The Flipside

To every story, there is a back story. To every buttered side of the bread, there is a plain side that never is the end that lands on the floor. To every joke there is a punch line. To every side, there is a flipside.

In honor of my #1 celebrity kitchen crush, Julia Child, I’ll be making some omelets this weekend. She was the master of the easy-to-make rolled omelet, which you can make start-to-finish in about 5 minutes including prep time. However, she also had a pretty nice pan flip, too.

When I first saw her do a pan flip, I have to admit that it was in the movie “Julie and Julia” starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Then it was off to YouTube to see old episodes of “The French Chef” for more research. It seems it was all in how you gripped the pan and gave a little flick.

Side story: My sister is an amazing volleyball player and she can serve a wicked ace. It looks like she merely flicks her wrist and WHAM! You’ve just been served…

Now back to Julia and the flipped omelet, which is pretty cool to watch, which you can find here.  Note, this clip shows both Meryl Streep as Julia Child and the real Julia Child flipping eggs with finesse and a little humor. I love them both!

It only took me four tries and about a dozen eggs to get the flipped eggs to land back in the pan without splattering my stovetop with egg bits. It really is all in the grip and flick.

How to flip eggs in a pan:

What you’ll need:

2 eggs whipped in a bowl with a tablespoon of water or milk

8-inch frying pan with a sturdy handle

Butter or cooking spray

Get the frying pan hot and put in a half tablespoon of butter or coat the pan with cooking spray. Once the butter starts to bubble and just before it starts to brown up, put the eggs in the pan. This will cook them quickly, so feel free to give the pan a few good firm, but small shakes to keep the eggs moving and cooking evenly. If you are adding anything to your eggs, now would be the time to do that.

When the bottom looks firm (it’ll all move together instead of breaking apart when you shake the pan), lift the pan by the handle with one hand and raise it a few inches above the stove top. I am right-handed, so I used my right hand. You way want to use two hands if this is your first try.

Once you’ve got a good grip, you’re going to need quick movement with a good bit of confidence. You should make a jerking motion that shoves the pan up and away from your body. Don’t do it too fast or too far that your eggs have no chance of making it back in the pan. I like to flip the eggs up the side of the pan and then move the pan under them to catch it. It’s not always a full flip, but that’s OK. If you cover it with a little salsa and put cheese in the middle (serving suggestion), no one will know!

When the egg is cooked on both sides, I turn off the oven, bring my plate near and then slide one half of the egg out of the pan. I grab some shredded cheese and put in the middle along with a little onion or mushrooms. Then I slide the other half of the eggs out of the pan and fold it over the cheese. Top it with a little salsa and it is delicious! Eggs can be dressed up or left alone. Anyway you make them is delicious!

For breakfast or dinner, eggs are a great source of protein and vitamin D. “The protein in eggs is the highest-quality protein found in any food.” (www.incredibleegg.org) Plus, they are easy to make and easy to make it look like you’re a fancy chef!

Give it a try and let me know how many times it took you to flip an omelet in the comments section.