I’ve never written an angry post before. In fact most times when I feel angry about something I try and digest it a little and calm down before I write.
But today I am furious and I can’t get over it at all so I am going to get it out there – angry and all
I am a vegetarian. That is my choice, and it is a relatively recent one. I choose to be a vegetarian because I cannot stand cruelty to animals. The thought of eating them horrifies me. I don’t push my beliefs on anyone (well at least I try not to be too blatant when I do) and I support the fact that my family eats meat and chicken. I am very particular though where I buy my meat from. I support ethical farming of animals. No factory farming, no cages, no cruelty. I like to think the meat my family is eating had a chance at a good life before it became part of our lives.
And when I go out to eat, I always ask about the eggs. Because I eat eggs, but I only eat eggs that are free range. I have been to many places that don’t have free range eggs and, while I don’t agree with their policy, I just order something else. Live and let live.
So today we went out for breakfast to the Coogee Cafe. The menus said organic eggs. That was a good start. Before I ordered my breakfast I checked with the waitress (because the thought of eating caged eggs saddens and sickens me). She happily told me that the eggs were free range and organic. She didn’t bat an eyelid, that is how confident she was. Rehearsed even.
After we had eaten my son decided he needed to use the toilet. I went with him. The toilets were rather hideous but that is not the end of the world nor the crux of the story. Just outside the toilet door was a huge box of eggs. Yup outside the toilets not in the kitchen. I looked at the big box of eggs and the words CAGED EGGS shouted out at me.
I felt sick to the stomach. Sick that I had eaten a caged egg. And sick and angry that the staff had had the gall to lie to me so open faced.
As a word of caution- we would say don’t rush and take your time to understand and control our emotion. levitra for sale online The first sequence viagra 20mg cipla starts out a lot looking to meet women, I’m sure you have found yourself in that same situation. Millions of people viagra 100mg pills across the world suffer from infertility, but the factors affecting their fertility may be as common as getting gray hair, or needing reading glasses, men can now choose to do something about this without delay because it is feasible to successfully treat premature ejaculation. Well, it doesn t going to be last; it viagra viagra buy will go off in few hours.
And so, as is my want, I approached the waitress in charge behind the counter. And she told me that they don’t use those eggs for breakfasts. Great so they just buy tortured eggs as an outside the toilet display! When that argument did not wash with me she told me I had no right to rifle through their produce. Um, the box was not hidden and I did not rifle!
My husband paid for the meal and we left.
Seriously I don’t get how anyone can buy caged eggs. I just don’t. The lives of those chickens who are debeaked and forced to endure their entire lives in tiny cages horrifies me, keeps me awake at night even. But that is my choice. I don’t expect anyone else to carry the same intensity of feeling about this that I do.
But when I go out for a meal I expect to be given the right to make my choice on correct and valid information. I don’t expect to be lied to and I don’t think I should have to stand for being misled.
I am angry, beyond words, that business can get away with this despicable behaviour.
And if you have any concerns about eating caged eggs – you probably shouldn’t go to Coogee Cafe
You probably don’t know, but you made me alot more conscious of the food produce we have been buying recently. If you checked my fridge, you’d see “free range eggs” proudly displayed. What I am saying is, your words make a difference.
And I will be staying in Coogee in three weeks time. Guess where I will be boycotting?
Seriously, make sure they know how angry you are. they need to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
I am so proud of myself, er I mean you.
I think it is the kittens. It is only when I got my dog that the whole animal thing just clicked with me. xx
I’d be angry too. Their choice to use caged eggs, not their choice to foist them on you – particularly when you go out of your way to ask.
What sucks the most was their choice to lie!
Here here bloody, dodgy-f#@kers!
You got me ANGRY too! Actually…let’s make that FURIOUS.
I wanna get them and send a lesson to them and all businesses out there using the terms “organic and free-range” that as us consumers are wising up to shonskters, and they will be OUTED, shamed and humiliated for being the profit greedy bastards that they are.
We are certified organic farmers and are surrounded by traditional farmers who find it VERY hard to believe that we aren’t just “calling ourselves organic” to cash in.
