Do you know that even though we have pretty good shipping systems and we live along both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans that some of our foods are made to last? I mean really really last.
In the states most milk is good for one to two weeks if you’re lucky and eggs are usually good for a few weeks to a month (though you know we all keep them around for months until our next baking urge hits us). But here in South Africa milk is ultra-pasteurized which means it can last for weeks and weeks when opened and months (to maybe years) unopened at room temperature.
Normal pasteurization is called High Temperature/Short Time pasteurization and raises a batch of milk to a temperature of “71.7 °C (161 °F) for 15-20 seconds” (all these facts are from Wikipedia by the way). Ultra-pasteurization produces milk with long long shelf lives and this process raises milk to “138 °C (250 °F) for a fraction of a second”. Thus the milk can generally last forever until you open the top. And even when you open the top it still lasts for a few weeks even when it is accidentally left out for a full day at the tea and coffee station.
Everytime you pasteurize milk either normally or at ultra-temperatures you denature different proteins which means makes them inactive. This changes the flavor of milk and possibly the health effects which is why many Americans and Canadians are angry that they can’t drink fresh, “real”, raw milk anymore due to new laws.
Eggs are pasteurized here too, right in their shells. This means that eggs are good for a solid six weeks even when left outside of the fridge. I bought some of these long life eggs and they even came with a pamplet about the process which I might bring home with me, if anyone is interested. I don’t taste any difference in the eggs here, but the milk is a bit different.
As a public health student I AM always serious about health, right?
I bet you didn’t know that microwaves made in South Africa are truly made specifically for South African food. Remember how most American microwaves have buttons for popcorn, potatoes, meat, bread, fish, and poultry, etc. Well these microwaves have those buttons too but they also have buttons for rice, mealie-pap, bobotie, stew, quiche, and baked potatoes.
*Mealie-Pap is a porridge made from ground corn that is a staple starchy food anytime of day for many South Africans
*Bobotie is a South African dish with Indian inspirations. It is a minced meat, fruity, curried dish usually topped with an egg. I haven’t had it yet or seen it. When I do see and try it (which I will fight to do) I will take pictures for you and maybe get a recipe.
*Here, Stew is still stew just with more African meats and vegetables
and if you don’t know what quiche and baked potatoes are, you must go out immediately and buy a Betty Crocker cookbook, the biggest one you can and inform yourself and then pick your favorite recipe and invite a hot date over. You can’t be one of those non-getters of good information sort! I am looking out for your own good here.
Please remember to send questions for our upcoming Q & A session! Did any of these crazy things you never guessed spark queries? Send them my way! Do you wonder what I do for devotions? Do you want to know how quickly I can run a kilometer? Have I been a safe driver? Just ask.
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