Rex Stout Omelet
I just finished reading the Rex Stout Nero Wolfe murder mystery Plot it Yourself, which I would not recommend, since it’s the only Stout novel I’ve read so far where I guessed (correctly!) the murderer from the first chapter. However, Wolfe is totally flummoxed by this incompetent criminal, so much so that he gives up meat and beer, and his private cook, Fritz, must find other, creative ways to feed him:
Archie (Watson-style narrator) relating his conversation with Fritz (cook): “For Wolfe he was going to make a special omelet which he had just invented in his head, and would that do for me or should he broil some ham? I asked what would be in the omelet, and he said four eggs, salt, pepper, one tablespoon tarragon butter, two tablespoons cream, two tablespoons dry white wine, one-half teaspoon minced shallots, one third cup whole almonds, and twenty fresh mushrooms. I thought that would do for two, but he said my God, no, that would be for Mr. Wolfe, and did I want one like it? I did. He warned me that he might decide at the last minute to fold some apricot jam in, and I said I would risk it.”
So there you have it: mushroom-almond-cream-booze omelet with shallots and jam.