Grow a conscience you arseholes!
*breathe in, breathe out*
I feel your passion. And I love it. An organic farmer? I love you even more
This is important because we don’t have standards for “free-range” or “farm-bred” or the myriad of other terms producers are plastering on the front of their packaging (there is an organic standard which was developed by Standards Australia). There is a labelling review happening at the moment, chaired by Neal Blewett – you can make comments through the website – http://www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au – submissions close on 14th May 2010. Have your say – you may not get another meaningful chance for a long time.
Dude. I am totally with you. I have been buying free range organic eggs now for around 4 years. I will not buy anything else. And I will rather enjoy telling as many people as possible about Little Miss False-Advertising. Why couldn’t she just tell the truth? It’s not hard! Geez! LOL
Thank you. And I am sure the chickens thank you too
I have a very angry 10yo up my arse for not being finished on the computer and playing Wii with her but want to say good on you. Not good enough and I love the fact that these days, we can tell people the good and bad stuff that we encounter. So now, maybe, they’ll realise they can’t just make shit up when they feel like it. Send them a copy of this blog – hopefully it will get to the owner with comments and they might check themselves. Maybe.
I intend to. Thanks Bern
Oh, a big enough stink will stick. And maybe scare a few other eateries to get their act together. Though I wish business owners would do it because they are ethical. Not because we put the pressure on.
whatever it takes x
I am so freaking mad for you right now.
I am so pedantic about my eggs. I near vomit at the thought of eating a caged egg.
It’s one thing to serve caged eggs, but to lie about it is so wrong. SO wrong.
I need to breathe for a moment now. Bad cafe people.
Thank you for your comment (and for being pedantic about eggs)
Name & shame! I’m a meat eater but big on ethics too.
Free range eggs & chickens. I hate the sign “Grain-fed beef” – um… Cows eat grass, mate, not grain.
I feel guilty about pigs too. Massive bacon fan, I know it’s not done right and I can’t find an organic supplier.
Too true re: cows and grass!
Our cattle only eat what’s growing in our paddocks and that’s lovely grass and they are fat and happy and healthy…we don’t worm ’em or treat them with anything. We never have to supplement their feed ’cause of the way we manage our place. All the traditional farmers around us keep on turning over their soil and planting new green stuff, but we never do. We have lovely fat, slow dung beetles too!
Our chooks are fluffy and happy and wander around all day; they have just had the time of their lives munching away on grasshoppers so their eggs must be extra high in protein! Nothing like a plate full of almost-orange free range organic scrambled eggs!
We have this company here in Tas doing fantastic free-range bacon: http://www.boksbacon.com.au/
and there is this place in Victoria that supplies to NSW http://www.otwaypork.com.au/
Actually I just saw that Bok;s DO sell bacon in quite a few locations in NSW
http://www.boksbacon.com.au/retail_stores.html
http://www.featherandbone.com.au – try them.
And Lord knows grain fed beef is one of my other huge gripes.
Good on you SP, for outing these lying bastards. Maintain the rage !
That is me *stamping feet*
I am a very pedantic egg buyer. My children are too – at the tender ages of 9 & 11 they make sure the eggs are organic & free range in a field not free range in a barn – checking the fine print is essential. Luckily I live in a rather hippy (& hilly) area where free range, cruelty free & organic are big. We are very careful about what we eat, food miles, organic, no palm oil, fair trade, free range, big, big, big. As it should be.
You had every right to be angry & to complain. They not only chose not to use decent produce, which really, is very easy to source, they chose to lie about it. Name & shame I say.
oh my little boy was so scared when I went to confront the waitress. He covered his eyes and ears (he could still feel the smoke coming out my ears). But when I came back he told me he was really proud of me – angel child!
And you are right Nomie – it is about decent produce. And karma
Oh That is all kinds of wrong – I’m pretty sure that should be punishable in some way shape or form by something – that feels the same as saying to someone that something doesn’t contain dairy when dairy will make the person nauseous or react badly to it – lying on menu and then in person is WRONG.
