With a plethora of blueberries in the fridge, I decided to bake lemon blueberry bread. Now, I am an intermittent baker, and don’t like to turn the stove on in the summer, but a cool morning and the presence of all the necessary ingredients turned my idea into a reality.
Following the recipe, I first mixed the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, and salt – and set them aside. I put the butter in the microwave to melt as I moved on to the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, I combined the melted butter with sugar, then went to the fridge for the two eggs required. The shell of the first egg made a satisfactory crack as I hit it on the rim of the bowl. I pulled the shell halves apart and let the egg drop into the bowl.
I gagged almost immediately.
An overpowering odor rose from the greenish goo that sat atop the golden liquid in the bowl. I gagged again. And again. I gagged as I sloughed to offensive goo into a compost bag. I gagged as I carried the bag outside to the compost bin.
By the time I returned to the kitchen, I was back in control, but only just. And I had a big decision to make: toss it all, or start over? I’d already been thinking about biting into a slice of sweetbread, so I bravely picked up the egg carton, determined to start again. Uh, oh, I thought when I saw the expiration date on the egg carton. These eggs expired on December 28, 2020.
I pulled out a bowl and tentatively took another egg from the carton. It’s cracking refilled the kitchen with putridness and gagging. I tossed the remaining egg into another compost bag. As I took that bag to the compost bin, I tossed the carton into the recycling bin, gagging all the way.
Back in control once more, I pulled open the fridge door. I still had a full carton of eggs in the fridge, the legacy of my last baking binge. It’s expiration date was in early May. I paused for a moment, then pulled out the carton, and cautiously cracking an egg into a bowl. No odor emerged, but, twice bitten, I was wary. The color of this egg’s yolk didn’t seem quite right. Was that real or did I just imagine it? I decided to try another. If this egg seemed at all dodgy, I resolved to abandon my baking project.
Fortunately, that egg, and the one that followed were fine. I finished the mixing and as the bread baked, I cleaned the kitchen. That process included putting all the remaining eggs into a compost bag and disposing of them. Who knew when the baking bug would bite again. I did not want a repeat of the egg incident.
An hour later, I had a delicious treat to accompany my tea.
booksandbassets 
Oh the gagging made it so real. I would h e reacted the same way. I’m glad this story had a sweet ending. I was worried for your Baking project for a minute there!
Even after all that gagging, you made a beautiful loaf of sweet bread. It makes me want to bake. But I’ll check the expiration date on my eggs before I get started. Thanks for a gag-worthy slice. Ha!
So glad your blueberry lemon bread finally came out deliciously. I had a similar question about eggs a few months ago when I wanted to make cornbread. But here’s the trick to find out if the eggs are still good. Put them in a pan full of water. The ones that stay on the bottom are fine, but the ones that float go to compost. This will save you from the danger of gagging on foul smells.
Thanks for the tip. I am glad to know I am not the only one to have had this experience. I’m glad to learn from your experience.
Whoever said baking was not an adventure? Glad you found some good eggs and ended up with a delicious looking result. Enjoy it. You deserve it.
Did your experience remind anyone else of Templeton the rat in Charlotte’s Web?!
As I baker, I’ve been here too! Sometimes it’s been a bad egg, or sour milk, or spoiled flour. But oh! That sinking feeling when you’re looking forward to the pleasant task of baking, only to have the absence (or poor quality) of one ingredient standing in your way. So glad to hear that you were able to get your bake on! That lemon blueberry loaf looks DELICIOUS.