Omletes and the simple life

This has been a week with no shortage of stupid moments, only some of them caused by me. Waiting for cars in those lounges of old car magazines and candy dispensers, frantic calls from old employers wanting me back because they are in a crisis, a sore tongue from biting it instead of saying "well you should have appreciated me more when I worked for you."

Enough of this.

I need some major sewing time this weekend and for everything to be simple, simple, simple.

That started with my kick-off irresponsibility lunch.

I decided to make an omelet because it was fast. I don't really make very good omelets and have always wished I could because it is a very 50's fast dinner and I am very 50's myself in everything that matters.

I am also reading Julia's Kitchen Wisdom in the bath at night. I borrowed it from the library and basically it is all her handy hints and her totally easiest, survival mode recipes. I followed her this noon hour and made a perfect omelet, a life time first. There were new ideas in Julia's advice and so I decided to share:

1. Basic recipe: 2-3 eggs, 1 tablespoon of water, salt and pepper. A tablespoon of butter in the pan.

2. A large nonstick pan. A small pan keeps the eggs too thick to cook evenly.

3. Highest heat and she says it should only take less than half a minute to cook an omelet and she's right. The high heat was new to me.

OK, this IMO is what made it work. You jerk the pan around pretty roughly which she describes in great detail. I found talking loudly in a Julia voice helped me do this.

1. Heat the pan at high until the point where the butter is about to go brown.

2. Pour in the eggs and rotate that big pan around so it coats the whole pan.

3. Start jerking that pan around, pulling it towards you and pushing it away, wildly. Rotate it around too. Get crazy.

4. When it is almost set (really this happens fast if your pan is big enough) hit the handle of the pan hard with a fist. Julia says this will cause the omelet to detach from the pan and she is right. No egg lifters or spatulas involved in this violent method.

5. Tip the pan and a plate towards each other and slide the omelet onto the plate.

It will look like it is supposed to.