I would have been made upset by 1. eggs stored NEAR THE TOILET (*gag*) 2. the lying of the menu, 3. then the lying of the waitress (who maybe didn’t know – maybe she has to say this – I know when I was working as one we were meant to say pumpkin soup was vegetairian when it had chicken stock in it) and then 3. lying again and accusing you of going through their stock!!!.
You so should write to the manager, or send him this page – it is all kinds of wrong.
(oh , can you tell I’m vegetarian too – same as you, by choice and non forcing on others)
*hugs so many* – would have made me feel violently ill
Yep, I am all those sorts of outraged. Lying? No good. Ever
It is wrong – and truth in advertising (which is what the menu is doing) is governed by the ACCC. You could make a complaint to them.
A small (theoretical) victory for chickens because I was too cowardly to ask about eggs when I went out. Until now. Thanks for the reminder. Caged eggs suck hard.
Don’t be chicken to care for the chickens 😉
I understand your reaction.
It is perhaps a good time to mention that this is happening at all manner of places, not just this establishment. And not just eggs. “Free-Trade” goods as advertised, are not always what they proclaim to be, nor anything labelled as “Organic” – and I still wish someone would show me the Inorganic food, but that’s another story.
Even the criteria for what is marketed as “free range” is open to some serious suspicion, and you have to know that there are many more times the number of eggs sold as free range, than are produced.
More food for thought.
Phew – so much food for thought *decides only to ever eat at home although is aware that decision will only last till dinner time 🙁 *
Yes… except the labelling in the supermarket is not to be believed either.
Wish it weren’t so… 😉
markets for me. Nothing super at all
yep good on you. I for one can;t stand for establishments & professionals that blatantly lie.
As an aside, isn’t this the place that became famous for the “dodgy” dessert last year??
No, this is the Coogee Cafe, quite different from the Coogee Bay Hotel – but in my mind equally shonky.
I agree with you. They don’t have a right to lie to you. I have recently gone as organic as I can for most things, only by grass fed beef and organic chicken. I only buy eggs from chickens who are not caged or barned. I have issues with Pork after watching the Jamie Oliver pig special. Animals do not deserve the cruelty of humans in any way shape or form.
Good on you. And thanks for the comment
I’m fuming too now!!! This is the type of information that should leap from The Sharpest Pencil to the beast and the courier and beyond. They blatantly lied on their menu!!
And I know you wont go there! Thanks for the comment
Good on you for saying something to them. It is never easy to have a confrontation over anything, but maybe they will think twice in the future before claiming the eggs are from happy chickens when in fact they are from the saddest little chickens everywhere.
I can’t stand cage practices either for eggs. I have noticed in my local woolies that there are many more varieties of free range and organic eggs now than there used to be and I was even able to buy a bulk tray of them the other day so I think slowly the message is getting through.
Thank you for the comment – consumer power speaks volumes
Some info on ‘free range’ eggs
http://www.choice.com.au/Reviews-and-Tests/Food-and-Health/Food-and-drink/Organic-and-free-range/Free-range-eggs/Page/Introduction.aspx
thanks so much for that.
Choice may also want to update their information though (that was from June 2008) . One hopes that SOME strides have been made since then
I bloody well hope so.
Yup! With you wholeheartedly! Present it for what it is! Don’t pretend they’re free range or organic when it’s not! I guess this is MY biggest gripe as a student! I too often have to think with my hip pocket. And the problem here being is: it’s fine if I am purchasing something that IS what it SAYS IT IS! But when you read things like this, where they have blatantly LIED about what you are purchasing that it makes me SICK! Thank-you, Lana! xxxx
Put your student money to cruelty free food. I will subsidise it… (if I could) 🙂
Arrrrrrrgh! May Coogee Cafe (and the lying, stroppy waitress) regret their decision to stock & serve eggs from caged chickens. Letter to the Editor in progress?
Abso-bloody-lutely xx
WELL DONE LANA!
a victory for chickens!
I would NEVER buy caged eggs or intensively farmed meat.
