Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-03
Table
Kitchen.

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i Conducted by Ida Ames Willis.
! Marquette Building. Chicago. All
rights reserved by Banning Co., Chi
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oMELE15.
The seeming simplicity of a plain ONE
LET proyes a delusion and a snare to
MANY an experienced cook. Without
little practice it is the most difficult to
prepare of all the egg dishes. How
ever, omelet making is easily learned if
one can work quickly and deftly. The
chance of failure lies more in the cook
ing than the mixing of the omelet. 1t
must be just the right shape when done.
high in the middle, pointed at the
ends. The inside like smooth, tender
custard of the consistency of scrambled
eggs and the outside just the right
shade of delicate brown.
1t is useless to attempt to make an
omelet unless you have the first essen
tials. One of the first of these is pan
suitable for the purpose. This must be
kept clean and perfectly smooth and
not used for other cooking. The French
cook does not wash an omelet pam, but
rubs it clean and dry with soft cloth
after using, places it where 1t will re-
main perfectly clean, and wipes IT
again before using it. If it sticks or
they desire to give extra smoothness
they heat it and scour with dry salt or
clean it with salt and vinegar.
No more eggs should be made ready
for an omelet than can be cooked at
one time, small omelets containing
| three or four eggs are best and if the
size of the family requires it, better
make several small ones in preference
to one large one.
Eggs are better if not too fresh laid,
but they must not be the least stale.
If the omelet is fried, the butter in the
pan must be as hot as can be without
scorching or even browning. If the pan
Is too hot or butter burns, the color of
the omelet will not be bright, clear
brown and it will be less appetizing.
Both pan and butter must be evenly
heated, and there must be enough but
ter to run evenly over the bottom of
the pan.
AS soon as the egg mixture is turned
into the pan you must work quickly
and deity, making no false or useless
moves. Shake the pan a little to pre-
vent sticking, and as soon as eggs be-
Ii gin to set at side of the pan slip a
II flexible knife around the edge, gently
lift and press back from the sides, while
you tilt the pan just enough to let the
liquid part run from the top to bottom
and cook evenly. This must be done at
once before the eggs are set or the
cmelet will be rough and uneven and
more like scrambled egg than an ONE
let.
Omelets are too often spoiled by over
| cooking. AS soon as the soft part ceases
to run, but is still quite soft on top, the
pan should be placed at one side the
| fire and a flexible knife slipped under
the omelet to loosen from the pan, the
omelet then carefully folded over at the
center or rolled. Then the pan is taken
by the handle in left hand, the knife
holding the omelet in place, the pan is
| tilted over the center of a hot dish, the
knife quickly withdrawn and the ONE
let lies justin the right place and in good
shape. Garnish with parsley and serve
| at once. A plain omelet will not fall If
allowed to stand but becomes somewhat
| tough.
| the color is too pale. This may be
remedied by pouring a little hot butter
over and under the omelet and brown
ing quickly in a hot oven. But the
| omelet must not be too we'll cooked in
side, when this expedient is resorted to-
Baked or Beaten OmeIets.
These are more difficult to manage
than the plain. The yolks and whites
are beaten separately, the yolks until
| foamy and the whites to a stiff froth.
The seasoning and milk are added to
the yolks and the whites then lightly
| folded in and the mixture cooked imne-
| diately. Either well buttered tin or
an omelet pan is buttered on sides and
bottom and heated ON top of the stove
before the mixture is poured in; the
latter is spread evenly and lightly over
the pan and cooked on top of the stove
until very light crust is formed on the
bottom. 1t is then placed in the oven
and the eggs cooked through, but not
hard. 1t is then folded and turned out
on a hot dish according to directions
previously given.
| These omelets should be fluffy in the
center and fiaky throughout. Milk is
| uSeO 10 make an Omelet more tender.
They are firmer and more meaty made
without it.
| The various kinds of omelet derive
their names from the special kind of
filling or ingredients used to flavor
| them. These are mixed with the beat
en- egg yolks or put in the center of the
omelet just before At is folded. In the
latter case. whatever the material used
it should be hot, otherwise the omelet
may be heavy.
| Plain Omelet.
Beat three or four eggs together just
enough to blend the yolks and whites;
with the proper kind of stroke twelve
beats will be sufficient. To each egg
allow a tablespoonful of cold water.
If three eggs. allow a scant half tea
| spoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and
half teaspoonful of butter chopped
fine. Proceed according to directions
given for cooking plain omelet.
| Cream Omelet.
Beat the whites and yolks of three