Sunday, June 02, 2024

The Sunday Five: Eggs and other international questions


 1: I went into a local market in the Canary Islands to buy a couple of bottles of water and was struck by eggs on the bottom shelf.  Where you live can you buy eggs that are not refrigerated? 

2: UHT processed milk, milk that is processed at a higher temperature and is shelf stable at room temperature is common in Europe, have you used it? 

3: Can you buy really fresh, as in baked in the store bread, at your local supermarket? 

4: Is any of the produce in your local supermarket/grocery store local? 

5: What do you buy too much of at the market? 

My Answers: 

1: I went into a local market in the Canary Islands to buy a couple of bottles of water and was struck by eggs on the bottom shelf.  Where you live can you buy eggs that are not refrigerated?  - No, the United States Department of Agriculture requires that eggs be washed in such a way, that the eggs have to be refrigerated.  It is basically illegal for a farmer to sell unwashed eggs. 

2: UHT processed milk, milk that is processed at a higher temperature and is shelf stable at room temperature is common in Europe, have you used it? I have used it, when I was living solo I would keep it in the pantry for cooking (the only way I use milk.) 

3: Can you buy really fresh, as in baked in the store bread, at your local supermarket?  Not really, the local market changed ownership and the baked in store breads are baked in the middle of the night and hours old by the time the they make it to the shelf.   

4: Is any of the produce in your local supermarket/grocery store local? Very-very little and only in peak season.  One reason I go to the farmers market on Saturdays (that and pastry Boy.) 

5: What do you buy too much of at the market? Cheese, I find good cheese hard to resist. 

Please share your answers in the comments. 

22 comments:

  1. 1. Here. Ours aren't refrigerated. I believe yours are bleached washed or something like that, and it destroys the natural preservative on the egg shell, so yours do need to be refrigerated.
    2. We always kept a carton in case we ran out.
    3. I believe so, but it is only baked on site. At one time the dough to bake the bread was imported from Ireland, of all places.
    4. Yes, in season but otherwise imported from interstate and at times even overseas.
    5. Turkish Delight, the jelly like substance covered in icing sugar not a chocolate bar. Of course you call jelly, jam. It's all getting lost in translation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have tried Turkish Delight just to know what people were writing about.

      Delete
    2. Oh, it's even more complicated:
      jelly=fruit spread of even texture with no visible pieces of fruit
      jam=fruit spread with pieces of fruit in it
      preserve=fruit spread that is mostly preserved fruit
      and, of course, your jelly=our jello

      Delete
    3. LOVE Turkish Delight!!!!!!! Had some real good stuff while in Budapest.

      Delete
  2. 1. I don't know I'm buying eggs not refrigerated. I don't trust all this new fangle food items that "last". There has got to be chemicals on these things which can't be good for you.

    2. I think I had it once. Most places we went had the real unprocessed milk. Or Sweet cream.

    3. Yes, most of our big grocers have their own bakeries here.
    4. Yes, but only what is season at the time. But the famers market is all local grown and what in season at the moment.

    5. Definitely cheese. I'm a mouse. i buy three or four at one time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I keep heavy cream in the house most of the time.

      Delete
    2. The paradox with eggs here is that they naturally last, and we use chemicals that make them expire more quickly.

      Delete
  3. 1: I went into a local market in the Canary Islands to buy a couple of bottles of water and was struck by eggs on the bottom shelf. Where you live can you buy eggs that are not refrigerated? Absolutely.
    2: UHT processed milk, milk that is processed at a higher temperature and is shelf stable at room temperature is common in Europe, have you used it? Yes. And it’s wonderfully convenient. My sister-in-law from South Dakota refused to buy it.
    3: Can you buy really fresh, as in baked in the store bread, at your local supermarket? Yes.
    4: Is any of the produce in your local supermarket/grocery store local? Yes.
    5: What do you buy too much of at the market? Not me, but SG. Cookies!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have seen your local markets, there are lot of great things at your door step.

      Delete
  4. Country: Australia
    1: Where you live can you buy eggs that are not refrigerated? - Yes and I do all the time.
    2: Have I used UHT processed milk? Yes, although mostly when travelling. However, at home I use powdered milk - it is more convenient since I don't have to run to the store (which is not close) to buy fresh milk.
    3: Can you buy really fresh, as in baked in the store bread, at your local supermarket? Yes
    4: Is any of the produce in your local supermarket/grocery store local? I don't buy fresh food from the supermarket - I go to a local fruit and vegie barn that does stock local foods grown in our region (especially tomatoes, sweet potatoes and bananas).
    5: What do you buy too much of at the market? From the supermarket, I buy too many bottles of simmer sauce (because I keep forgetting I have some in the cupboard already). And at the fruit and vegie barn, I buy too many bananas - I end up freezing the last of them before they go too soft. (I then use the frozen bananas in banana smoothies for breakfast).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish we had a local fruit and vegetable barn. My grandmother's used powdered milk.

      Delete
  5. 1: I have never seen eggs out of the refrigerated section so, No.

    2: Never heard of it, so I've never used it.

    3: Our local market bakes it's own bread but I think, like yours, it's baked at night so it's really only freshly baked first thing in the morning.

    4: Very little, which is why we also hit up the Farmers Markets.

    5: Spices; I use such a variety in cooking that at times I forget what I have at home and buy more. Garam Masala, anyone?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You would love the spice cabinet I have in the new kitchen.

      Delete
  6. 1. No, our commercially sold eggs must be refrigerated by law.
    2. No, I've never used UHT processed milk. I've never even used evaporated or condensed milk in baking.
    3. Yes, my local supermarket has an in-store bakery for bread and buns.
    4. I doubt if any of the produce is local.
    5. I like to buy cheese too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In Ontario I see milk sold in plastic bags. That was done in Arizona back in the mid 60's, my mother found it very handy.

      Delete
  7. 1: When I was growing up in Illinois, my mother used to buy eggs straight from the farm. We called the guy "the egg man". He traveled by horse cart through the streets and sold eggs and sometimes corn.
    2: No, I had never even heard of it.
    3: I see it every now and then but it really isn't that good so I never buy it.
    4: Very, very little. Possibly a few oranges in season.
    5: Orange juice. I never seem to finish the carton before it turns.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am surprised the Valley of the Sun does not have more locally grown produce in spring and fall.

      Delete
  8. 1: Where you live can you buy eggs that are not refrigerated? From chicken farmers directly, yes.

    2: UHT processed milk, milk that is processed at a higher temperature and is shelf stable at room temperature is common in Europe, have you used it? Never. Hadn't heard of it before now. I only use milk on cereal, and it must be cold.

    3: Can you buy really fresh, as in baked in the store bread, at your local supermarket? Nope. I don't think any local store or bakery does this. Even if they did, I could not get it because it wouldn't be GF.

    4: Is any of the produce in your local supermarket/grocery store local? Probably not. We have a Farmers Market and few local small businesses that self locally produced food items, though.

    5: What do you buy too much of at the market? Processed Foods.

    Sassybear
    https://idleeyesandadormy.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish there were farms closer to where I live.

      Delete
  9. I would buy eggs this way in Europe.
    I wish I had a bakery and a farmers market

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is a commercial bakery nearby, that supplies high end restaurants, that sells at the Saturday market on King Street.

      Delete
    2. Spo...I couldn't imagine not having either at my finger tips.

      Delete