BDTD and Sally, my kids learned to crack eggs in pre-school when baking challah and the teachers never mentioned the chalaza to them. DH and I never mentioned it to them either, so as far as I know they've never noticed it either and it doesn't bother them. I think it's best that way because it's a huge waste of time trying to get that stupid thing out.

I never thought about it until I found this group and Sharon pointing it out and how much didn't like it. About the time I kind of forget about it someone brings it up again. LOLOLOL! I just pretend it's not there....yea that works...NOT!

David

Ysop:
I spray it with a detergent that contains bleach and then wash it with dish detergent.
Lou

I have to agree with lisbet on this one.

I, too, grew up on a farm.
Chickens and fresh eggs were part of every day life.
I didn't even know what you all were talking about, so I went and broke open an egg to see.
I had never, in all my years, even noticed the "cord thingie".
So I guess that shows how much it has bothered me! :>)

It is as much a part of the egg as the yolk and the white are.
Why would anyone want to remove it?

Ysop, I use a toothbrush for some things in the kitchen, too.
I put it in the dishwasher after use.

Rusty

I've seen people remove them, but I've never known why. Come to mention it, there are 32 posts ahead of me here and I still don't understand what so many people find gross about them.

FOAS:
I second that.

O Rusty one:
I guess it looks like something they don't like. ???
Lou

I've also never been bothered by the chalaza in an egg or by a blood spot, for that matter. I mostly don't even think about it until a thread like this comes up.

If Sharon comes to my house and I make her eggs I'll take it out, I promise. Other than that, I'm doing what I've always done, ignore it completely, whether I'm putting it in baked goods or just eating it poached.

As for fertilized eggs, we always kept the roosters and hens together and it never bothered me, still doesn't. I know people who pay extra for fertilized eggs to eat and I don't know why they'd do that either, they're supposed to be more nutritious or something I guess.

Annie

I'm in the "ignore" camp unless it seems extra large and gnarly or I think it will create a texture problem in some recipe, like my chocolate mousse recipe. I will remove it in that case. I pinch it with a spoon against the side of the bowl and scoop it out.

This whole thing just makes me grin ; )

I think once you've actually lived on a farm, there are so many things that fall into the gross category that eggs don't seem a bit bothersome. I know the fertilized eggs don't really taste any different than the others, so I s u s p e c t, it's all in how you think about it! Having said that, I understand it's a texture thing for some people. I know someone who won't consume oranges because she doesn't like the color!

To those of you who think my aversion to "that white yucky thing" is silly.....my bet is there is something in the food world that you find "yucky". I promise not to chide you for it should you mention it.

What's really funny about my "quirk" is that I only have a problem with fried eggs and poached eggs. I'm OK with omlettes, egg salad, deviled eggs and boioled eggs...go figure ; )

We all have something. I can't deal with leaving the head on fish. I know it's not really staring at me, but....

Oh Sharon, no one thinks you're silly! I have a hard time sitting at the same table with someone dipping their toast in a runny yolk.

Sharon, I respect your right to think it's gross...

Sharon - I don't think anyone's chiding those who don't like it; I hope I didn't come across that way! I'm just trying to get a feel for what some find so gross about it. Is there a taste that I never noticed? A texture? Something visual? Or that it's a reminder of what exactly an egg is?

I just quickly re-read this thread and still don't see anyone mention what about it offends their senses. That's all I'm wondering!

FOS, for me it's a texture thing, mostly. Although I'm fine with it in a boiled, fried, or poached egg. I can't see it or detect it in them. I only remove it when scrambling eggs or making omelets. That's the complete opposite of Sharon, lol. I guess our eggs are really fresh because it doesn't dissolve. I can still see it in the cooked, scrambled eggs. Weird texture thing. Plus, I was fully grown before I could stand to eat eggs anyway.

The other thing is that my brother used to say it was rooster sperm. I know it's not true but I think about that every single time I crack open an egg!

"The other thing is that my brother used to say it was rooster sperm. I know it's not true but I think about that every single time I crack open an egg!"

And there you have it. I never really thought about it until a breakfast cook told me that exact same thing a million years ago in my waitressing days and I have never forgotten it. Of course, I don't go to any extraordinary efforts to remove it unless it will change the texture of something.

Alexa

Sharon, I certainly wasn't chiding you, remember, I'm the person who will NEVER eat a raw oyster, or jello, or okra because they are all just too slimy!

Annie

Geez Sharon - I wasn't chiding you either, I just know you have an aversion to it and thought you might know how to remove it....

Sorry if you took my comments the wrong way.....

Alexa

Not to worry, none of your posts bothered me except the one that said it "was utter nonsense" to be bothered and the follow up that agreed.

It is not "utter nonsense", the d@mn thing makes my stomach flip......

