What exactly is Western omelet?
This is a new day right after the one where Rachel's run away from her wedding. Now Rachel is making her first coffee ever and is super pumped about her newfound abilities. Joey is catching that vibe of hers and tries to take a little advantage of it.
Joey: If you feel like you have to make a Western omelet or something...
What is Western omelet? And is there anything extra to Joey's joke that I am maybe not getting?
My first guess was that the Western omelet Joey is referring to originates in Europe. You know, as in East is Asia, West is Europe. But after a bit of research I realized it was all my Euroasian continent upbringing speaking. Yes, even though Joey himself comes from an Italian family and technically can be more aware of the perspective from Eastern Hemisphere. But no, Joey is not referring to the Western omelet as in from Europe, he is a true a son of America.
In fact the Western omelet Joey refers to has also a second name and it is the Denver omelet. The dish consists of eggs, onions, green pepper, ham, butter. As for Denver, it is a big city of the US. And even though Denver is situated at the very center of the country, back in the day it was a part of what people used to call the West. Yes, you are picturing it correctly! I am talking to that exact West where it all used to be about cowboys' hats wearing, and horses taming, and making railroads under a lot of sun.
It is time to upgrade my question in the beginning of the post. Why would Joey ask Rachel to cook something as plain in taste as Western/Denver omelet? My guess is that Joey is just the kind of guy who would enjoy the type of movies called Westerns. And since this is the type of omelet they say Chinese railroad workers would cook for themselves and sell to the passing by cowboys, Joey might have taken a liking to it too. Just as a part of that special air.
Also it is said, that cowboys used to carry the Western omelet between to pieces of bread, which is essentially the egg sandwich. Later on the bread part was dropped from the recipe, but Western omelet. And still this would be the very first nod to Joey's obsession with a good sandwich.
And one more thing. There is a questionable yet sticky story that follows the Western omelet. A few websites related that pioneer women would supposedly add lots of onions to this particular omelet in order to hide the smell of rotten eggs. Well, when you live in a deserted land you got to make the best of all the bits of food. True or not, but it is also fitting to the larger joke that is playing out in FRIENDS scene here. Rachel's coffee that guys habe just drunk turns out to be horrible. And the next thing Joeys says after requesting that Western omelet:
Actually I am not that hungry.
Maybe Joey is afraid that the old tale is true and with Rachel's cooking expertise he would end up eating rotten eggs for breakfast today.
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Did I get this joke right? Share your takes in the comment section!
Katia
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