Why Do Britain and America Produce Eggs So Differently?

[@Car0linaPh03nix]

Definitely still thinking about the soapy dishes. There's no way all the soap slides off, you're eating soap residue from your "clean" dishes!

[@natsume-hime2473]

The worse part? Dirt sticks to the soap residue as it dries!

[@anitawhite2669]

As a Brit living in the UK, I don't know of anyone washing dishes as Lawrence described, unless they were extremely lazy. If I was to wash dishes by hand, no way would I leave the chemical soap on a dish to dry.

[@rwind656]

@@anitawhite2669 I visited friends, British friends, who were then living in Scotland and they left the soapy dishwater on the dishes. No rinsing. I thought they must have a special soap, LOL. Nope.

[@docbearmb]

I’ll take spots any day over soap residue. Spots are just the minerals in the water which remain after the water droplet evaporates. Soap? Yuck!

[@anitawhite2669]

@@rwind656 - OMG, I hope you didn't have a meal cooked for you at your friends. Haggis and chemical soap sounds like a great combination

[@kimballdavis3167]

I admit, I haven't gotten over the soapy dishes.

[@danianderin]

I 100% agree. Once I found this out, my I wont allow my fiancée, whos British, to do dishes when we're together 😂

[@umaiar]

@@danianderin LOL... This seems like a genius ploy on your fiancee's part.

[@rsnide1891]

I feel this

[@samanthab1923]

Someone in the comments accused me of wasting water 💦!

[@FireCracker3240]

Me too! I can't wrap my head around why they would leave soap on the dishes. This is going to haunt me forever.

[@whiteowl4097]

Yea, I'm still thinking about the soapy dishes.

[@Paul_Sleeping]

Yep. Same here. I still cannot get over it as I'm washing my dishes today. I even gave them extra rinse to offset our British compatriots not doing so.

[@rae1957tn]

I have a dishwasher and it rinse and dry the dishes now if it would put them away

[@naedatanner8832]

@@rae1957tn I'm kinda surprised. While I was in nursing school in th 70's in Toronto, Canada, we were told that dishsoap gave a false-positive pregnancy test! Not sure about that, but we certainly rinsed dishes!!🇨🇦😅✌

[@danr1920]

Dirty, not soapy!

[@Christa-tl8jb]

Interesting about the eggs and I also still have not gotten over the soapy dishes.

[@aprilsunflower7440]

Last night as I was doing dishes I thought about yesterday's video. I made sure I rinsed my dishes thoroughly.

[@samanthab1923]

Good for you! 😀

[@mmercury5598]

Yup, me too.

[@dobiebloke9311]

April city girl to country wife - I must say, I gave mine an exta better rinse as well, just for the heebie jeebies of it.

[@mandystory4275]

Those soapy dishes broke my mind.

[@IAmSweetPea]

Tara wins the “We will rinse” debate though, right???? Right?

[@mmercury5598]

Yes, I thought about soapy dishes as I was "washing up" earlier tonight.

[@priscyllamacedd]

Hi, I'm brazilian, and I love you channel so MUCH, cos I love british accent, and I'm learning english.

[@Ivielynn123]

I've always wanted to go to Brazil! I'm American 😁

[@priscyllamacedd]

@@Ivielynn123 awesomeee. Brazil is a beautiful country🤭🥰

[@ChineseChicken1]

I heard Brazil was a good place to get a Wife who actually respects her husband.

[@ChineseChicken1]

Lavender Oak I knew I’d trigger some Man hating feminist with that one. 😆 Go feed your 14 cats.

[@kieranmclaughlin8920]

Should try the Scottish accent then...it is not "British"...that accent is "English"....x

[@Lizzy43645]

Yes - I am still thinking about not rinsing the dishes 🤢

[@grahamsmith9541]

I'm in the UK and don't know anyone that doesn't rince the dishes.

[@grace7701]

Actually I almost never refrigerate and wash my eggs from my own hens for the very reasons he mentions unless they are very dirty. However they do on my opinion last longer if you refrigerate them, but like he says once you wash them you must refrigerate them.

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

smiles softly.. am American.. have chickens.. don't wash the eggs.. have them sitting on the counter top.. (never refrigerate them cuz they dehydrate for one.. n second most uses require room temp eggs) never had an egg off.. they last well over a month

[@danny5637]

@@qwertyqwerty6099 salmonella has to be present in your flock/yard plus consume undercooked eggs. Not refrigerating eggs is not the only issue.

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

@@danny5637 nodding.. healthy hens n clean/natural yard n all that are a given.. n I regularly consume raw yolks cuz I make my own mayo for instance..

