Tuesday, February 12, 2008

I Can Make an Omelette (Ok, no I can't)

After a particularly good meal at a restaurant, I like to try to recreate the recipe at home. As you can imagine, I'm often less than successful. But I keep trying.

In Florida, we had breakfast at a quaint beachside restaurant with an omelette bar. A very quiet, unassuming man would whip up an omelette with the fixin's of your choice, and he made it all look so effortless.

Those were the best omelettes I've ever had, probably due in no small part to two things - A) I didn't have to make them, and B) We were at a
beachside resort in Florida. ((sigh))

When I got home I decided I could make an effortless omelette too. Fluffy perfection.

Heat a pan, add a splash of oil. Saute some veggies, then pour in some beaten egg whites. Lift the edges and let the uncooked egg run underneath. Then flip the omelette into the air with a quick thrust of the pan. (Wait... probably best if I skip the mid-air omelette airshow...) Turn over the omelette, add the merest sprinkling of cheese, and fold in half. Serve with fresh fruit and a mimosa bloody mary jello shot glass of freshly-squeezed juice and a cappucino.

I'd watched the quiet, unassuming man make my omelette morning after blessed morning, and I had the system well-rehearsed.



Well, the pile-of-egg-rubble-that-was-my-omelette tasted fine, it just didn't, um, present so well. However did I go wrong? I did it exactly like the quiet, unassuming man from the quaint beachside restaurant!

Then Rob wandered in. Then he laughed at me. Then he told me I did it all wrong. And then, insult of all insults, he made this:


Smarty pants.

One-upper.

Know-it-all.


Um, darling? Will you share?

8 comments:

Stacie said...

So what is his secret to omelet-making?

Maria said...

Hey Laura! I was glad to see your post on my bloglines this a.m!

I hear ya on the omelet thing. My husband makes the.best.omelets. ever. He worked in a kitchen years ago...at any rate, mine look a lot like yours. Until recently I discovered the trick was patience and low heat. Getting them out of the pan never works that great for me either. That's where I really go wrong....but I keep telling myself that presentation is NOT everything. It is taste. Especially when you're really really hungry!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the laugh!

denise said...

Chunk 'o' butter, hot hot pan. THEN add the egg! :) Seals the outside and helps it hold together.

Looks VERY tasty though! :D

kalurah said...

I hate it when I get one-upped!
"I am the best! I am number one!
And don't you forget it, hubbie."
I do have to agree, that omelet looks yummy! :)

Beverly said...

Most restaurant food has more than a "splash" of oil. That's why it's so good.

ggang said...

I think his secret is in the distinct lack of broccoli. Yours looks healthier and in way yummier with all that cheese oozing over the top. I'd either one in millisecond. And the potatoes look heavenly. How DO you get them so delicately browned, dear???

piscesgrrl said...

Oh good, my potatos make up for my pathetic omelette then! I roast them. I've taken to roasting all my veggies these days, I just love the flavor that way and it's soooo easy!

Thanks for all the tips, folks! I WILL make the perfect omelette one of these days.