....on licking the bowl

[cranmere]

Weeelll, she was actually correct and most eggs did carry a variety of bacteria, the eggs are created complete with a load of bacteria courtesy of the hen. Most commercial chickens now are vaccinated and so their eggs are much less likely to carry bugs. Having said that, the people who seem to suffer from most stomach upsets are those who are so paranoid about food hygiene that they rarely encounter the bugs and so have no resistance whatsoever. Those of us who keep our kitchens reasonably clean but don't fuss around trying to sterilise everything rarely suffer more than a minor upset when we eat out.

 

[Goatboy]

Most of the eggs I eat are from the local farm and I don't think an egg has ever made me ill. My egg eating rate goes up in the cold weather as I boil them in the morning before going out for a walk and use them as handwarmers in my pockets before eating them later. There are so few foods that come in such perfect packets. My Gran brainwashed me into thinking an egg with a little poop on it was a "lucky egg", just wash it off before cooking.

 

[santaman2000]

Any form of washing of an egg removes a protective film called the cuticle. This film protects the egg from bacteria amongst other things since eggshells are porous. In general unless an egg is nest soiled, washing it is a bad idea and contributes to more rapid spoilage.

However food safety regs are likely to say that they must be washed when bought from a commercial source.

Sounds logical. That said, I've still never known anybody to "pressure" wash eggs. Private or commercial. Mind you I've never been to factory type egg farms; just the small scale farms that sell at local stores.

tracked down the article

http://boingboing.net/2014/12/08/making-egg-nog-for-the-british.html

Contrary to the article, eggs here may go for days without refrigeration before they ever make it to the store. If we assume that washing makes them more susceptible to nasties, then why wouldn't boiling them do the same? It's not unusual to carry boiled eggs around unrefrigerated for days before eating.

 

[mountainm]

Boiling kills the nasties?

 

[santaman2000]

Boiling kills the nasties?

Well yes. But what keeps them from re-infecting it? I mean cooking raw chicken kills the nasties in it also, but you can't just leave it out after cooking and still expect it to be safe days later. If the shell has been weakened, shouldn't the bacteria re-enter the egg in a similar manner?

 

[mousey]

I didn't think it was a good idea to boil eggs and leave them *unrefrigerated* for a substantial time [days] before eating them - just the same I wouldn't eat a cooked but unrefrigerated chicken after a day or so [unless ambient temperatures are low]

 

[mountainm]

I refrigerate cooked eggs. But maybe a cooked egg isn't as susceptible as a raw egg. Or maybe you've just been lucky?

 

[santaman2000]

I didn't think it was a good idea to boil eggs and leave them *unrefrigerated* for a substantial time [days] before eating them - just the same I wouldn't eat a cooked but unrefrigerated chicken after a day or so [unless ambient temperatures are low]

I refrigerate cooked eggs. But maybe a cooked egg isn't as susceptible as a raw egg. Or maybe you've just been lucky?

It was a common practice for pretty much everybody I knew around Easter. Families would boil and dye the eggs a few days in advance; nobody refrigerated them. but we all ate them after the egg hunts and nobody ever got sick. Now-a-days everybody seems to use the plastic eggs for Easter though. That said, it's still common to put boiled eggs in a lunchbox.

I Rarely do that now though as they get harder to peel when left for very long. Now I normally boil a few in advance, peel them almost immediately, place in a container and cover with water then refrigerate to store until ready to eat.

 

[nunzionuk]

My kids love licking the bowl out, esp after making a chocolate cake.. they wasnt best inpressed with the fruit cake But still more for me I guess..

 

[Goatboy]

You have to wait for the mixer blades to stop turning though!

[video=youtube;ygLC54xt8Nw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygLC54xt8Nw[/video]

 

[bigbear]

We are not keen on marzipan and icing so our Christmas cake is a Guinness cake which I feed brandy for a few weeks and is eaten with cheese, food of the Gods !

 

[oldtimer]

+1 for the Guiness cake. We have one every year and adhere strictly the the original recipe. This calls for a pint of Original of which about a quater of a pint goes into the cake. the secret is in the last line of the recipe.. now drink the rest of the Guiness. One year my wife made it with a half pint bottle-total disaster!

 

[sandbender]

In our house it is me who who is offered the chance to lick the bowls and spoons.

 

[British Red]

And that is as it should be - man's role in life is, when offered tea, to look hopeful and enquire "any cake?"

Was given some Lincolnshire plum cake the other day - now that is well worth seeking out!

 

[sandbender]

And that is as it should be - man's role in life is, when offered tea, to look hopeful and enquire "any cake?"

Was given some Lincolnshire plum cake the other day - now that is well worth seeking out!

Just googled that and looked at the pictures, mmmm.

As a young lad I used to sell and install quite expensive turntables, on arrival at folks homes I'd often be offered a coffee, "yes please" I'd reply, "do you take anything with your coffee?" they'd ask, "chocolate biscuits?" was my stock response.

 

[bushcraftkid2001]

Mummy mummy can I lick the bowl..........no dear, pull the chain like everyone else.

Lol that's hilarious!!!!