[@juliebaker6969]

@@danny5637 salmonella is primarily caused by overcrowded conditions, and lack of fresh air and sunshine. Chickens that are free to scratch outside in the sun and fresh air almost never have a problem with salmonella. Especially when their environment is properly kept up, or better yet, they are allowed to free-range.

[@andrewparry814]

When we kept hens the advice I read was to remove any dried on dirt with a gentle scouring pad.

[@iaincaillte3356]

That's eggs-actly the eggs-planation that eggs-punges any dis-egg-reement without eggs-ageration. You deserve r-egg-ognition. 🍳👍

[@robnorris4770]

I was eggstremely eggscited to see this yolkel eggsplain the differences.

[@sdraper2011]

omg

[@iaincaillte3356]

@@robnorris4770 Eggs-elent! I'm eggs-ultant.

[@daytoncharitychicken]

😘🐔

[@katannep7798]

🏆

[@rachelduke1580]

Your mouth was moving but all I heard was "I eat off soapy dishes"

[@yetinother]

Now I can’t get over the soapy eggs

[@momstermom2939]

He said that the US eggs are rinsed after washing!!!

[@micaylabirondo836]

THIS. I've been waiting all my life for this. I grew up with immigrant parents and grandparents. We had delicious amazing eggs from our chickens, eggs we did not wash till immediately before using them. But later we had grocery store eggs, clearly cleaned of bird sh*t, that HAD TO be stored in the fridge, where they'd last nearly forever. Childhood is confusing when NO ONE explains, at this level of detail, to an observant child, the reason for the difference. THANK YOU SIR.

[@YamIa3gypsy]

Interesting facts about eggs Lawrence. Thanks and don’t forget to rinse all of the soap off of the dishes when you wash up...

[@GenialHarryGrout]

Eggcellemt explanation on the differences between UK and US eggs

[@ronclark9724]

Yes well done, except he missed the main reason why America refrigerates its eggs, shelf life involving long transportation distances. We have nationwide grocery stores that pack eggs and ship them across the nation. We have regional grocery stores that pack eggs over a few state lines. Not a short hop in the UK from the Midlands to London.

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

@@ronclark9724 smiles softly.. am American.. have chickens.. don't wash the eggs.. have them sitting on the counter top.. (never refrigerate them cuz they dehydrate for one.. n second most uses require room temp eggs) never had an egg off.. they last well over a month

[@larryfisher7056]

@@qwertyqwerty6099 Back on the farm when I was growing up we never washed the eggs nor did we refrigerate them. They were in a basket in the kitchen. I was puzzled why eggs are now kept cold....thanks for clearing that up.

[@slytheringingerwitch]

Why do Britain and America Produce Eggs so differently? Me: I thought it was chickens myself.

[@mperdue73]

Just stumbled on to your channel, and I am hooked! I have loved British culture since I was young. Watching Brit-Coms on PBS in the 80's introduced me. One thing I would love you to compare is the grades and/or levels between the American and British education systems. Sorry if you have already addressed this. I have not worked my way through all your videos... YET! KEEP THEM COMING!

[@kristiespaan4938]

When I raised my own chickens, I didn't refrigerate their eggs...best eggs ever.

[@juliebaker6969]

I can't wait till July when my husband retires, so we can get out of the city and start growing and raising our own food. I'm looking most forward to fresh eggs, raw milk, and vine ripened heirloom tomatoes.😋🥚🥛🍅

[@juliebaker6969]

@Patrick Hudson Okay. Spoiler alert: They're not MY plates....or YOURS....so why should WE care?

[@dobiebloke9311]

@@juliebaker6969 - As a recent retiree myself, as well gardener and the rest, god's speed to you.

[@juliebaker6969]

@@dobiebloke9311 thank you.

[@helenkosmicki3283]

Eggs also stay fresher when refrigerated. You can tell how fresh by how high the yolk stands up and how much the white spreads out. And yes this does effect how they work when cooking with them especially for sensitive recipes like meringue

[@OneAdam12Adam]

Only partially true

[@laurasheepherder790]

I had wondered the difference when in the other video you said the UK didn't refrigerate eggs! Thanks for the info, I'm amazed at the research you're able to do!

[@infoscholar5221]

My wife and I love your channel , Lawrence! Merry Christmas!

[@kathrynterlikowski7302]

Yes, still thinking about the soapy dishes and ingesting dried soap residue with each meal. 🥴🤢

[@shawna620]

Yes, still thinking about the soapy dishes-- how about a video on that?

[@kaldo_kaldo]

Please no

[@LILLYB8328]

I'm American but live in the UK. British eggs are far superior to back home. Taste better, especially those ones you can get with the really golden looking yokes.

[@joegee2815]

I still can't believe you don't rinse your dishes.

[@debbierhode6291]

Thank you for this. I grew up raising chickens and eating unrefrigerated eggs. Merry Christmas!

