Things we refrigerate

[ghostrider]

You're right, I meant guar gum. I guess guano gum reflects how I think of it.

[transfattyacid]

As some one mentioned up thread the English don`t ,as a rule refrigerate half the stuff that gets stored in fridges in north america .

This goes to explain either the size differential between US fridges and their conterparts in europe .

I noticed this when i moved over the pond and found my self questioning it .

At first i thought this was just a case of good ol` american paranoia . ( and to be honest i still do ) although in most parts the climate is very different to good ol` blighty , but not in all cases and , A/C units are more common in North America .

Why does some thing that is preserved already ( ie , pickles ) then have to be refrigerated ?

i don`t refrigerate things that are preserved , i do refrigerate perishables but not friut and especially not banana`s.

[PS]

I never refrigerate eggs - they come ready sealed. Plus, they poach a lot better from room temperature than from 4 degrees.

[petite tête de chou]

I refrigerate all dairy- eggs, milk, sour cream, cheese, whipping cream, mayonnaise and cream cheese. I bring the eggs and cheese to room temperature before using. Cold cheese. Yuck.

I also refrigerate most vegetables and all meats except for jerkys, pepperonis, etc. Fresh fruit is only given a quick chill if I'm in the mood for a cold piece of fruit.

Tomatoes (cold tomatoes taste worse than cold cheese!), potatoes, onions, avocados, chilis, citrus, peanut butter and scotch are not refrigerated.

Considering that I have a limited budget for food why on earth would I want to even risk hastening spoilage? I'm far from being a paranoid American...I'm simply making my food budget last as long as I can. So there.

[tryska]

question? how long can eggs sit outside unrefrigerated?

[jgm]

Anybody use one of those cool inverted in water butter crocks I love mine.

Edit: no need to refrigerate it keeps butter at room temp with no problems.

←

I tried one of these in the late 70's, and no matter what I did, it was moldy in a few days. Do you have any problems with mold? I'd much rather have butter at a spreadable, near room temperature, and I like the idea of these things. Even if it was freshly washed, doused with boiling water and allowed to cool, it still grew mold. Any ideas?

[PS]

question?  how long can eggs sit outside unrefrigerated?

←

Mine seem to last up to (and often beyond) the use-by date quite happily.

[little ms foodie]

I don't refrigerate hard boiled eggs, tomatoes (kills the flavor!), worcheshire, soy, etc sauces.

I also really question what we fridge and what we don't every time I visit my girlfriend who lives in Paris- they call it a jam cupboard for a reason right?

edited to add that we use a butter bell and also change the water every couple of days otherwise there is mold.

Edited August 29, 2005 by little ms foodie (log)

[Milagai]

question?  how long can eggs sit outside unrefrigerated?

←

somewhere buried (p2) in this FDA document:

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/0...00282-vol20.pdf

is the quote:

..." research into the effects of refrigeration on the growth of SE

in eggs demonstrates that the natural antimicrobial characteristics

of shell eggs will inhibit the growth of SE even when eggs are stored

for several days or more at ambient temepratures..."

(SE = Salmonella Enterides)

I've heard informally ~ 7 days.

Of course, if the shell gets cracked, all bets are off.

OTOH: If the laying hen is infected with salmonella,

it can get into the egg prior to shell formation.

That way, the only way the consumer is safe is to

cook the egg, refrigerated or no....

Milagai

[M.X.Hassett]

Anybody use one of those cool inverted in water butter crocks I love mine.

Edit: no need to refrigerate it keeps butter at room temp with no problems.

←

I tried one of these in the late 70's, and no matter what I did, it was moldy in a few days. Do you have any problems with mold? I'd much rather have butter at a spreadable, near room temperature, and I like the idea of these things. Even if it was freshly washed, doused with boiling water and allowed to cool, it still grew mold. Any ideas?

←

I find as long as you change the water every 3-4 days it is fine. I have never had problems with mold. Of course in my house the butter never goes uneaten for more than a couple of days .

[andiesenji]

Anybody use one of those cool inverted in water butter crocks I love mine.

Edit: no need to refrigerate it keeps butter at room temp with no problems.

←

I tried one of these in the late 70's, and no matter what I did, it was moldy in a few days. Do you have any problems with mold? I'd much rather have butter at a spreadable, near room temperature, and I like the idea of these things. Even if it was freshly washed, doused with boiling water and allowed to cool, it still grew mold. Any ideas?

←

I find as long as you change the water every 3-4 days it is fine. I have never had problems with mold. Of course in my house the butter never goes uneaten for more than a couple of days .

←

I have a couple of the butter "boats" which seem to work quite well. I put a scant drop of bleach in the water (which doesn't touch the butter) and that seems to solve the problem of molds.

Butter Boat

[ScorchedPalate]

I have a couple of the butter "boats" which seem to work quite well.  I put a scant drop of bleach in the water (which doesn't touch the butter) and that seems to solve the problem of molds.

