Well, the day finally came, the start of the Giant Omelet Festival. This event is one we have looked forward to attending for quite some time.
It would be a long day as we arrived just before 10:00 a.m. to see Geno Delafose's band, a zydeco musician, who played from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We've always loved listening to Geno and his style of music.
Afterward we strolled over to see what was happening on the street blocked off for the giant omelet extravaganza. A bonfire built on the top of a large pile of sand was blazing in the center of the road. Soon a procession of the chefs and volunteers paraded in.
There were many volunteers in white shirts and ties while the chefs were all dressed in white, donning tall white hats. Another band started up, called the Fa Tras. They played Cajun music while many volunteers gathered around a long table in front of the band and begin cracking eggs into large bowls. They would be cracking 5,040 eggs to create the giant omelet. The first festival only used 5,000 eggs but it was decided to add one egg for each year of the festival. This is the 40th year thus 5,040 eggs. Meanwhile other tables lined one side of the street to cut massive loaves of French bread to serve with the eggs
And while I'm amazed that they crack this many eggs, there are other omelet festivals held around the world each year. Six other giant omelet festivals are held in France, Belgium, Argentina, New Caledonia and Quebec. The one in France at Bessières make a massive 15,000 egg omelet 3 times as many!!! Yikes!
The story about the origin of the festival is said to have started when Napoleon Bonaparte stopped off at an auberge (small hotel). After being served a fabulous omelet it is said that he returned the next day with his army and ordered the towns people to gather up all the eggs and prepare one large enough to feed them all. True or not, it is a colorful story.
While the eggs were being cracked by the Chevaliers (knights), identifiable by their tall toque hats, a large 12ft in diameter frying pan was being moved over the top of the bonfire by a forklift.
After the pan became hot enough sticks of butter were tossed into the pan. Next up were chopped onions and peppers along with parsley, then salt and pepper were added. Prior to the eggs a large amount of Louisiana Crawfish were added to the pan.
I should add there was also a small frying pan with young chefs in training tending to it as well. They would be making a much smaller omelet9 while learning to become future Chevaliers.
Lastly, the chevalier's poured in the large pots of beaten eggs to cheers from the crowd As the eggs began to cook in the pan, they were stirred with huge wooden paddles slowly in order to prevent the egg mixture from sticking or burning.
While all of this was taking place. Other volunteers began placing French bread slices on paper plates. Once the eggs were cooked, it was announced that the serving would begin. Thus the volunteers began serving the plates with a scoop of omelet, actually more of a scramble, and a slice of French bread.
Each and every person wanting a serving is served one. It didn't take long before the 12 ft diameter pan full of eggs was empty.
Sharon and I happily received a plate. We weren't expecting much but to our delight the scrambled eggs of onion, green pepper, and crawfish was pretty dang tasty!
As the cleanup began, the band continued to play and we hung around to the waning minutes before returning to Betty's RV Park for happy hour.
What a fun and Grand event it was. We highly recommend it to everyone passing through this area in the fall!
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