[@sewsable]

In New Zealand eggs are on the shelves in the supermarket as well, not washed and they only go in the fridge when I get them home due to a lack of space anywhere else in the kitchen.

[@mackenziemorgan7054]

I knew about the washing/cuticle stuff, but that bit about vaccination was a surprise! I had no idea there was a salmonella vaccine.

[@barrydysert2974]

Yup. 🤔Soapy dishes! In eateries too?!? !:-) 🖖

[@acmeopinionfactory8018]

Barry Dysert No! British restaurants have hygiene procols similar to US restaurants.

[@dobiebloke9311]

Barry Dysert - From everything I've ever seen in the back kitchens of restaurants, no. Don't worry.

[@jaynenewcomb2094]

I’m just still glad for our electric kettle. Toasty yolk bread is also amazing wherever the egg gets stored.

[@aprilsunflower7440]

Is that what we call in America french toast ?

[@jaynenewcomb2094]

Sorry I just was referring to dipping toast into the egg yoke.

[@aprilsunflower7440]

@@jaynenewcomb2094 lol. Thanks, I think I remember watching a British KZbinr and french toast was eggy bread. Lol. Two different englishes

[@jaynenewcomb2094]

Going to school in the US after having read children’s books from the UK really confused me when it came to spelling tests.

[@aprilsunflower7440]

@@jaynenewcomb2094 reading so many Agatha Christie books confused me 😊

[@hmoham]

Even as a Brit I'm still thinking about those soupy dishes, rinse the bloody things.

[@quietdavedevon]

I don't like dried soup on my dishes either.

[@DRNewcomb]

At last, an interesting and informative Lost in the Pond.

[@PegasusBYU]

Merry Christmas, Lawrence!

[@TomKD0QKK]

We raise chickens. The eggs wiil last for weeks on the counter if they aren't washed. We haven't died yet.

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

smiles softly.. am American.. have chickens.. don't wash the eggs.. have them sitting on the counter top.. (never refrigerate them cuz they dehydrate for one.. n second most uses require room temp eggs) never had an egg off.. they last well over a month

[@themermaidstale5008]

My mom bought eggs from the “egg man” in rural Alabama. She stored them in a basket on top of a dresser in a guest bedroom. They were egg-cellent.

[@kaldo_kaldo]

For a healthy adult, salmonella mostly results in diarrhea. The real question, do you get the shits regularly? Either way, the FDA process 'only' reduces salmonella by half. The REAL real question, do you find it acceptable to keep chicken shit on your counter where you might be preparing other food or drink?

[@TomKD0QKK]

@Nick Miller. My intestinal health is quite well, thank you very much. The eggs sit on a part of the counter where food is not usually prepared. Honestly, if you raise chickens, chicken crap is just part of the background of life. I'm actually more concerned about dragging something into the coop than out of it. By the way, a little tip from an old chicken farmer...rinse out your mouth if you bite your fingernails. The dirty/salty taste isn't as good as you'd think! 😀

[@TomKD0QKK]

If they start to get on in age I generally pickle them. But, I've eaten some pretty old eggs around here without ill effect. Might say more about my iron stomach than anything else. My mom always said you've got to eat a pound of dirt before you die. Perhaps I took her too literally.

[@Zeldahol]

I'm Canadian, my Dad has a hobby egg farm. Don't wash them until just before you eat them!

[@SuperDrLisa]

If you can get them from an egg farmer.

[@Zeldahol]

@@SuperDrLisa I live near Ottawa... in Canada.

[@dobiebloke9311]

Stuart Harding - NY here. About 20 years ago, we did the same, to no ill effect. As to Lisa, even with only 20 layers, it was hard for us to pass out all the eggs. Ask around, you might be surprised, particulary if you kick in a buck or two for feed.

[@cjmarsh504]

I still can't get over the soap on the dishes. Speaking of food poisoning, 75,000 of those cases are not reported.

[@juliebaker6969]

I'm not debating that the lion's share of food poisoning cases go unreported. But in that case how are they able to put anything like an accurate estimate on how many there are? Sounds like a wild stab in the dark at guessing the number to me. Like trying to guess off the top of your head how many jelly beans fit in a gallon jar.

[@cjmarsh504]

@@juliebaker6969 I can agree to that

[@leiatyndall8648]

0:27 "con-trof-as-ee"!! LOL!!

[@angelasaunders3558]

Great information Laurence...all of which is true.

[@babsbylow6869]

😂 Y'all are killin' me with the soapy dishes comments.

[@lillylong521]

Never was farm eggs before ready to cook

[@chefbubbaclemson3701]

I grew up on eggs gathered from the brooder, we didn't refrigerate them but had an egg bowl in the kitchen, and if an egg floated in water we fed it to the hogs or used it in the garden as fertilizer because it was off

[@ronclark9724]

Again, the American food chain distribution involving long distances is revealed...