I'm confused... so what does the water do? Does it act as insulation?

[little ms foodie]

I have a couple of the butter "boats" which seem to work quite well.  I put a scant drop of bleach in the water (which doesn't touch the butter) and that seems to solve the problem of molds.

I'm confused... so what does the water do? Does it act as insulation?

←

Anita, it acts like a suction/seal to block out the air that can cause the butter to spoil. It also keeps the butter cool so it doesn't melt or harden too much. Others can provide more scientific answers!

[Ninjai Fanatic]

except for the freshly made cheeses- I keep my cheese out of the fridge... i keep almost all of my vegetables out of the fridge as well, except for the my herbs.. my fridge is usually just full of cooked food and tofu/milk.. sauces..

[ghostrider]

Can I assume that you folks who don't refrigerate tomatoes & fruits like peaches don't patronize farmers' markets, or if you do, you're able to buy precisely what you need?

I tend to overbuy at this time of year, but if I don't refrigerate these things after a certain point, they rot.

(Refrigerated ripe tomatoes are returned to ambient temps before consumption of course.)

Or is there some rot-prevention trick I've missed?

[Milagai]

Can I assume that you folks who don't refrigerate tomatoes & fruits like peaches don't patronize farmers' markets, or if you do, you're able to buy precisely what you need?

I tend to overbuy at this time of year, but if I don't refrigerate these things after a certain point, they rot.

(Refrigerated ripe tomatoes are returned to ambient temps before consumption of course.)

Or is there some rot-prevention trick I've missed?

←

Good point: I also overbuy at this time of year,

from farmer's markets, but make tomato thokku,

peach chutney, huge quantities of fresh salads that are quickly eaten,

and all the rasam etc that I would use canned tomatoes at another

time of year, I make now with fresh etc.

Chutney, thokku, etc. I refrigerate fairly soon but again I push them

till they get eaten...

Dals etc. do get refrigerated.

It's just the un-processed item that does not get refrigerated....

ps: I also don't refrigerate ghee....

With 2 young kids in the house it gets used up quite fast.

Milagai

Edited August 30, 2005 by Milagai (log)

[eatrustic]

I recently was asked if I refrigerate my soy sauce to which I replied no and then was shown (on the Kikkoman bottle) that refrigeration is recommended.

I've also heard this is true of mustard, in my case Dijon. I have always left these items (once opened) at room temp in my kitchen for months at a time with never a hint of fermentation or off odors.

So what is the scoop in or out? My fridge is not that big and the absolute minimum of long term rentals the better!

[kaneel]

Soy sauce that comes in bottle i store it in the pantry. Soy sauce that come in a can (this kind i get from holland ..my mom sends it to me) i transfer it in a tupperware and store it in the fridge. Dijon i store it in the fridge.

[Joe Blowe]

From French's Mustard FAQ:

Q: Do FRENCH'S Mustards need to be refrigerated?

A: Dijon & Horseradish Mustard will lose heat and distinct flavor, so we encourage refrigeration for both. For all other mustards, refrigerating will help maintain its flavor; however, it is not necessary if you prefer your mustard to be room temperature. There are no ingredients in mustard that spoil. "Refrigerate After Opening" is not required for food safety. It is recommended to maintain optimal product flavor.

[alanamoana]

my pantry was noticeably warmer in the summer months and i did notice that my soy sauce began to get an off flavor.

if your pantry is a cool room temperature and you use these items fairly quickly, i wouldn't worry about refrigerating.

if, however, your kitchen and pantry warm up either due to kitchen use or summertime heat, i'd refrigerate both items.

of course, this is opinion based, not scientific

[miladyinsanity]

You don't have to refrigerate soy sauce. Never heard of such a thing, in fact.

I live in tropical Singapore, and we leave it out on the table in a bottle. This applies to light and dark soy.

But we tend to go through it very fast.

[tejon]

I've always wondered why any soy sauce container would suggest refrigeration. With the amount of salt in the mix, could anything really grow? I keep my gallon container of soy sauce in my pantry year round and always have.

[hzrt8w]

We Chinese use soy sauce for hundreds of years before refrigerator was invented. I really don't see the advantage of refrigerating it. I never did.

[Hiroyuki]

Japanese soy sauce is a little different. Manufacturers recommend that you refrigerate the bottle once you have opened it and use it up within one month or so to enjoy the flavor of the soy sauce. Many consumers, including me, do not practice this, though. I store my 1.8-liter bottle in the under-the-sink storage space and use it up in two or three months.

[BarbaraY]

I keep Dijon mustard in the door shelf of my fridge with all the other mustards. Not because I think it will spoil but so I can find it easily.

Kikkoman stays in a cupboard because I use it often. All other soy sauces; light, sweet, black, Pearl River, and tamari stay in the pantry along with fish sauce and Golden Mountain sauce.