Poultry in France Is Regulated

I may have mentioned we had hens when I was growing up. I hated the brutes--their nips when you tried to take their eggs could hurt. That's probably why I've not written about poultry on this blog. But this bit in the Beauregard blog caught my eye (he's a Brit living in France teaching English) (he didn't bake something for his daughter to take to the convent for her pre-communion day of mediation):

Now, I have already written at length on the French and their skills as homebakers. This country might be the global gastronomic powerhouse, but French mums just can’t bake. Your bog standard cake stall at an British garden fete, beats the French effort hands down. This is also the country of strict hygiene controls. At a French school fete, you are allowed to bring along a cake bought in a supermarket, but woebetide you if you take along a home made effort, even if it is out of a packet. It’s all to do with the eggs. Powdered egg only. Anything made with real eggs is banned from the spheres of the school cake stall. This also explains why it is so difficult to get a plate of egg and chips in France. In all food outlets, only powdered egg is allowed. Which is why you can’t get an Egg MacMuffin in France.

I assume they've had problems with salmonella?