[@chefbubbaclemson3701]

@@ronclark9724 but nowhere as good as fresh outta the hen eggs... Totally different complexity

[@amethyst5538]

I love egg cups! Actually I want my Mama's antique ones, but she keeps telling me no.....when we had chickens we just wiped them off and I sold them on my sunday delivery. I just double checked to make sure they weren't fertilized. Extra for double yolks.... AND NO LAWERENCE WE STILL HAVE NOT FORGIVEN YOU FOR THE SOAPY DISHES!😉

[@flakeyjake3339]

I'm afraid to ask how you could tell they weren't fertilized.......

[@amethyst5538]

I used candeling. Honestly where I grew up most of us also cracked our eggs into a bowl before adding them to whatever we were making, as did most of the church ladies. I think only once or twice did we have someone call and say they found a fertilized egg.

[@JohnDCrafton]

@@flakeyjake3339 It's pretty easy to tell. My grandfather owned a bobwhite quail shooting preserve until he died (now my uncle owns it). He would buy the eggs, then incubate them and raise the chicks himself. If he got any unfertilized eggs he would boil and pickle them. Anyway he showed me how he checked. Take them into a dark room and hold a flashlight to them. You can see what's inside the egg. If it's unfertilized the whole thing will light up.

[@michaelpytel3280]

Let's raise a eggcup of eggnog to Lawrence's egg -cellent eggs -planation .

[@SixofQueens]

Living in America, I've eaten not fully cooked eggs (runny yokes) all my life and in the past 5 or so years even raw eggs mixed in with rice (a quick Japanese culinary treat) and have never had a resulting bout of food poisoning that I can trace back to it (and yes, I am aware of the time delay in symptoms vs when you ate, i.e. your food poisoning generally DIDN'T come from the last thing you ate before symptoms arose, it was generally something a day or even two or three ago, depending on the pathogen). In my experience people VASTLY overestimate the likelihood of these things happening (same with raw fish in sushi/sashimi and such and the worry of parasites) and the ramifications for a typical, healthy adult living in a first world country. If you know you have a weaker immune system or are prone to such kinds of gastrointestinal distress, then by all means cook the shit out of your eggs, you probably SHOULD, but if I get sick once or twice in my ENTIRE life eating something I really enjoy on a regular basis and I feel pretty confident that the resulting illness will just be a small inconvenience to me that I'll likely forget, then I'm not going to radically alter my life around it. I take a MUCH greater chance driving a car every day.

[@demonbasher23]

I used to like runny eggs, until I made the most perfect eggs sandwich and the whole egg exploded with yolk in my mouth 🤮it was too much lol. I like my egg to the point it’s just cooked but not well done. I’ve never gotten sick over a runny egg as far as I’m aware.

[@heidimarchant5438]

When we raised chickens we never washed them until it was time to use them and we never refrigerated them either, they just sat on the kitchen table until they were all used up.

[@jenniferbrown913]

I haven't gotten over how you pronounce the word "controversy". It's quite controversial.

[@MikinessAnalog]

"cahn-TRAUH-vus-eee"

[@Trehugindrtlvr1]

Recent travels through central America and all eggs were on the shelf as well. I have backyard chickens and never refrigerate the eggs...still here today! But know that once you refrigerate them they have to stay refrigerated.

[@sweiland75]

00:29 No. I'm thinking about how you pronounced "controversy".

[@PurpleRhymesWithOrange]

Friend on twitter just brought you to my attentions. I will have to looke for what the soapy dishes reference is about.

[@bullettube9863]

When I was a boy we raised chickens on our small farm. My mom would not wash the eggs she wasn't going to use right away because she said the wax would keep them fresh. This was back in the 1950-60s, and since then I have learned that yes, their is a "wax" coating and it does protect the egg. But American supermarkets, and shoppers, felt the eggs looked dirty and messy so they wanted them washed first. Which of course removes the protective coating, so they had to keep them cold to maintain freshness. This also applies to some fruits and vegetables, shoppers are attracted by bright colors, shiny red apples, and very orange oranges. It all depends on what people are used to seeing and what they perceive the produce should look like.

[@amandajones661]

As a prior Chicken owner, I know it's important not to wash eggs or to put eggs in refrigerator .

[@BTheBlindRef]

What's wrong with putting them in the refrigerator? That can't do anything but help the safety of the eggs, even if the are from inoculated chickens still with coating.

[@amandajones661]

@@BTheBlindRef Once eggs are refrigerated, when you pull them out, they sweat. This will remove the "bloom" from their shells and allow bacteria to enter the egg. A freshly laid egg that is not washed, and left on the counter (or egg box) can last up to six weeks or longer.

