Concerning the question of a product called Ke-Peg, I did order some, but have no idea if it works as advertised. Have yet to put it to the test. But the price was right, and if it works, I will have fresh eggs after y2k. The amount needed to treat 40 doz. eggs cost around $25.00. Ordered it from: www.happyhovel.com Sorry, too stoopid to know how to hotlink this. This is not an endorsement of this product. As I said, I have not tried it yet. Check out the site and see what you think. Seems much too good to be true. Is it?

-- Rick (Rick@rick.rick), March 31, 1999

Answers

From another site:

You can go to the site where I purchased the product and read all about it. http://www.happyhovel.com//Ke-Peg.html

I would like to tell you that since this original post, I experimented with the product and it DOES NOT work on store bought eggs. They must be fresh from the hen, unwashed, and not more than 4 or 5 days old.

So, unless you have a source for fresh eggs, do not consider this. I wasted about 40 dozen eggs learning this lesson.

-- Peggy Collins (Amazgrac@mail.mia.bellsouth.net), March 15, 1999.

-- Gayla Dunbar (privacy@please.com), March 31, 1999.

I strongly considered buying Ke-Peg, but "chickened" out. (HA!) I've heard that there is a relatively new disease that eggs can have right out of the chicken, and that disease didn't exist when Ke-Peg was in wider use. We might be storing up some horrible stuff to eat when there are no medical facilities to save us from our folly. I decided against it. But do let us know. (How will we know if it kills you, though?)

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), March 31, 1999.

An alternative means of storage ???

If you can keep your freezer going it is possible to freeze eggs which can be stored there for up to 12 months.

Method:

Preparation.Do not freeze in shell.Blend lightly with fork.Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to every 5 eggs.Pack in rigid or wax containers.

Serving.Use as soon as thawed.3 tablespoons of egg mixture =1 fresh egg.

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), March 31, 1999.

I think I'll just stick to powdered eggs. I KNOW they will last and they taste just as good as fresh . . . well, almost. ;)

-- winna (??@??.com), March 31, 1999.

BTW, if you have eggs that freeze in the shell, they are still good, as long as the shell hasn't cracked. Just let them thaw out before breaking the shell and they are fine. However, if the shell is broken, the yolk turns to a rubber ball.

-- winna (??@??.com), March 31, 1999.

Chris,

Thanks that's egg-citing news! Never thought of freezing eggs.

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), March 31, 1999.

Deborah,

I've gone into this because I cannot find powdered egg yolk in the UK.The only other two alternatives for us are :

1) to keep chickens.This is not a good idea unless we invest in a chicken coop built like Fort Knox!We have badgers & foxes as regular visitors in the garden.

2.You can pickle eggs.They taste horrible but at least the kids can use them as tennis balls:they bounce really well!

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), March 31, 1999.

My sister picked up a Home-Ec book from the Longfellow School dated 1916 at a yard sale. As I was looking through it I came across this article on the Water Glass Method, it reads:

"What Uncle Sam Says About Preserving Eggs These are the months when the thrifty housewife who has her own hens, or who can draw upon the surplus supply of a nearby neighbor, puts away in water glass or limewater, eggs for next autumn and winter. To ensure success, care must be exercised in this operation. Following directions are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture: In the first place, the eggs must be fresh, preferably not more than two or three days old. This is the reason why it is much more satisfactory to put away eggs produced in one's own chicken yard. Infertile eggs are best if they can be obtained-so, after the hatching, exclude roosters from the flock and kill them for table as needed. The shells must be clean. Washing an egg with a soiled shell lessens it keeping quality. The protective gelatinous covering over the shell is removed by water and when this is gone the egg spoils more rapidly. The shells also must be free from even the tiniest crack. One cracked egg will spoil a large number of sound eggs when packed in water glass. Eathenware crocks are good containers. The crocks must be clean and sound. Scald them and let them cool completely before use. A crock holding six gallons will accomodate eighteen dozens of eggs and about twenty-two pints of solution. Too large crocks are not desirable, since they increase the liability of breaking some of the eggs, and spoiling the entire batch. It must be remembered that the eggs on the bottom crack first and that those in the bottom of the crocks are the last to be removed for use. Eggs can be put up in smaller crocks and eggs put in the crock first should be used first in the household. Water Glass Method Water Glass is know to the chemist as sodium silicate. It can be purchased by the quart from druggist or poultry supply men. It is a pale yellow, odorless, syrupy liquid. It is diluted in the propotion of one part of silicate to nine parts of distilled water, rain water, or other water. In any case, the water should be boiled and then allowed to cool. Half fill the vessel with this solution and place the eggs in it, being careful not to crack them. The eggs can be added a few at a time till the container is filled. Be sure to keep about two inches of water glass above the eggs. Cover the crock and place it in the coolest place available from which the crock will not have to be moved. Inspect the crock from time to time and replace any water that has evaporated with cool boiled water. When the eggs are to be used, remove them as desired, rinse in clean, cold water and use immediately. Eggs preserved in water glass can be used for soft boiling or poaching, up to November. Before boiling such eggs prick a tiny hole in the large end of the shell with a needle to keep them from cracking. They are satisfactory for frying until about December. From that time until the end of the usual storage period-that is until March-they can be used for omelettes, scrambled eggs, custards, cakes and general cookery. As the eggs age, the white becomes thinner and is harder to beat. The yolk membrane becomes more delicate and it is correspondingly difficult to separate the whites from the yolks. Sometimes the white of the egg is tinged pink after very long keeping in water glass. This is due, probably, to a little iron which is in the sodium silicate, but which apparently does not injure the egg for food purposes." Hope this is helpful, Diane Milliken/Highland Traders

-- Diane Milliken (prepare@highlandtraders.com), March 31, 1999.

And any Amish store plus Lehman's carries the stuff!

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (reinzoo@en.com), March 31, 1999.

I just bought 40 pounds of dried eggs for $140. Makes good scrambled eggs with some cheese powder!

-- old sailor (oldsailor@aol.com), April 01, 1999.

Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), March 31, 1999. wrote:

****I strongly considered buying Ke-Peg, but "chickened" out. (HA!) I've heard that there is a relatively new disease that eggs can have right out of the chicken, and that disease didn't exist when Ke-Peg was in wider use. We might be storing up some horrible stuff to eat when there are no medical facilities to save us from our folly. I decided against it. But do let us know. (How will we know if it kills you, though?)*****

That disease is Salmonella enteritis. You can easily avoid it by cooking the eggs.

I had heard that you can take eggs from the store and dip them in paraffin and they will keep for months at room temp. Never tried it but we have time for an experiment and I need the paraffin for keeping cheese anyway.

LM

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), April 01, 1999.