An oeuf is an oeuf

The Easter Omelette, or ‘Omelette Pascale’ is more than just a recipe in Catalonia – it’s a whole tradition!

PRONUNCIATION
Un oeuf (singular) – an uff
Des oeufs (plural) – des uh

According to legend, Napoleon Bonaparte was travelling across southern France with his army, when he first tasted an omelette prepared for him at an inn near Bessières.

He was so impressed that he shelled out for a giant omelette to be made for his troops the very next day. What an eggstremely nice man! The large omelette was clearly more than an œuf!

Fact or fiction, the omelette de Pâques became a tradition to feed the poor at Easter.

Choirs would roam the streets in traditional Catalan costume, singing ‘goigs dels ous’ ( joy of the eggs), solemn Easter songs, and receive in exchange gifts of eggs, black pudding, charcuterie, wine – everything they needed to cook up a delicious Easter omelette the next day. In clement weather, they would create their giant omelette over a roaring fire out in the open air, often as part of a picnic or get together to symbolise friendship and fraternity.

To help you avoid ending up with egg on your face, here is some useful eggy vocabulary.

Blagues Bêtes
Deux oeufs sont  en train de cuire dans une poêle. L’un dit à l’autre : “tu ne trouves pas qu’il fait un peu chaud ici?”  L’autre se met à hurler : “Aaaaaah ! Un œuf qui parle !

L’éternelle question…
Dans la salle d’attente d’un vétérinaire, deux fauteuils sont respectivement occupés par une poule et par un œuf. Le vétérinaire passe la tête par la porte et demande:
Lequel de vous deux est arrivé le premier ?