How to make the perfect plain omelette

Assemble your supplies. I like to use farmer's market eggs and organic butter. This walnut oil is also from a local producer who sells it at my local farmer's market, and is rich in flavor.

Chop a little butter into small pieces. You don't need a lot; maybe a teaspoon's worth or less. Some people use milk for this step, which is fine.

Rinse off the eggs.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add the butter, and, if you want, add herbs, cheese, or other ingredients. I sometimes add mushrooms (sliced thinly so they will cook with the eggs) and shredded cheese.

The scientific reason to add butter or milk is to help prevent long-chain proteins from forming and making the eggs tough. I add the butter in solid form, so that it melts as the omelette cooks.

Put a high quality pan (one that conducts heat well) over a medium flame. I've found through experimentation that this 8" pan works well with 2 or 3 eggs. Your mileage may vary.

This is a good time to push the toaster lever down if you're making toast to go with.

Return the pan tithe stove and cook a few minutes more until it's almost done to your liking. You can turn off the flame for the last 30 or 60 seconds so you don't overcook it.

I actually let this go just a little too long while I was photographing it.

Plate directly from the pan and eat right away. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Don't forget your toast. (Extra credit if it popped up just as you were finishing the eggs.) Or garnish with herbs and serve with Dijon mustard and a glass of wine for a French-style lunch.

Enjoy!