Buying Eggs From The Greenmarket
I go to the green market in Union Square, nyc. I have been wanting to buy some eggs but I am afraid to because the ones I see are sitting on the counter in the warm sun - are these safe to buy?
I've bought eggs from there before but it was in the dead of winter.
Also, if you go to this market, can you tell me who has the best eggs?
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15 Comments:
We have free-range chickens. From what I have read, the eggs can actually stay in the henhouse for up to two weeks before gathering. Of course I gather them every day, and I would say that, once they get washed and go in the fridge, they should stay in the fridge. For the price they charge for these type of eggs, I feel they should take the time to wash and refrigerate them.
cindyvan22 at 8:45AM on 06/01/09
I buy eggs from the Tellos farm at Union Square -- love 'em. Tellos also sells to a bunch of good restaurants. I'm comfortable using them raw for ceasar salad, which I wouldn't do with supermarket eggs.
guido at 9:23AM on 06/01/09
I buy the ones sitting on the counter every week and have never had a problem. I live in NC and we don't have "warm sun," we have boiling lava hot sun, yet the eggs are just fine. Ask your grandparents - I bet they never used to refrigerate eggs. Leaving them on the counter at the greenmarket for the day is no worse then skipping the morning egg collection and raiding the henhouse in the afternoon.
The eggs at my market are washed. They are also cheaper than the free range eggs at the grocery store ($3.50 at the farmer's market vs. $5.00 at the store).
When you are searching out your favorite vendor, I suggest asking if they take back egg cartons to wash and re-use. If they say no, that usually means they get their eggs from somewhere else. If they say yes and you bring your cartons back, your egg lady or gentleman will be your new best friend.
ProfessorChaos at 9:33AM on 06/01/09
i get mine on fridays from flying pigs farm. they're amazing!
cybercita at 10:27AM on 06/01/09
knoll crest is good.
tellos is better.
I also often wonder which are the best, but have only tried these two.
jigga at 11:12AM on 06/01/09
I am not a fan of Knoll Crest - I suspect their hens aren't free-roaming as they claim to be "vegetarian fed," and hens eat bugs when they run around. They're also not as rich or orange-yolked as others. Tellos' packaging also claims they're veg-fed but they sometimes have signage explaining that their chickens roam free. I agree they're better than Knoll Crest.
My two favorites are Yuno's Farm (only there on Fridays) and Northshire Farms (Satudays - farmer name is Jim Grillo, no signage but he's got a small stand w/ chicken eggs, duck eggs, quail eggs sometimes, and assorted greens and sometimes mushrooms). I also like Madura Farms eggs, but they are huge. Flying Pigs are good, too, but they're a LOT pricier than other just-as-good options.
I'd recommend rinsing any eggs before using, even supermarket ones.
producestories at 11:40AM on 06/01/09
Many markets in France do not refrigerate their eggs at all. Refrigeration prolongs the useful life of an egg, but the primary enemy of the egg is age. Here is how eggs are graded in the USA.
Grumpy Old Man at 12:47PM on 06/01/09
In an establishment that shall remain nameless, I know for a fact they stored their eggs outside of the fridge. In fact, they were right by the ovens and there was never a problem. It bothered the crap out of me to hear that but I guess it didn't really hurt them at all.
meem21 at 1:28PM on 06/01/09
I was told (by an egg producer) that they are allowed to keep unwashed eggs at room temp for up to 45 days before they are washed, packaged and sold. And then the clock starts ticking.
Washed eggs, because the protective coating has been removed, expire much more quickly. Something like one hour at room temp being equivalent to one day in the fridge. But considering that eggs are good for weeks after purchase, a few hours isn't going to make them go bad. It just means you need to use them faster.
dbcurrie at 2:15PM on 06/01/09
Flying Pigs Farm and Northshire Farms are both at Union Square on Saturdays, and in my experience both a substantial step up from Knoll Crest and Quattro's. Yes, they're expensive at $5-6 a dozen, but I prefer to think of it as a great meal for $1-2.
craig_g at 4:00PM on 06/02/09
I have bought eggs at the Union Square market on numerous occasions, I can't remember the name of the farm, young girls always run the booth. I have purchased eggs from them in the summer, and have never had any issues with them.
They have eggs on the table, but they also have eggs in coolers behind them, if you are worried I would ask for the eggs from the cooler. Also I tend to go to the market early in the summer, it's sort of a drag since I live in Brooklyn and have to take the subway in, but it's quiet and you have your pick of the freshest produce.
allakarasik at 7:46PM on 06/03/09
@allakarasik - Sounds like Knoll Crest. There are also greenmarkets in Brooklyn, though I find that the McCarren Park one (Wmsburg) isn't anywhere near as good as Union Square (though Garden of Eve in McCarren has phenomenal eggs). Grand Army Plaza is a fantastic market though.
producestories at 9:18PM on 06/03/09
This isn't so much about buying eggs from greenmarkets---but when I lived in the UK, the grocery stores sold eggs in a "dry" aisle. As in, they were not refrigerated. I was boggled and mind-blown.
veggieout at 9:29PM on 06/03/09
Refrigeration is not necessary for fresh eggs.
simon at 11:07AM on 06/05/09
Flying Pigs Farm eggs are the best I've ever had. The yolks are so bright and orange and the flavor is just amazing. I'll never eat a supermarket egg again. They do run out pretty early on Saturdays. One week when they were out I picked up Knoll Crest eggs and they were just terrible in comparison.
irisfive at 10:41AM on 06/09/09