The day I ate a dozen eggs.

Last month, I got the chance to hang out with some folks from the Ohio Poultry Association for two days chock full of eggcentric cooking and Ohio Eggs information sharing.  I left with nearly 12 pages of scribbled notes about the ins and outs of the egg business in the U.S. (fascinating!) plus tips and tricks for cooking with eggs.   I’m sharing some of my favorites below.

Egg Size.  

Did you know the egg size printed on egg cartons (Large, Extra Large, Jumbo) is determined by the weight of the carton, not the individual egg?  A dozen large eggs, for example, weighs 1.5 pounds.  That’s why you sometimes see eggs of varying size in one carton!  I had no idea.

Egg Grade.  

Grade has to do with the age of the egg.  In the U.S., Grade B eggs aren’t sold in the grocery stores, rather they are used for processed foods and pet food.  Interesting fact:  the older the egg, the runnier white.

Egg Labels.  

Ohio is one of the top egg producing states in the U.S., but some of the eggs sold in our stores still come from other areas.  Did you know every carton of eggs sold in the U.S. has a USDA plant code printed on box?

In the example above, P1008 tells you processing center, which you can look up on the USDA website.  This carton came from Sunnyside Farms in North Manchester, Indiana.  June 11 is the best by date.  134 is a Julian Date, which indicates that the carton was packed on May 13.  In the U.S., eggs must be packed within 36 hours of being laid.

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Eating Columbus: Breakfast Edition

Greetings friends!  I’ve been bouncing around Columbus knocking places off my to-try list, and wanted to share some of my recent favorite breakfast spots!  (For even more Columbus restaurant recommendations, check out the first post in this series here.)

Dough Mama is an adorable, cozy cafe in South Clintonville that serves modernized comfort food.  Everything they serve is scratch made, even the ketchup.  Their avocado biscuit is one of my favorite breakfasts in all of Columbus.  It has greens, tomato,  pickled onions, avocado, and an egg smashed between a cheddar scallion biscuit.  I’d definitely recommend their steak-fry-cut roasted potatoes and the lemon poppy seed muffin, which happens to be gluten free and has the texture of a doughnut.  They also have a vegan lentil-loaf sandwich (served on Dan The Baker bread) that I need to try ASAP.

Skillet, another favorite Columbus breakfast spot, is located in a cozy building in Merion Village (near German Village).  Their steadfast commitment to local sourcing is reflected in the ever-changing menu.  Each morning, the day’s menu is posted to their website for your viewing pleasure.  Last summer, I had an incredible tomato salad at Skillet that I still think about.  It was so very simple, but the TOMATOES.  The tomatoes.  Skillet’s food, including the egg scrambles and omelets, are cooked with more care and precision than you’d see at a typical daytime cafe.  Recently, I tried the fingerling potatoes with cheese curds.  The potatoes were crusty and salty on the outside and the skin sort of popped in your mouth when you bit into it, releasing a tiny explosion of creamy potato.  Divine.  There is usually a wait to get a table at Skillet, but you can call ahead to put your name on the list.  Plus they have free coffee outside while you wait.  Open Wednesday through Sunday, 8am to 2pm.

Trism.  Continuing this breakfast trend, I found a great weekday deal at Trism in the University area.  From 9-11am, you can get a breakfast sandwich on local ciabatta for only $5, plus you can throw in a coffee for $1 more!  Pictured below is the Numero Uno, with local eggs, jalapeno-jack cheese, zesty black bean spread, and sriracha aioli.

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#OperationLunch.

Seven years ago, I wrote a blog post about Ladies Who Lunch, in which I expressed a desire to find a group of ladies to, you guessed it, have lunch with.  It was around this time that I adopted my Say Yes to Lunch Policy.  The policy stemmed from my first birthday in a new city, on which I didn’t know a dang person in town.  I blindly sent an email to a handful of food bloggers that I stalked on Twitter and asked them if they’d join me for a birthday lunch.  And guess what?  THEY CAME.