[@dobiebloke9311]

@@amandajones661 - I get it, and I won't argue your point, but, other than for the sweating part, which of course shouldn't happen, I don't think B was that wrong, but I understand what you mean. My point being, take them out of the fridge and use them.

[@Roborebonzo]

Here with free range chickens and ducks, we called the protective coat, bloom.

[@thesepapermirrors8287]

Room temp eggs are needed in baking so... no, that’s no so disturbing. Soapy dishes on the other hand..... 😱🤢

[@lyndelguitars9478]

So they leave the hen "cuticle" on the egg and then serve them on soap scum covered dishes. Yummy!!!!

[@GARDENER42]

I keep my eggs in a cupboard. They last for weeks & weeks without issues. Never noticed any difference between these UK eggs & any I've had in the US. I've Eggwina Currie to thank for this.

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

smiles softly.. am American.. have chickens.. don't wash the eggs.. have them sitting on the counter top.. (never refrigerate them cuz they dehydrate for one.. n second most uses require room temp eggs) never had an egg off.. they last well over a month

[@heatherpayne1995]

I had to look into a lot of this when I started raising hens.

[@ronidixon]

your egg puns are eggexcellent :)

[@LindaC616]

Eggstraordinarily so

[@momstermom2939]

Eggs-actly!

[@qwispery]

How do we know that it wasn’t just in your kitchen growing up that had soapy dishes? Did you check with all the other Brits?

[@MillsyLM]

It's certainly not a "British thing" to leave the dishes like that. I've certainly never done it nor have I ever seen anyone else do it. As with everything there may be some that do it but it's not something we all do.

[@stephenpitt6363]

I know lots who do

[@spamcannon5917]

I'm British and I rinse my dishes. I also wash my eggs, but only just before crack them. Mainly because I don't want chicken arse in my food.

[@antonycharnock2993]

Enjoy your chicken period. Sometimes with a little chicken embryo surprise!

[@spamcannon5917]

@@antonycharnock2993 Ugh!! Don't! I had embryos in boiled eggs twice as kid. Found whilst dipping my soldiers!! 🤢

[@dobiebloke9311]

@@spamcannon5917 - Well, you've gotta know your eggs, but I'll bet that was pretty hard to experience. I suppose this is simplistic, but you should never take an egg from under a goosey hen's ass, or from her nest. That will avoid the problem, I assure you.

[@bmaiceman]

You still thinking about the soapy dishes sent you🤣🤣😂🤣🤣🤣 YES And the insuing DIAREA!!!

[@panagea2007]

I used to have soft boiled eggs in egg cups when I visited my grandmother. I don't use egg cups anymore, but I still eat soft boiled eggs chopped up on toast. It's the same thing in the end, isn't it? So I think this is just a cultural preference. I've never had bangers and mash either, but I have had sausage and mashed potatoes with onion gravy. But not on soapy dishes.

[@mkolso2]

Soft boiled eggs on toast mmmmm Mom always called it a cock-a-doodle doo.

[@BaWBarmy]

Sausage and mashed potato with or without onion gravy IS bangers and mash, unless it's one of those frankfurter type sausages. A banger is any type of British sausage, I prefer Lincolnshire because I'm from Grimsby and it's in Lincolnshire. There is nothing special about the way it's served but I always like to have my sausages sticking out of the mash like in the Dandy or Beano of yesteryear.

[@juliebaker6969]

@@BaWBarmy there are plenty of sausages that are neither frankfurters nor British. Kielbasa, chorizo, metwurst, bratwurst, etc, etc, etc.

[@Chris-et2fm]

@@juliebaker6969 German sausages are the Wurst

[@juliebaker6969]

@@Chris-et2fm 😉 yup.

[@roselyncampisi822]

Merry Christmas!

[@downychick]

American here. We don't wash the eggs our personal flock lays. Farm eggs are fresher and tastier than commercial eggs, too.

[@MiloPerrotti]

I really enjoyed this one. Thanks

[@blackoceancreativeuniverse]

Answer: because one is vivaparous and the other is a monotreme?

[@Heavywall70]

I agree with eu and Uk and therefore only eat farm eggs here in the states.

[@donnachambers8063]

I had no idea! But you should have also said the eggs just taste better in England. I am so going to miss them when I return to the states!

[@tlorenz1987]

Find a local farmer or egg share when you come back. I could go into a novel ranting on the issues with store bought eggs, but I won't hahaha. A lot of areas will have farmers markets to get farm fresh eggs, or there are Facebook groups where backyard tenders get more eggs than they can use.

[@jb888888888]

2:53 *FOCUS!* 2:59 Oh, that's better.

[@topog9958]

Our pets poop breakfast and the eggs are protected by the "bloom". The eggs are stored at room temperature. If the bloom is removed by washing because of a particularly dirty egg, that particular egg is then refrigerated. Our hens thank you for bringing this important subject to the forefront!

