15,000 eggs smashed for France's giant Easter omelette
In time-honoured tradition 10,000 locals turned out in a village in south western France on Monday to get a taste of the annual giant Easter omelette.
Just like every Easter Monday for the last 43 years, 15,000 eggs were cracked in the village of Bessières, in the Haute-Garonne département.
It took 50 volunteers around one hour and a half to break all the eggs in preparation for the cooking. They then added several kilos of duck fat and a fair amount of salt, pepper and the local piment d’Espelette pepper to the giant pot, which measured some four metres in diameter.
As usual, cooking time was between 30 to 40 minutes – slightly longer than your average omelette, which is understandable given the size.
Then the omelette was distributed to the thousands who had turned up to witness the spectacle although there apparently wasn't enough for seconds.
15000 oeufs pour une omelette géante à #Bessières https://t.co/wuOKNGdWOo pic.twitter.com/nxy9u0EXWj
— La Dépêche du Midi (@ladepechedumidi) March 28, 2016
Insolite | 15 000 oeufs pour une omelette géante dans le sud de la France https://t.co/pOdlRDHQ52 pic.twitter.com/cOos6bPAly
— Le Progrès (@Le_Progres) March 28, 2016
L'omelette géante de #Bessieres c'est parti ! 15.000 oeufs et 50kg de graisse de canard ! #Paques pic.twitter.com/u1Z6ZqvsVH
— France Bleu Toulouse (@Bleu_Toulouse) March 28, 2016
VIDEO - Bessières : on casse 15.000 œufs pour l’omelette géante de Pâques! https://t.co/lbByuRm6TB
— sirin peccable (@sirinpeccable) March 28, 2016
Omelette géante avec la famille pic.twitter.com/Cut0SI6DfD
— elodie oustrieres (@elocle) March 28, 2016
The event dates back to 1973 when the town's shopkeepers decided to create the "Brotherhood of the omelette". The brotherhood, which is tasked with ensuring the tradition lives on, grows every year.
Former Irish rugby player Trevor Brennan, who lives locally, was made a "knight of the omelette brotherhood" at this year's event.
Although according to legend the tradition is believed to be in recognition of when Napoleon Bonaparte and his army once spent the night near the town.
After eating (and evidently very much enjoying) an omelette made by a local innkeeper, Napoleon ordered the townspeople to gather all the eggs in the village to make a gigantic omelette for his army to eat the next day.
Comments
See Also
Just like every Easter Monday for the last 43 years, 15,000 eggs were cracked in the village of Bessières, in the Haute-Garonne département.
It took 50 volunteers around one hour and a half to break all the eggs in preparation for the cooking. They then added several kilos of duck fat and a fair amount of salt, pepper and the local piment d’Espelette pepper to the giant pot, which measured some four metres in diameter.
As usual, cooking time was between 30 to 40 minutes – slightly longer than your average omelette, which is understandable given the size.
Then the omelette was distributed to the thousands who had turned up to witness the spectacle although there apparently wasn't enough for seconds.
15000 oeufs pour une omelette géante à #Bessières https://t.co/wuOKNGdWOo pic.twitter.com/nxy9u0EXWj
— La Dépêche du Midi (@ladepechedumidi) March 28, 2016
Insolite | 15 000 oeufs pour une omelette géante dans le sud de la France https://t.co/pOdlRDHQ52 pic.twitter.com/cOos6bPAly
— Le Progrès (@Le_Progres) March 28, 2016
L'omelette géante de #Bessieres c'est parti ! 15.000 oeufs et 50kg de graisse de canard ! #Paques pic.twitter.com/u1Z6ZqvsVH
— France Bleu Toulouse (@Bleu_Toulouse) March 28, 2016
VIDEO - Bessières : on casse 15.000 œufs pour l’omelette géante de Pâques! https://t.co/lbByuRm6TB
— sirin peccable (@sirinpeccable) March 28, 2016
Omelette géante avec la famille pic.twitter.com/Cut0SI6DfD
— elodie oustrieres (@elocle) March 28, 2016
The event dates back to 1973 when the town's shopkeepers decided to create the "Brotherhood of the omelette". The brotherhood, which is tasked with ensuring the tradition lives on, grows every year.
Former Irish rugby player Trevor Brennan, who lives locally, was made a "knight of the omelette brotherhood" at this year's event.
Although according to legend the tradition is believed to be in recognition of when Napoleon Bonaparte and his army once spent the night near the town.
After eating (and evidently very much enjoying) an omelette made by a local innkeeper, Napoleon ordered the townspeople to gather all the eggs in the village to make a gigantic omelette for his army to eat the next day.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.