Julia Child Makes the Perfect French Omelet Vintage Video

"It's flat, and it's French."

I was in Paris last week, and while I was there my husband and I went to a posh tea room and had a real French omelet. It was as different from American omelets as you can imagine: Where American omelets are stuffed with fillings, this one had only a thin layer of cheese and elegantly diced mushrooms. Where American omelets are dry and lacy, this one was smooth as the outside of a balloon. When cut open, the smooth skin split open to reveal a delicate interior spilling out with golden, barely coagulated eggs. It was heavenly.

So now of course I have to try to recreate this omelet, and where else to start but with Julia Child? Her enthusiasm is bracing, and her expertise is reassuring. I plan on watching this a few times, then attempting one myself.

Have you ever made a perfect French omelet?

Comments (12)

Yes. I did what you're planning to do--watched Julia quite a few times, and then tried it. I am a late-blooming fan of hers, and that's the episode that did it. I made eggs that way for quite a few years.

Now, if I use the omelette pan that I was using then, I make omelettes that French way. More usually I use a cast-iron skillet, which is much more difficult to lift, and I put way too many additions, so I give up and use a spoon or a spatula, and, voilá! an American omelette.

I have also made that omelette gateau (sp?) that she talks about later--heart attack on a plate--and it's delicious.

omg, she had an electric range!

I just realized, Julia is using an electric range! I've always been taught that is a mortal sin. Sacre bleu!

If you read the omelette recipe in MtAoFC, it's surprisingly sexy-sounding!

I've eaten a lot of French omelettes in my broke life--it makes eggs for dinner feel more like a treat than you'd think.

Last year, for a podcast I did then, I made a little video myself about how to make an omelette: http://bit.ly/aldPEi. (I was probably unnecessarily harsh on the Amateur Gourmet, but it made me sad to see the poor omelette made into something difficult _and_ unappetizing!)

Yes and actually my husband is a pro. You just have to take the plunge. Watch the video a couple of times and go for it. My husband said the part he didn't realize until he cooked it was that you only jerk the pan in one direction (not back and forth) when you want it to fold itself over.

A couple of months after his first attempt at this, Cook's Illustrated had an article about their version of a French omelet. My husband scoffed and vowed to only go by the Julia method.

Ahhh yes, I love showing this video to people when they talk about omelette problems (which happens more often than you'd imagine).

The clip where she talks about the different types of chickens is equally wonderful.

I read that Cook's Illustrated article (long after I was converted to the Julia method)--they recommend using a paper towel! (For what, I can't remember.) It seemed totally silly.

Is this the one where she flipped it onto the stove top and then plonked it back into the pan? Just wondering.....