Things that creep me out about Australia

[pentapus]

1. Australian Grocery stores don't refrigerate their eggs.

It's like-- wow, that is a bunch of shelves next to the flour that are full of eggs! Clearly, this must be a credible practice because there they are, but --- all American ex-pats in a 200km radius have just contracted psychosomatic salmonella, is all I'm saying

Comments

[maryavatar]

We don't chill eggs in the UK either. It doesn't extend their life, and it thickens the white and yolk.

[pentapus]

Interesting.

[20thcenturyvole]

... Huh. I have lived in five different countries and never seen a supermarket that refrigerates their eggs. I mean, either the eggs are good or they're not, right?

[pentapus]

Everyplace but the states and Canada, it seems.

[blueocean80]

*points at previous comments* Heh, same here. No refrigerated eggs in my country, either.

[pentapus]

I seem to have taken an unintentional poll. International egg care -- unexpectedly interesting!

[blueocean80]

It really is. How funny!

But you know, you got me thinking. Yes, if I go to a supermarket the eggs are on the shelf, but when we get home, we -my family- refrigerate them. I guess everyone does that here (Italy). I mean, all the refridgerators come with egg-trays, right? At least those sold in my country do. Ah well. Why am I even thinking about this?

[korilian]

Netherlands: no fridge.

[chibimuse]

That reminds of the whole thing with soy milk. When it was first being sold few people were buying it because it weirds them out that it doesn't need refrigerating, so now they put some brands next to the milk instead of in the baking isle with all the rest.

[pentapus]

Ha,yes! And there's the long-life milk as well, which was all over Australia, but which I don't see in the states very much.

[teenygozer]

Re: long-life milk, pretty much all the big grocery stores here in the Boston area seem to carry it. It's always Parmalot milk that's in a non-refrigerated pure-pak (they look like big juiceboxes, but with a spout instead of a sippy-straw hole).

Picture here:
http://www.parentdish.com/2008/08/25/is-parmalat-really-milk/

[teenygozer]

Yup. "Silk" is the very expensive soy milk that is packaged and refrigerated like milk. My mother buys it. I always buy Westsoy, which doesn't need refrigerating -- it's a lot cheaper and keeps forever in the cupboard. But I can see the psychological lure of "silk" fake-milk.

[an_kayoh]

Japan doesn't refrigerate them either, but I was so desperate for cheap (heh) protein at that point that It Didn't Occur To Me Until Just Now. Gah.

But then, they'll eat them almost raw, which...eww. Somehow, raw fish is okay now, but raw egg? Never.

[gardenprophet]

Yeah, but all eggs in Japan are certified 'safe to eat raw.' That's what the little sticker on every egg means. Also, said stickers had little Stitch faces last time! So Cute!

[pentapus]

I confess, I was very skeptical of it the first time I tried it, but now I miss eggs cracked over tasty, tasty rice dishes.

[gardenprophet]

I know! I miss Japanese food. I've been learning how to make the perfect riceball.