[@swcomment5542]

I was in a panic the first time I went to our local co-op in Olney and saw eggs stacked in the aisle. It took me a pretty good amount of time before I would trust English eggs. I’m pretty sure I my English husband was appalled when I asked why the eggs were not in the refrigerated section. He tried to explain to me but I still don’t get it.

[@LILLYB8328]

All British hens are vaccinated for salmonella. I'm from the US and the eggs are better here in the UK, period.

[@lolliswankette3251]

You can get unwashed/unrefrigerated eggs in the US if you buy direct. Being in rural, southern Indiana, we are lucky to know quite a few people that raise chickens. They all just brush of any visible dirt, store the eggs on the counter, then wash them right before use.

[@jesseewalker5147]

I don't wash my backyard chicken eggs and I let them sit in a bowl on the counter and wash them when I am ready to use them . If they are very dirty, I do wash them and put them in the fridge. Love my chickens and my eggs. I have raised chicken since I was a child. If I could just get my husband to butcher, I would let some of those eggs hatch. Btw, I am old enough to remember when American grocery stores kept eggs on the shelf.

[@ColdToesNow]

I remember that too! Eggs used to be in big displays on the center aisle. Also, I grew up on a homestead and butcherd my share of chickens. Wasn't so bad.

[@juliebaker6969]

@@ColdToesNow I remember my great grandma shoving the chicken head first into a burlap bag and pulling it's head through a hole in the bottom of the bag. Then she tied the bag closed around the chicken's feet. Then hung it upside down from the T-shaped clothesline post, and cut it's head off, and left it hang till it was done bleeding and flopping. Then it was my job to pick it clean of it's feathers. I HATE pin feathers! The big ones are easy, but pinfeathers is like trying to pluck a goat with a pair of tweezers, it takes FOREVER!

[@jesseewalker5147]

@@juliebaker6969 I had to pluck chickens when my dad would butcher. We always butchered the young roosters all at once. We had a hot tub of water set up in the backyard to dip the chickens into to loosen the feathers . The smell of that isn't one you forget very easily, those steaming feathers and chicken skin have a smell all their own for sure!

[@juliebaker6969]

Grandma didn't have electricity so she only butchered one chicken at a time, on Saturday evening after supper. Then after it was cleaned and plucked and ready to go, she would get it all ready to go into the oven, and put it in the ice box in the roaster over night. The next day she would cook it while we were at church. She was Catholic and went to mass at a different time then we went to church. But since she only had an ice box , she couldn't do up a bunch of chickens and freeze them. In fact we would have to put most of any cow or pig they butchered for her in our deep freeze, or my aunt's, except for what she smoked and cured of course. I remember we had to freeze the gallon milk cartons full of ice she used in her ice box. They no longer delivered ice in the 60s anymore. I don't specifically remember the smell of the scalding of the bird really, but I was pretty young, probably 7 or 8. Everything about the farm was stinky to me. Except the smell of the wood fire in her cast iron stove, and the smell of the roasting chicken and vegetables when we came in the door after church on Sunday, that was heavenly!

[@jesseewalker5147]

@@juliebaker6969 memories are so precious. When I think of all us kids at home, I get all teary eyed. We were poor but we always had food. We had electricity, but no AC and our heat was a wood stove. We didn't have indoor plumbing for many years, but I don't begrudge that life. I live so easy now, but I choose to raise most of our food and to can fruits and veggies. One thing I truly love that is modern is my AC in my house and my car! Oh, my microwave too!

[@verdatum]

Ooo, this is good topic. I've known about the washed/unwashed thing for years, but I don't understand why the US washes eggs.

[@susanorr8348]

I’ve raised hen and duck eggs in the us and rinse the gunkage off but nothing more and have never had any issues with salmonella from anyone including us (who eat our eggs too). But our eggs are refrigerated upon collection after rinsing.

[@mkolso2]

I just love those egg cups

[@jamjams690]

Laurence thats why people who keep Chickens don't wash their eggs and don't refrigerate them either plus most of the farm eggs are better for you

[@kaldo_kaldo]

In which way are farm eggs better for you?

[@jamjams690]

@@kaldo_kaldo well most times chickens on a farm free range so there is more vitamins and minerals in the eggs

[@califdad4]

I remember about 1979-80 grocery stores kept them in the isle not the fridge

[@kimberlyholt2241]

I LUV all yur puns! And I love you! 😂 Soapy dishes, to each their own, let's get on... Keep goin darlin!💜

[@ronclark9724]

Refrigerated eggs last longer. In the same manner as other agricultural products, America does things others don't because of the longer transportation and shelf life requirements. As you have noted before America is much larger than the UK. So large, America flies its mail long distances within the nation. The UK have Mail trains. I recall my mother buying rotten eggs in the UK street market. You won't find rotten eggs in the USA supermarkets...

