It’s not certain who first put ham, onion, and bell peppers in the Denver omelet. It may have adapted from a Chinese dish called egg foo young that railroad workers might have adapted with ingredients easily found in the West. But a plaque in downtown Denver claims the omelet was “developed to mask the stale flavor of eggs shipped by wagon freight.”
What’s not in question is that the omelet first appeared as the filling in the Denver sandwich. In 1907 at least two Denver restaurants and one hotel declared they invented it. Portable, tasty and packed with protein, the Denver sandwich was enjoyed by people from coast to coast, and became extremely popular. However, by 1980 more and more diners were choosing the dish with cheese, minus bread.
It’s hard to find a Denver sandwich on menus today, but the Denver omelet is still a low-carb favorite.
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.