I for one, did NOT intend my comments to be taken as "chiding"!
And I offer my most hummble apologies if it came across that way.
I have to admit, though, that it really doesn't make any sense to me.
But then, a lot of other things don't make sense to me, either.
That is more of a reflection on me than on you, Chase.

I just went back & reread my earlier post.
I think I need some lessons in diplomacy.

Rusty

I learned about chalaza back in grade 8 home ec class. Our teacher told us that when separating eggs, use the shell edge to get the chalaza in with the whites, as it would help the whites to whip up extra stiff.

That's interesting cooksnsews. Makes sense, since it's a protein....

Sharon, I feel the same way about a blood spot. I don't care what causes it, or that it doesn't change the quality of the egg. To me, it's nasty, nasty, nasty and I'll toss any egg with a blood spot.

BTW, after years of being grossed out by a blood spot, I found out that eggs with blood spots are considered unkosher. So there you go.

Eat it Rachellen? No way! I hate it every bit as bad as Sharon.

I can just envision all the bakeries and restaurants, all over the world......laboriously removing the chalaza before using the eggs.

I apologize, too, if my comments offended you, Sharon, or anyone else for that matter. I certainly don't want to belittle anyone. I was just unaware that some people notice chalazas, and are grossed out by them, and expressing my surprise. There's plenty that I won't eat for various reasons, and have been questioned about why I choose to eat or not eat those things, and it's not fun to have to defend your eating choices.

Having said that, I have to confess that I cracked up when I read Barnmom's post, because I was just at that moment sopping up egg yolk with my toast. lol You don't have to look, Barnmom!

Sally

My screen name, BarnMom, is a joke. I have no barn, have never had a barn, nor do I linger where barns are erected. I am not, and never have been a rural dweller. When Alice quit gymnastics, where I was a gym mom, and switched to riding horses I became a barn mom. Equestrian training facilities are casually called "barns."

I avoid icky whenever possible. ;)

AKA Eileen

Eileen, I'll try to avoid eating eggs when I come and have breakfast with you. I suppose I could settle for cinnamon rolls. (grin)

I definitely like the yolks soft, but I don't want the whites to be at all slimey.....

Annie

I also think the cord-thingy is gross, and sadly, must sit across from DH as he dips his toast in runny yolk. The things we do for love.

Sue

Annie, how about a quiche! Or a lovely omelette! Or some chocolate chunks waffles!

Well, let's see....eggs or chocolate chunks....eggs or chocolate chunks. LOL, you know I'll take the waffles!

And coffee, of course....

Truthfully, Eileen, when I do get the chance to have breakfast with you, I think we'll be gossiping so much neither one of us will care whether we're eating anything at all. LOL

Annie

I just want to say thanks to Lou for posting that picture. The last time this topic came up, I never did actually know WHAT the chalaza was. And I never did figure it out! How crazy is that? Till I opened this thread today and saw the picture Lou posted, it was all a mystery to me. The thing is, I've noticed that white thingy in eggs before, but not really taken notice of it. I hardly really remember seeing it much at all, but I do know that I have seen it.

Which tells you that I don't care either way about it. But I do agree that one man's delicacy is another man's ewwwy so who am I to judge? There are plenty of things I won't eat that other people do.

I will say, though, Sharon, you are welcome in my house any time, I will gladly cook for you, anything but eggs. I just ainagonna* separate that sucker outa there. Sorry! But, hey, there are PLENTY of other things I can cook. LOL!

*ainagonna is Texas talk for "am not going to".

In hard boiled eggs, I guess the chalaza just sorta blends in and becomes part of the cooked white? Since there is no way to pull it out before hard boiling an egg, I guess you just forget about it or avoid them altogether, huh?

Annie, I think we'll be eating in some cute little Napa cafe when you and Elery finally make it to Wine Country.

:)

So I do like eggs however I am very sensitive to things that smell “ eggy”. The biggest offenders to me are custards. So anything from a homemade key lime pie to lemon curd. I once attended a small wedding at a luxury hotel and after eating a little lemon tartlet I exclaimed out loud- “ this is so amazing-it’s not eggy at all!!!!” A member of the very informed waitstaff heard and told me that the membrane that holds the yolk together ( not just the anchor) is what creates eggy-ness. He said the finest bakeries will remove the membrane if they want to be sure their custards are not eggy. I admit I have not tried this yet, but I have read this a few times. I would love this to be true!

Hmmmm I don't think so!

Just use a sieve! Much easier and cleaner if it grosses you out. I only remove it when I am making custard or curd and then only after everything is cooked so it all gets sieved at the end anyway.

I just pinch it off, but only for some custards, and a flour less chocolate torte. if it's strained, I wouldn't think it necessary.

