For omelets select large eggs, allowing one egg for each person, and one tablespoon liquid for each egg. Keep an omelet pan especially for omelets, and see that it is kept clean and smooth. A frying-pan may be used in place of omelet pan.

Plain Omelet

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

Few grains pepper

4 tablespoons hot water

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups Thin White Sauce

Separate yolks from whites. To yolks add salt, pepper, and hot water and beat until thick and lemon-colored. Beat whites until stiff, cutting and folding them into first mixture until they have taken up mixture. Heat omelet pan, and butter sides and bottom. Turn in mixture, spread evenly, place on range where it will cook slowly, occasionally turning the pan that omelet may brown evenly. When well "puffed" and delicately browned underneath, place pan on centre grate of oven to finish cooking the top. The omelet is cooked if it is firm to the touch when pressed by the finger. If it clings to the finger like the beaten white of egg, it needs longer cooking. Fold, and turn on hot platter, and pour around one and one-half cups Thin White Sauce.

Milk is sometimes used in place of hot water, but hot water makes a more tender omelet. A few grains baking powder are used by some cooks to hold up an omelet.

To Fold And Turn An Omelet

Hold an omelet pan by handle with the left hand. With a case knife make two one-half inch incisions opposite each other at right angles to handle. Place knife under the part of omelet nearest handle, tip pan to nearly a vertical position; by carefully coaxing the omelet with knife, it will fold and turn without breaking.

Omelet With Meat Or Vegetables

Mix and cook Plain Omelet. Fold in remnants of finely chopped cooked chicken, veal, or ham. Remnants of fish may be flaked and added to White Sauce.; or cooked peas, asparagus, or cauliflower may be added.

Oyster Omelet

Mix and cook Plain Omelet. Fold in one pint oysters, parboiled, drained from their liquor, and cut in halves. Turn on platter, and pour around Thin White Sauce.

Orange Omelet

3 eggs

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Few grains salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 oranges

1/2 tablespoon butter

2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

Follow directions for Plain Omelet. Remove skin from oranges and cut in slices, lengthwise. Fold in one-third of the slices of orange, well sprinkled with powdered sugar; put remaining slices around omelet, and sprinkle with sugar.

Jelly Omelet

Mix and cook Plain Omelet, omitting pepper and one-half the salt, and adding one tablespoon sugar. Spread before folding with jam, jelly, or marmalade. Fold, turn, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bread Omelet

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup stale bread crumbs

3/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon butter

Soak bread crumbs fifteen minutes in milk, add beaten yolks and seasonings, fold in whites. Cook and serve as Plain Omelet.