After that birthday, I implemented a new mantra:  say yes to lunch.  If someone asked me to lunch (or coffee or dinner or drinks) I just said YES.  Even if I didn’t know the person, or thought we’d have nothing in common, and ESPECIALLY when I really just didn’t want to go, I said yes.  Similar to going on a blind date, having lunch with a stranger can be a little… shall we say, scary.  The thing that surprised me most about these lunches was that although the other person was often feeling just as awkward about the whole thing as me, they (just like me) were seeking a deeper connection, a friend, a lunchtime tribe.  The truth is that in this era of hyper-technology and go-getter syndrome (I just made this term up and subsequently self-diagnosed it), many of us are “busier” than ever and missing having in-real-life friends.  It’s not just a matter of loneliness, it’s a matter of real, raw, personal connections.

Over these last two years in Columbus (holy cow how has it been two years?!) I haven’t been proactive on my mission to lunch, and with the semester winding down, I think it’s time to refocus on this ever important goal.  This summer, I’m setting a personal goal of inviting one new person to lunch each week.  Maybe I’ll even write about it here on the blog.  Whatdya say friends?  Will you join me in #operationlunch?

THIS COULD BE US:

#operationlunch
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Scallops, party of one.

A few weeks ago, I had a pretty bizarre experience in New Orleans.  I’ve been to New Orleans a handful of times, and I’m aware that weird things are happening all over that wonderful town, but this thing that happened to me was, well, different.  I was visiting for a conference, and as any food-obsessed traveler does, I sought out a special restaurant to have dinner my final night in town.  Peche had been on my to-try list since it hit Bon Appetit’s list of top-50 best new restaurants in 2013.  I waited five whole years to try this restaurant, so I didn’t let a mile walk in uncomfortable shoes or a 90 minute wait deter me.  To hedge my bets, I put my name on the waitlist but immediately began stalking the bar, lingering behind lingering patrons, hoping they’d take pity on my presence and wrap things up.  I noticed a woman signing her check, but to my dismay, a fellow solo diner had already swooped in for the seat.  I retreated to the other side of the bar, only to have this same solo fellow approach me moments later.  He slyly nodded over his shoulder and pointed out that the seat next to his would be open momentarily.  I didn’t hesitate.

Seat secured, I began to doubt this decision.  I silently hoped this single stranger who had helped me snag a seat at the bar wouldn’t talk to me, and that we could just enjoy what would surely be a great meal in total silence.  Despite this apprehension, I asked if he’d been to the restaurant before (he had) and if he had any recommendations (he did).  As I pined over the menu, he placed his order and offered to share both of his appetizers with me.  WHAT LUCK.  Apparently that’s the secret to getting a solo traveler to warm up to you.  He could talk to me all he wanted now.

As we enjoyed smoked tuna, fry bread, and some of the best Brussels I’ve ever had (THE VINEGAR SAUCE!), I learned he lived in New Orleans and was treating himself to a nice night on the town, as if he was on vacation in his very own city.  What an idea.  It’s the sort of thing you read about in chick lit, but that no one ever actually takes the time to do in real life.

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30 Day Fitness Challenge

Every January, I challenge myself with some sort of healthy living goal.  I know, I know.  I am SUCH a cliche.  But you know what?  I’m really ok with that.  I honestly enjoy starting my year on a high, healthy note, and setting challenging, OBTAINABLE healthy living goals not only makes me feel better physically, but also does wonders for my mental health.  From the deepest part of my heart, I believe that exercise is nature’s best anti-depressant.  And in January, when we’re surrounded by coldness and darkness, I think each of us could use a little assistance in the positive mental attitude department.

Last January, in addition to Vegetarian Whole30, I did a 30-days-of-exercise challenge.  And I felt AWESOME.  So this year, I’m sharing my super sophisticated exercise tracker in hopes of inspiring more people to get off their keesters this January.  There are no rules on what constitutes exercise here–you pick the exercise.  Whether it’s a long walk, yoga in your living room, or a class at the gym — as long as it gets your heart rate up and your body moving, it counts.


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