04/14/2019
Condiments and Americans
Sailing and cruising aren't, or at least don't have to be, camping. That means, for me, eating well. With generally small fridges and freezers. organization is important. Putting things in the refrigerator that don't need to be stored cold does not help.
Americans with comparatively big refrigerators have a tendancy to use the fridge as a pantry. Sometimes I keep my car keys in the fridge. Really. Long story.
Most condiments do not need to be refrigerated. Mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, soy sauce, oils, vinegars and most other condiments do not need to be refrigerated. Food safety is certainly important but for most condiments temperature is less important than double dipping. Do NOT use a utensil that touches anything else and put it back in the jar. Squeeze bottles are great.
So we just got you a lot more space in the fridge. Let's keep going.
Eggs do not need to be refrigerated. The issue is oxygenation. Egg shells are porous so air can get through. There are two things that stop that gas exchange. One is a membrane, called 'bloom,' on the outside of the egg. The other is albumen which is the membrane inside the egg that results in the thin skin we often have to rub off a hard-cooked egg. Both reduce gas exchange. The key to long life (weeks to months) is to keep gas exchange down. Solution? Easy. Flip the carton of eggs over every coule of days. I have trouble remembering tasks every other day so I just do it every day. You can label your egg cartons "even" on one side and "odd" on the other and use the date to see if someone else has flipped them, assuming of course you know what the heck the date is.
In most of the world cleanliness requirements differ from the US. What that means at the consumer level is that because eggs are not washed chicken farms tend to be cleaner outside the US. In the US eggs are cleaned, removing the bloom, which has resulted in less clean conditions in chicken farms. *sigh*
Which leads to the question of commercial refrigeration, at least if your brain jumps around like mine. There is a common misconception that eggs, once refrigerated, have to be kept refrigerated. Not true. The problem is that when you bring cold eggs home, or to the boat, humidity (water) condenses out of the air onto the egg shell leading to mold and mildew. Not good. The solution. Dry the egg shells off as they warm to ambient. A couple of times the first day and perhaps once the next day. If there is a big swing in temperature (20°F or so) or a big increase in humidity you may have to do it again.
So we've gotten all the eggs and condiments out of your fridge. Lots bigger now, isn't it? *grin* You're welcome.
Y'all know that onions, potatoes, and tomatoes don't go in the fridge, right?
I have enough trouble remembering what is in a terrestrial front-opening fridge. Top-opening fridges on boats often lead me to having to clean up unidentified goo from the bottom. Container contents can be a challenge. "What's that?" "Carrots." "They're green." Baskets on the counter top where I can see ingredients, especially produce, to use before they go bad are worth the somewhat reduced life.
sail fast and eat well, dave
