eat (as in, less chance of bad "bugs")
We get eggs from Springfield Farm at the Ellicott City Second Sunday market. Back in June, they just happened to have turkey eggs and we loved them so much, now we drive up to the farm in Parkton to get them. I keep hoping Springfield Farm will start going to the Catonsville Farmers Market so they will be down here every weekend instead of once a month.
We get local eggs from a local backyard hen keeper. Yum. Wish Hoco was friendlier to backyard chickens with their zoning so we could keep hens. Other jurisdictions are. Lived in Germany and they ship and sell their eggs at room temperature. My understanding is it isn't about whether they have ever been regfrigerated but whether they have been washed and processed so the protective natural membrane gets removed.
Another nod to South Mountain Creamery. They are at the Glenwood farmer's market on Saturdays, and in downtown Baltimore on Sundays (under the JFX). $3/dozen, and taste great. They deliver milk/yogurt/eggs/other stuff, too...so when the farmer's market season is done...I can still get my "fix".
There is a gal at the corner of 216 and 108 that sells fresh eggs!
I lived in England for 8 years and eggs there are sold unrefrigerated and many people keep them on the counter after purchasing. Never had a single problem.
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