A staple in many diners and breakfast restaurants in the United States is the omelet. These delightful egg dishes come in countless varieties, but the Western or Denver omelet is one of the most popular versions. Despite it being one of the go-to breakfast choices in the country, including North Carolina, there is a lot of confusion over the history and origin of the dish. Below is a simple breakdown of how the delicious Western omelet possibly came to be.

What’s in the Omelet

The dish consists of fluffy eggs folded over a mix of cheese, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, and ham. The meat and vegetables are diced into small pieces and added to the eggs and cheese. The result is a simple, yet flavorful, egg dish that people enjoy throughout the county. 

The Old Tale

According to some sources, the origins of the Western omelet go back as far as the pioneer days. Based on this tale, pioneer women in Colorado would cook with rotten eggs. They would add chopped ham, peppers, and onions to the eggs to mask the taste of the spoiled food. That story is so well-known, it is engraved on a Denver street on an official ground plaque. 

Unfortunately, this story can’t be accurate. Not only is it impossible to mask the taste of rotten eggs, but bell peppers also weren’t available during the pioneer era. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the first commercial production of bell peppers in the southern states didn’t occur until 1925. 

The Possible Origin Story

Historians believe there are more plausible explanations for the creation of the Western omelet. One hypothesis is that Chinese transcontinental railroad workers put scrambled eggs mixed with onions and ham in a sandwich to make it easier to eat. Eventually, the recipe became an omelet without bread. 

Another theory is that someone in San Francisco paired the omelet with sourdough bread. However, the bread was no longer included in the meal when it made its way to Denver. Finally, the Western omelet could be a stolen recipe for a Mexican omelet with the Denver or Western name. 

No matter the origins of the Western omelet, it’s a delicious, satisfying meal that you can sample at Biscuit King in High Point, NC. After 20 years, this restaurant continues to feature the best examples of American cuisine in all four of their locations. Famous for their freshly made buttermilk biscuits, this eatery offers a wide variety of foods to stuff inside their fluffy baked goods, including smoked sausage, country ham, and crispy chicken. They also serve enormous omelets, scrambles, and more on their all-day breakfast menu. Call (336) 991-5524 to place a pick-up order today or visit them online to view their menu.