Good to hear. Thought nothing less with a screen name like yours. All the good things
That is a seriously bad experience – will make you question everything you order in future. Good On You Mrs Pencil! I would rather go without than support that industry. ox
Thank you Mrs Woog, for supporting the hens. And me!
I agree you shouldn’t be misled yet am sure so many places the advertise organic buy the cheaper home brand option, I however would like to only eat free range eggs but who can afford nearly $5 for a dozen at the rate my kids eat them? I buy a dozen caged homebrand for around $2 or just over! I am sure there are many families like mine that just cannot afford the free range option when they taste the same anyway and my kids don’t bat an eyelid either way!! Hopefully one day the price will come down & we can all buy them & put an end to caged eggs!
Thanks for the comment. You know they don’t taste the same – they really don’t.
I understand what you say about the price but I still find it very hard to condone cruelty to the hens. But I guess the moral of my story is all about the choice – I paid for a free range egg and got a caged one. My wallet and my conscience were insulted.
Are you sure about all that !!!!I know for a fact that the place in question uses the best produce and ORGANIC eggs for all egg meals ………..
As sure as I can read the words caged eggs. I know for a fact because I saw them
and maybe just maybe you could be responding on their behalf (because I have offered them a chance to respond) and your choice of the words “egg meals” makes me think that just maybe Coogee Cafe believe it is okay to used caged eggs in “other meals”. Maybe? but they should not say they use organic eggs on their menu
Dear Madam,
Thank you for the invitation to respond to your concerns about the sourcing of eggs at Coogee Café.
At Coogee Café we are proud of the quality of the service we provide our customers – from the food we serve to the hospitality we provide – something we feel the patronage of our loyal customers attests to. It is unfortunate when this quality is overshadowed, as can happen with any business from time to time, by a miscommunication or misunderstanding. While I genuinely regret that your recent visit with us did not meet your expectations, I would suggest that this is the result of an unfortunate – and innocent – misunderstanding, rather than any misfeasance on our part.
Your query regarding our eggs does raise an important issue. We recognise – and appreciate – the concerns many in the community share regarding the treatment of layer hens. Because we are appreciative of this, we have provided customers with the opportunity to enjoy free-range, organic eggs at Coogee Café for a number of years. These eggs, which are used in all the whole egg menu items served at Coogee Café (including all scrambled, poached and fried egg breakfasts and omelettes) are certified organic by our local supplier.
As with all cafes, however, we strive to achieve a balance between the most ethical sourcing of produce and sheer affordability. For this reason, and in line with industry practice, we do have need for eggs as a constituent ingredient in a small number of mixed preparations (pancakes, for example) and sauces (hollandaise and aioli) for which we use caged eggs. We make no contention – on our menus or elsewhere – that this is not the case.
Staff at Coogee Café are keenly aware that our whole-egg menu items use organic, free-range eggs but that some mixed preparations in which egg is only a constituent do not. I agree it is regrettable that this fact was not sufficiently clearly explained during your visit. I stress, however, that Coogee Café has never represented that it exclusively uses organic, free-range eggs for all its dishes.
We believe that our customers appreciate the quality of our service in providing organic, free-range eggs for all our whole-egg menu items. We also believe that our customers understand – and are satisfied – the fact that the eggs we use for mixed preparations such as sauces may not be organic and that ultimately, should a customer wish to know the exact nature of the eggs in a particular mixed preparation or sauce, all they need to do is enquire.
I trust this serves to resolve your concerns.
Coogee Cafe
Thank you so much for your response. I appreciate the time you have taken to answer.
Obviously I would be far happier if you did not use caged eggs at all. It’s all about quality. And karma.
And because I am anal, I would think that the line in your menu that says something along the lines of “we use organic eggs” should be omitted (or justified) because when I see that a place states that they use organic eggs I believe they DON’T use caged eggs. But that could just be me.
Thanks again for your response
This is so totally immature and irrelevant of me, but I got the giggles when Mrs Woog called you “Mrs Pencil”.
