Omelet

Like many physical feats, making an omelet is all in the wrists. Or almost. In addition to the snap that makes the omelet slide, it helps to have a nonstick pan. Rubbing that pan with olive oil allows you to bring the surface to a higher heat than with butter alone.

Omelets are like ice cream in that they provide a basic texture that can merge with a very wide spectrum of flavors. The New York omelet restaurant Mme. Romaine de Lyon offered more than five hundred varieties. There is