# In the 24th Century, Do They Know What an Omelet Is? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [November 13, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485 "2020-11-13T02:48:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/41 "2020-11-13T19:47:47Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Someone said, but phasers cannot be used onboard a Star Fleet ship, so someone else proved that these could, by suddenly pointing one at a large kettle and firing it. I remember that scene as well. IIRC, it wasn’t that phasers wouldn’t work, but that it would set off some kind of security alarm if someone fired one off on board. That doesn’t explain any phaser-based coffee-warming not setting off the alarm, but maybe _Enterprise_’s internal security system was upgraded at some point between “The Corbomite Maneuver” and _Star Trek VI_. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/42 "2020-11-13T20:44:56Z")
Here’s the scene in question. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/l_a2GN0Ix4o/maxresdefault.jpg "Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (2/8) Movie CLIP - He's Planning His Escape (1991) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_a2GN0Ix4o) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/43 "2020-11-13T20:51:03Z")
Now I’m wondering why there are phasers stored in the ship’s galley. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/44 "2020-11-13T20:54:34Z")
Jesus, how I hate those marching band uniforms. Yeccch! 🤮 No one can fire an unauthorized phaser aboard a Starfleet vessel, but there just happens to be a chest full of them on the wall of the galley? Niiiiiiiice! Everybody knows capturing the galley has top priority for any enemy boarding party, right after the Bridge, Engineering, and Auxiliary Control. 🥺 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/45 "2020-11-13T21:03:08Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Now I’m wondering why there are phasers stored in the ship’s galley. I’ll bet that’s no galley. It’s way too small to feed the entire ship. It might be a “hobby room” much like an art studio or a metal shop. Phasers would be there for immediate access rather than a central arms room. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/46 "2020-11-13T21:03:56Z")
I scramble/beat my eggs, pour them into pan, then add cheese, etc. Once mostly done, I flip half over. So, there is scrambling done, but not once in pan. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/47 "2020-11-13T21:04:25Z")
IIRC, Robert Picardo (hologram doc from Voyager) said that the most important quality for casting Star Trek actors is that their butt looks good in spandex. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/48 "2020-11-13T21:05:32Z")
“Kitchenette,” then. Even more important for a boarding party to capture the ship’s kitchenette! 👹 ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/49 "2020-11-13T21:37:47Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > So Riker is The Assman?!? 😮🤨 I thought he was the Walrus. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/50 "2020-11-13T22:34:45Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > That doesn’t explain any phaser-based coffee-warming not setting off the alarm, but maybe _Enterprise_ ’s internal security system was upgraded at some point between “The Corbomite Maneuver” and _Star Trek VI_ Starfleet learned _some_ things from the early missions, such as that maybe you want to know if weapons are being fired inside the pressure hull, just so you can seal off anyone trying to take over. (And I suppose it just happens that the quick-access phaser storage for that section of that deck is in the auxiliary galley; in another it may be in a conference room and in another it may be in the heads. I do hope they are also smart-chipped to only fire if someone authorized is holding them.) BTW in TOS they _did_ show a few times that the phasers had more settings between “stun” and “completely vaporize”. But I never saw the one for “vaporize only the metal outside, leave contents intact”. Those are some fine tuned weapons! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/51 "2020-11-13T22:39:39Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > BTW in TOS they _did_ show a few times that the phasers had more settings between “stun” and “completely vaporize”. But I never saw the one for “vaporize only the metal outside, leave contents intact”. Those are some fine tuned weapons! - That would be the “script” setting. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/52 "2020-11-13T22:44:21Z")
Also, considering that depending on your timeline there have been a few global catastrophes along the way, it is conceivable the knowledge of the omelet as a distinct thing has been lost, as was the knowledge of surge breakers and seatbelts. > [@running\_coach](#): > > That would be the “script” setting. Star Trek technology design is based on the principle of WY **W** IWYG - What You _Want_ Is What You Get. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/53 "2020-11-13T23:15:39Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Here’s the scene in question. An early indication of just how batshit crazy Lt. Valeris really was. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/54 "2020-11-14T01:35:51Z")
If they let Reg Barclay roam around the ship unattended, anything is possible. 🥺 ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/55 "2020-11-14T01:37:02Z")
My link didn’t work, but there are obvious visual differences between an omelet and scrambled eggs. How people in the 21st century confuse the two is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/56 "2020-11-14T02:25:31Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Now I’m wondering why there are phasers stored in the ship’s galley. In case the pilot lights for the burners go out? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/57 "2020-11-14T06:26:56Z")
Can I ask a side question? Ok, they gave us six epis of Discovery. In the third the protagonist is being blamed for causing the deaths of 8000 Federation crews. Huh? How? Her clever plan to _do a Vulcan_ didnt work. How did the protagonist cause the war? And boy the stupid. They beam on board the Klingon ship- with a whole team of security, armed with the high powered phaser rifles? Nope, just the two of them, with pistols. Then later, they board that derelicts- again, pistols, not rifles. But they have them, they were seen. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/58 "2020-11-16T17:04:49Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > BTW in TOS they _did_ show a few times that the phasers had more settings between “stun” and “completely vaporize”. But I never saw the one for “vaporize only the metal outside, leave contents intact”. Those are some fine tuned weapons! This makes me wonder what happens if they use this on a person. Would it only vaporize their skin, leaving their innards to just flop to the floor? That reminds me of the transporter in Galaxy Quest! Seems like a lot of potential cleanup for the galley so I’m surprised the head chef doesn’t have a “If you use it, you mop it!” sign on the box. On the other hand, maybe vaporizing the pots and pans is how they manage dirty dishes. Does the Enterprise employ dish washers? ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/59 "2020-11-16T17:19:43Z")
I looked up the original scene in question on Youtube and the title is “Commander Riker makes Scrambled Eggs”. And you’re right, these are very clearly scrambled eggs and despite his claim to being an artist, they’re dry and overcooked. Yuck! Granted, they’re alien eggs so maybe they were perfectly prepared for that style. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1C-i7J9ZLuM/hqdefault.jpg "Commander Riker Makes Scrambled Eggs") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C-i7J9ZLuM) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485/60 "2020-11-16T18:55:18Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > This makes me wonder what happens if they use this on a person. Would it only vaporize their skin, leaving their innards to just flop to the floor? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKCtqoDPUBo&t=0m30s) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-24th-century-do-they-know-what-an-omelet-is/925485.md?page=4)