Fines herbes

In his Culinary Guide, Escoffier insisted that:It is a mistake to serve, under the name Omelette aux fines herbes, an omelet in which chopped parsley furnishes the only aromatic note.

For in former times this was the traditional practice (la pratique ancienne), when "to the aforementioned herbs, chopped mushrooms, and even truffles, would be added.

For example, in his memoirs, the late Pierre Franey, former chef at Le Pavillon and long-time New York Times columnist, vividly recalled his trepidation when as a teenaged apprentice chef, he was ordered to prepare a simple "omelette aux fines herbes—three eggs, chervil, parsley, tarragon, chives—the first omelette I was assigned to prepare for paying guests, after a considerable amount of practicing on others."

[citation needed] In general, definitions of the fines herbes group in American cook books have tended to be somewhat elastic.

Beard identifies these four herbs—tarragon, chervil, dill, and basil—as, "the noblest of the salad herbs", noting parenthetically, however, that "some people like to use a little thyme or rosemary."