[@lauracondo8151]

We never refrigerated eggs when I was a kid. We gathered them and put them on the counter in the kitchen. You are right you should not wash them until your ready to use them. They can also absorb water after they are washed. And they are porous.

[@Melissa0774]

The cuticle on the egg is actually harder to remove than you'd think. I didn't realize that until I had my own chickens. Usually I would just wash the eggs with a sponge in my basement sink just well enough to get the poop off. I'd leave them out on the counter for a really long time and they'd be fine. But I'd always heard that you should wash eggs with white vinegar to kill the germs, so I tried it. I stopped doing using the vinegar because I didn't like what it did to the eggs. It made them get lighter in color. I had brown eggs. Apparently, there was an extra layer of what I thought was brown dirt, that I didn't even realize was there until I found that I was able to scrub it off with the vinegar. It made the eggs two shades lighter in color, than I thought was even possible. This never happened when I scrubbed them with only plain water. And they seemed to go bad faster, regardless of whether or not I put them in the refrigerator. I realized that brown stuff that the vinegar was taking off was actually this cuticle, that protective coating that they always talk about. If I hadn't actually had my own chickens and had this experience with the vinegar washing, I wouldn't have believed it was actually a thing.

[@lellab.8179]

That's because vinegar dissolves the eggshell (calcium carbonate), not because it washes out the cuticle. There is a very common experiment you do at school: if you submerge and egg in vinegar and let it rest for 24/48 hours (it depends on the acidity of the vinegar), the shell will dissolve and you'll have only a membrane to keep the egg together.

[@Melissa0774]

@@lellab.8179 I'm sure it probably did both - washed off the cuticle and dissolved the shell somewhat. I know about that school experiment where you soak the chicken bones and they get pliable enough that you can tie them in knots, but it takes awhile for that to happen. I didn't soak the eggs in it, just quickly rinsed them. What I don't understand is why so many people will tell you that it's a good idea to wash eggs with vinegar, when it's really not.

[@rhiahlMT]

American vs. British language, Britain: Cuticle American: Bloom. Washing eggs also allows eggs to get more air in them over time. I had chickens in the US and never washed the eggs till I used them. Kept them on the counter. They did fine.

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

smiles softly.. am American.. have chickens.. don't wash the eggs.. have them sitting on the counter top.. (never refrigerate them cuz they dehydrate for one.. n second most uses require room temp eggs) never had an egg off.. they last well over a month

[@whiteowl4097]

@@qwertyqwerty6099 Again and again. I hope you know other words.

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

@@whiteowl4097 smiles.. not when I want to say the same thing.. is hard enough on a zombie phone..

[@brendabucklew8847]

I'm totally still thinking about the soapy dishes. Every time I do them, around three times a day. I'm scarred.

[@jaynenewcomb2094]

Mog In the dark was the best book I ever read as a child and I love all my moggies. They don’t like ponds though or at least swimming in them.

[@dobiebloke9311]

Jayne Newcomb - Sorry, but I have to ask. What is a Mog or Moggies?

[@jaynenewcomb2094]

It’s a slang word for a cat

[@dobiebloke9311]

@@jaynenewcomb2094 - Wow, and thanks for letting me know. I've never heard that word before (State side). Oddly, I have known of a few moggies (to use a new phrase), who actually did like water, but they are rare. Just to ask, is that pronounced with a soft 'G', meaning how the last 'G' of the word 'Garage' is pronounced, which other than inflection, I believe is the same in both the UK and the US, ?

[@LarryHatch]

I asked a food safety specialist (you know the Ph.D. nerdy type) and they said eggs are fine unrefrigerated if they've been always keep that way. However, if you take supermarket cold eggs and leave them out, they are apt to spoil in 2-8 hours. It's apparently all rooted in the curious microbiology of the egg, bacteria, fungi, and such. Going cold to room temp makes them sweat and that adds microorganisms that are not pleasant. I have a local farm which sells them fresh and not chilled so I can keep them at ambient room temp for a week. Some say 1-2 weeks but I'm nervous going too long. Besides like most Americans I'm lazy and usually buy eggs in a cartoon or hard-boiled in bag. $2.50 for 6 hard-boiled eggs makes egg salad a 5 minute job. (My name is Laurence Hatch, so I'm clearly an informed person on this subject)

[@Nana-vi4rd]

The big grocery stores in Mexico don't refrigerate their eggs either.

[@Trifler500]

Regarding the egg cups: I was thinking that here in the US, we have a dish called "Egg-In-The-Hole" that is very similar to what you described, except instead of dipping the toast into the egg, the egg has been poured into a hole cut in the center of the toast. Different presentation, but similar, if not identical, taste.