I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
*backs out slowly*
Come right back – we need some giggles in the pencil case
I eat meat, but I am VERY VERY fussy where I source it from. I never ever ever buy chicken that I’m not 100000% sure it’s free range, and I never ever ever buy cage eggs. Until recently, we had our own chooks, and so I never even had to buy eggs. We had half a dozen fresh eggs every single morning. Now, I do buy them, but I go down to the egg farm just south of here and buy 2 doz at a time – costs me $8 – well worth it. Beef & lamb – only from reputable butchers who can tell me about where the produce came from, and I tend to stay away from pork for my own personal reasons…
And that, MissBenBen, is one of the many reasons I admire you!
well done girl for standing up to them.. why on earth would they bother with caged eggs, while selling free range on the whole egg menu beats me.. why, to save only a few dollars? sorry, but the saving arnt that substantial..
thanks for the warning, i refuse to eat caged eggs, and ill never eat in a place that uses them.
you and me both! 🙂
Hi Lana,
This is my first time to your site and I have to say I’m a big fan already!
I’m vego too, however my husband is not and we go to extraordinary lengths to ensure every egg & meat product we bring into our house is free range.
The true free range farmers work extremely hard to provide their product and it enrages me when others mislead people (and charge them extra!) to consume products that are labelled but not in fact free range.
Our pigs, chickens, cows, ducks, sheep and other animals deserve much better from us.
Looking forward to reading more of your stuff on here. 🙂
Thanks so much Serena! Glad to have you on board xx
I’ve been on the organic/free range bandwagon for 10 years and have watched slowly how the prices have gone from cheap (few sellers and customers at local markets) to expensive because there is now a huge market.
We the customers of certified organic food are use to paying a little more for our food because it is our way of life. We don’t cheat!
Been lied to about the food you choose to eat, believing the eggs to be organic is having someone else cheat on you.
I totally understand your outrage.
BTW I am a single mum on a strict budget and still manage to buy all organic food.
Thank you for your comment. And your commitment to free range farming!
Gah! Wow! I’m not a vegetarian, but I truly respect your ability to be one. As a Buddhist, I sincerely hope that one day I can join you, but for now I simply do not have what it takes, so all praise to you. I do, as you say, make every effort to ensure that the meat & animal products I eat are treated as humanely as possible.
This issue of having a token level of organic content however is something that really irritates me and while yes, I think its great to make “some” effort, I think businesses need to be aware that consumers are wising up to the concept of green-washing and what realistically amounts to misleading their customers.
I can’t by any stretch of the imagination comprehend why if the Cafe has made the choice to use free range organic eggs in one product, why it is still ok to use eggs from caged birds in another. I certainly don’t buy price as being a factor.
If I go to a restaurant, cafe or otherwise and see the claim “organic eggs” I assume that ALL eggs they use are organic & free range. Not just the eggs worthy of the breakfast menu.
I can do naught but sit here and shake my head in bewilderment. You’re either making a conscious choice to end cruelty to animals – or you’re not. Don’t use it as a marketing tool, because clearly it will come back to bite you on the bum.
I hope people can still respond to this post- I have an egg dilemma!! What would you do?
My MIL bakes for people privately on order.
She uses 100’s off eggs. Caged ones. In our house we only buy free range or barn laid. Definitely NEVER ones which say ‘cage eggs’ on the box.
However, the people that buy from the MIL are ususally older, without any environmental conscience it seems, and do not wish to pay for anything costlier. She has little choice but to give her customers what they want. To add to this, she often uses egg whites only! As that is what is called for in many recipes- meringes, etc. With too many leftover to use, these egg yolks simply get thrown out or offered to me. This has bothered me a long time, but I have no idea what to do, if anything, about it. Any suggestions?? Anyone??
correction: ‘of’ eggs, not ‘off’ eggs!!!
such a hard one Twitchy. Can she buy some chickens?
I know I am prepared to pay more to try and stop this abuse of animals but I fully understand that not everybody is in that position..and I know that I am very fortunate
You know what else bothers me? There is nowhere that I have found where I can buy free range meringues!! I have had to learn to make them myself. Not a pretty sight