OMELET Beaten eggs cooked in a pan and rolled or folded. The ancient Romans supposedly made the first omelet and, because it was sweetened with honey, they called it ovemele (eggs and honey). Some insist this was the origin of the word omelet. Others maintain the word was derived from omelette (Fr.), meaning blade - describing the long flat shape of an omelet.

Whatever its origin, an omelet can hold or be topped with any food from caviar to leftover meatloaf. The list of filling and topping possibilities is endless, limited only by your imagination and the contents of your refrigerator. Omelets take different forms depending on how you cook them. Quick and easy (about a minute or two) on top of the range gives you the French or plain omelet. (Using the microwave adds the convenience of no-stir cooking.) Separately beat the egg yolks and whites and finish the omelet in an oven and you have a puffy or souffle omelet. Although you may have heard that omelets require special pans and Cordon Bleu skills, it just isn't so. Omelets are easy to make. Omelets cook so quickly that the filling should be selected and prepared before starting the eggs. —see Frittata, Omelet Fillings