[@juliebaker6969]

We always called that "toad in the hole". I grew up eating both soft boiled, and toad in the hole. Both are delicious, but they are TOTALLY different.

[@Trifler500]

@@juliebaker6969 Shouldn't it mainly just depend on how much you cook the egg in the hole?

[@markbradley7323]

@@juliebaker6969 toad in the hole is a totally different dish , it's sausages cooked in a batter.

[@juliebaker6969]

@@Trifler500 no, one is boiled and the other is fried. They have two completely different tastes, textures , and mouth feels. Boiled eggs are never crispy on the edges like fried eggs are.

[@juliebaker6969]

@@markbradley7323 there IS another dish that some people call toad in the hole, I know that. But that doesn't make that the only "official" toad in the hole. What you call toad in the hole, we call either pigs in a blanket, or corn dogs, depending on what kind of breading you use. Wheat based breading is pigs in a blanket, whereas corn meal based is corn dogs, especially when the sausages are hot dogs.

[@planetbroccoli5405]

I can't stop thinking about Emma Watson eating off of soapy dishes

[@RoninCatholic]

I love dipping toast into runny yolks, but have never heard of doing that with boiled eggs before.

[@juliebaker6969]

I grew up eating soft boiled eggs, but we always had them scooped out of the shell into a bowl, and mashed together with torn up buttered toast and a little salt. That's my idea of comfort food.

[@Lwize]

The poor reputation of British cuisine could be the result of soapy dishes.

[@Lwize]

@oxy 75 Beans on toast sounds pretty good right now.

[@Unirule]

@oxy 75 I mean British beans are in tomato sauce, not the sweet maple the US sells them in

[@egpx]

@oxy 75 No, not a good thing, an awesome thing, especially with a bit of cheese and buttered toast.

[@themermaidstale5008]

England is not well renowned for their dishes unlike Italy, China and several others.

[@Lwize]

@@themermaidstale5008 Their jammie dodgers are pretty good.

[@sugarsalt6637]

Thanks for the info

[@mytech6779]

There is one other factor, condensation. If unwashed eggs become damp from condensation, as can happen when transporting between storage areas, this can allow the surface bacteria to migrate through the shell, even with a cuticle. Washed are more porus but the washing removes and kills said bacteria. They use an extremely high pH washing solution, not soap, the bonus from high pH washed eggs is that they are easier to peal when boiled. I've seen plenty of unwashed eggs become contaminated with bacteria, both chicken and duck. It is a common problem for folks with incubators. Generally though it takes the heat of summer [or a hen on a secret nest] and plenty of time. I find it happens more with a mix of chickens and ducks because the ducks go from pond to nest and make it all wet and chicken eggs are evolved for lower humidity.

[@honkimusmaximus7477]

Dip all fresh eggs in a sodium silicate solution. The eggs will be safe at room temperature for months.

[@rickieodem488]

Never much cared for soft boiled eggs by themselves, but I love fried eggs over easy on toast, which is very near to the same thing as dipping toast in a soft boiled egg. The only time I ever got sick from salmonella was by consuming raw eggs in a protein shake, never do that again!

[@MrSrwatkins]

To add to the salamonila outbreaks are mostly due to people who raise their own eggs and a very little is from commercial hens. It does happen though.

[@lorettatheibert1663]

but I saw a PBS special and it is in almost all USA egg farms... inside the eggs... why were are not supposed to eat raw eggs

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

smiles softly.. am American.. have chickens.. don't wash the eggs.. have them sitting on the counter top.. (never refrigerate them cuz they dehydrate for one.. n second most uses require room temp eggs) never had an egg off.. they last well over a month

[@whiteowl4097]

@@qwertyqwerty6099 copy, paste. Copy paste. Come on be a little more creative.

[@qwertyqwerty6099]

@@whiteowl4097 smiles.. do you expect me to retype n rephrase exactly the same over n over?

[@donrainesoh]

We raise chickens and we don’t wash our eggs unless we are selling them to someone that prefers them that way. One can also do a lime soak and not the fruit.

[@wizicdomriverman2657]

you are right i am still thinking about the soapy dishs

[@ninline2000]

I raised chickens when I was a kid. I eventually had a flock of 244 at one time. I sold eggs to pay for food although we also raised corn for feed but the hens got laying pellets as well. I remember my mother telling me to go get a chicken for dinner and I'd kill and clean it. My mother would take it and cut it up and fry it. No chicken I've had since those days is what I consider fresh. I washed the eggs in soapy water and refrigerated them. We never got salmonella but then we COOKED the eggs. I've never in my life had a raw egg and I don't understand people that eat them that way. But then, I raised chickens!