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For the conventional fines-herbes omelet:
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Mix the eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs together in a bowl.
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Melt the butter in the omelet pan.
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When the butter is hot and the foaming has subsided, pour the egg-herb mixture into the center of the pan, and cook it over medium heat for 10 to 15 seconds, allowing the eggs to set and curl at the edges.
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Then, with the tines of your fork, stir the eggs, so the runny part flows into the areas between the set curds.
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Repeat this process a few times.
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When most of the eggs are set but they are still slightly liquid in the center, the omelet is ready.
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Using a fork or a thin spatula, fold the omelet in half in the pan.
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You will notice that the underside will have a nice brown color, as opposed to the classic omelet, which has a pale-yellow exterior.
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Invert the omelet onto a plate, and serve it immediately.
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For the classic fines-herbes omelet:
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Using a fork, beat the eggs with the salt, pepper, and herbs in a bowl until well mixed.
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(When you lift the fork, pieces of egg white should no longer separate from the yolk; the egg should be well homogenized.)
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Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
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When it is foaming, add the eggs.
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Holding your fork flat, so the prongs are parallel to the bottom of the pan, stir the eggs as quickly as you can with one hand while shaking the pan back and forth with the other hand.
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Continue to shake and stir at the same time, so the eggs coagulate uniformly.
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When the eggs are lightly set throughout but still moist in the center, incline your pan forward so that most of the eggs gather at the far end of the pan as they continue to set.
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Now, while the eggs are still moist in the center, stop stirring.
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You will notice that, as the mass of eggs has moved toward the far end of the pan, it has thinned out around the edges at the near end.
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Using your fork, fold this near, thin edge in toward the center of the omelet, enclosing the thick, moist center.
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(If the mixture were left to set in one even layer covering the whole bottom of the pan, it would roll up like a jelly roll; thus the center would not be moist.)
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Press the fold into place, creating a rounded edge.
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Then run your fork between the edge of the pan and the far edge or lip of the omelet to loosen it.
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Using the palm of one hand, tap the pan handle gently where it joins the pan, to shake the omelet and make it twist and lift onto itself, so the far lip rises above the edge of the pan.
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Fold this lip back toward the center of the omelet, meeting and slightly overlapping the edge of the other lip.
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Press with the flat of the fork to shape the omelet into a point at each end.
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Holding your serving plate in one hand, bang the underside of the pan against the counter at the omelet end, so the omelet moves against the edge of the pan.
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Then invert the omelet onto a plate, and serve immediately.
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When cut, the omelet should be very moist, creamy, and wet in the center.
