Ever heard of an egg-yolk omelet?

Cafe Society
41

I approve of this thread becoming a “how to easily make a kick-ass omelet” thread.

42

As the OP, I’m OK with that. My usual breakfast at home is a two-egg omelet. Lately, I’ve been adding a pinch of salt, four tablespoons of water and a teaspoon of corn starch to the eggs before beating them. I’m still not getting the classic fluffy omelet.

43

My favorite style of omelet is a French omelet, so no poofing, no browning, no stuffing with a shitload of ingredients. Never been a fan of omelets until I discovered those. It’s funny, because same ingredients in a classic Denver omelet served to me as an egg scramble, and I’m fine.

44

Personally, I’m more a fan of frittatas. A frittata is basically an omelet, except instead of having a folded egg with a filling, the filling is mixed throughout. It’s less messy to eat and each bite is more flavorful to me.

I still like omelets well enough though, and make them too.

45

I saw a clip once of one of the original celebrity chefs (alas, I can’t remember which one) making both styles of omelets, and while he didn’t make a secret of the fact that he considered the French style superior, he also made it clear that if he was going to make an American omelet, he would make the best damn American omelet he could, and if that was what the customer wanted, that’s what they’d get.

A real professional.

46

It’s rare I see actual French omelets on the menu anywhere. I have to go to a proper bistro or something like that. (Or make it at home which I am decent at, but not as good as someone who does it for a living, as French omelets can be a bit finicky.)

47

What’s the difference between a French and an American omelet?

48

Classic French omelet looks like this:

No browning, rolled into a cylinder-crescent type of shape. No or minimal filling. Usually sprinkled with chives, or with chives in the beaten eggs. Cooks in about 60 seconds on a pan. The texture is delicate and soft.

You can read more about it and for full technical info here.

And American omelet is generally bigger, cooked harder, browned on the outside, folded over with plenty of fillings on the inside. It typically has a more “cooked” texture, with a little crispness on the outside. Looks like this (classic Western/Denver Omelet):

49

Thanks. I guess I’ve been making American omelets all along. I think I tried a couple of time to make the French-type one but could never perfect the fluffy texture or the rolling.

50

Yep. The French ones are finicky to say the least. That’s why they are/were used as a skill test for French cooks. It’s not all that tricky to make a reasonable one after a few tries, but absolutely nailing it is more a matter of luck for me than skill.

51

Yes, I can remember them using this test on Top Chef at least twice.

52

He probably has people for that, and he probably shits all over them too.

53

I think it’s true of my eggplant allergy, too. I think I’m a little allergic to eggplant. If i eat it, my throat itches, and maybe sometimes even swells a little. So i avoid eggplant. But…i don’t think I’ve ever had a reaction to really thoroughly cooked eggplant. I think it’s just been to eggplant that still had some texture, like fried eggplant sticks.

Eggplant is pretty easy to avoid, and while i like the flavor well enough, i don’t love it. And “throat starts to swell” is a pretty scary reaction. So i haven’t experimented much. But… Yeah, I suspect I’m allergic to something that is destroyed by heat.

54

Was it this? Jacque Pepin prepares 2 omelettes. Though he said the American omelette is a country style French omelette, and he didn’t claim one was superior to the other. The French omelette certainly looks a lot harder - I tried following his video a few times, and it did not go well.

55

That wasn’t it-- In the one I saw, the chef included fillings in the American one (cheese, peppers, onions, etc.).

But it’s clear that French chefs take their eggs seriously.

56

We have hens, so I cook eggs every single day; if only the two dog eggs that are a training/treating/fun tradition.

My advice? Cooking eggs can be a sensual experience done gently and without rush. Also, poaching is under appreciated. Subscribe to my newsletter for more tips.

57

I love a poached egg but I’ve only ever done it successfully in the microwave. And I am sure it’s not nearly as good that way.

I’m a big fan of Eggs Benedict and you need a poached egg for a proper one.

58

OMG, The Coffee Pot in New Orleans (closed during COVID, RIP) made the finest Eggs Sardou.

59

That does look pretty good.

60

The Coffee Pot was such a cool place. The average waitress age was about 74. You had a Bloody Mary and coffee, and your waitress was a grandma, it was so relaxing. And they’re gone.