I have heard some (OCD?) bakers remove the membrane (they actually just pinch it and allow the yolk to squeeze out, or poke it with something sharp and allow the yolk to drip out) but that throws off the egg ratio a bit, and I think it's really going overboard. I have pinched a yolk just to watch it drip out into batter before letting the rest fall in, but I'm strange that way, lol!

I don't bother to remove the chalaza, and when I make custard or curd I usually put it through a strainer to remove any bits of cooked egg or stringy bits that could compromise the texture. Much easier than trying to pull that chalaza out of the slimy sticky albumen of the egg.

Annie

The PURPOSE of those "thingies" is to rotate the yolk so the chick embryo stays on the top if the eggs get rolled around under the chicken.

Yes, the chalaza (chalazae is plural, as each egg actually has two) has a purpose, to hold the yolk in place. It disappears/dissolves as the egg ages, so if you get eggs without a noticeable chalaza (at least one), they're old eggs.

It's completely edible, the only issue on this thread is that some people just dislike them. I don't find they have a particularly more "eggy" taste than the rest of the egg. However, my uncaged "ladies" have a special diet high in Omega 3 plus all the bugs they can eat and selected organic garden scraps. Those eggs have a far more pronounced flavor in the dark orange yolks than any of those pale yellow imposters from the store, so I just might not notice.

Annie

Interesting.... I didn't know it was called chalaza. I remember seeing a Jacques Pepin cooking show when I was a kid where he was beating egg whites for something and he was emphatic that once the yolk was separated you should make sure to get every bit of white goodness from that shell! :)

I think of Chase every single time I see the chalaza. Fortunately I’m fond of her.

How did this 8 year old conversation get resurrected? My SIL has a big issue with chalaza and blood in eggs. She's OCD. I never understood it. I've read through all of the posts and miss a lot of people who aren't here anymore.

Seagrass, the person who brought it up has only that single comment if you check their profile, so it was probably one of those "hit and run" things from social media or a Google search. Maybe they'll be back...

Yes, I miss a lot of those posters too. (sigh)

Annie

I like seeing old threads pop up. Odd why and who, but like Annie says, google searching brings in 'hit and runs'...sorry some old friends have moved on and no longer here for those of you missing them, : (

I find it hilarious to be 'icked' by some food items. I watched a youtube food travel person the other day eating throughout villages in Laos. One delightful dish shared by the entire table was fresh duck blood that had some coagulating blobby bits. I had to shut the computer and go find a kitchen project then switched to my seed starting room downstairs. Could not get that 'ick' out of my head. Another delight was a slice of honeycomb, big 4x6 inches, with the larva still inside. Grilled and wrapped in some toasty flatbread. All smiles leaving the street stall and mentioned the beeswax stuck in his teeth.

I always look at the egg when I crack it into a bowl. Those 'guide wires' are a bit off-putting and the occasional blood spot. My issue is the spelling vs pronunciation.

Like wOOs-ter-sher. I can't spell it and when I see it spelled correctly I can't say it.

Yolk, yolk

Who's there.

Chalazae (kuh-LAY-zee)

Chalazae who?

We're to chalazae to hold the yolk in place.

I think someone should find a way to remove them and save them until they accumulate enough to make a chalazae omelette.

One of my dear grandmothers always cooked boiled eggs with runny whites. I have never forgotten it and, to this day, cannot eat the whites unless they are thoroughly cooked.

Is there chalaza inside fish eggs (Caviar)?

dcarch

... I so don't have time to be reading this today, but my gosh you all are cracking me up! Uh, thanks for the visual sleevendog... NOT! And albert, "I think someone should find a way to remove them and save them until they accumulate enough to make a chalazae omelette." That is just gross!

Mark me as another who can't abide slimy, not fully cooked whites. I also have to thoroughly blend my eggs when scrambling, too. Never occurred to me that bit of white not mixed with scrambled eggs might be the chalaza. Now I can't stop thinking about it.

"Is there chalaza inside fish eggs" If there were, how would one go about removing each and every one? : D

Although the chalazae doesn't bother me at all, I cannot eat slimy undercooked egg whites. Many here know my texture issues and that's just too disgusting, egg white has to be completely cooked, although I do like the yolk runny. Different texture...

Annie

Chalaza in fish eggs? Just a guess, but since fish don't incubate their eggs (In most cases), it might not matter which side is up.

Then again, if you look closely at salmon eggs the next time you are out for sushi, there does appear to be something tiny but stringy going on in there.

In either case, it doesn't bother me, and I'd been unaware that some people remove them - at least from chicken eggs.

(I'm with those who don't like runny egg whites. I also dont like the texture of jelly beans, gummy bears, fruit leathers, cottage cheese. But I can watch other people eat whatever it is they want to eat, although watching them eat natto gives me a bit of a pause. But I can still watch.)