Hens normally lay most of their eggs during the spring and summer when there is more natural daylight. They slow down or stop laying eggs in the darker winter months. In the 1800s, people needed to preserve eggs that were laid in the spring so they would last through the winter. Today, poultry can be raised under artificial light and we have refrigeration, so we don’t have to worry about egg shortages. But if you raise your own chickens, you…
This post is a continuation of ways to preserve eggs. You can read the previous post here, How to Preserve Eggs for Winter. Two additional ways of preserving eggs was to use either slaked (also called slacked) lime or water glass. NOTE: These are two SEPARATE ways to preserve eggs. You can use slaked lime OR water glass, but not both together. DEFINITIONS: Slaked/slacked lime is calcium hydroxide. It is made when calcium oxide (called lime or quicklime) is mixed, or…
In the U.S., the eggs we buy today are kept refrigerated and have dates stamped on the cartons. So it’s easy to know if they’re still fresh. But in the 1800s, homes did not yet have electricity. Refrigerators were insulated boxes that held a block of ice to keep food cold. Since there wasn’t much room inside, eggs were rarely kept there. Therefore, people had to make sure their eggs were still fresh before cooking with them. INFORMATION BELOW FROM…