Submitted by D.B. Campbell
(Gail Jeanette Williams Campbell, 20 Jan 1930 – 15 Nov 2002)
In September 1968 I started Cupertino High School in the middle of what we now call Silicon Valley, California. If you remember your ancient Information Age history, the first Apple computer was built in 1975 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in a garage in Cupertino, CA.
We didn’t notice the clues back then but most all of our Dads worked at Memorex, ISS Systems, HP, Xerox, and the like. Back in those dark ages, when starting high school you were classified as “Track 1” (college bound) or “Track 2” (non-college bound) by the decisions of your parents, test scores, and the guidance counselors. Can you imagine the barbarity of actually having parents involved in deciding your future? But I digress…
The Campbell High School gang (L to R) Bruce, Cathy, Mike, and Sue. I went to school with these guys as a group for over 4 years. (Jr High and Highschool)
We were on a three term school year system. Driver’s Education class, which everyone was required to take before the end of your Junior year was only half a term which left a 1/2 hole in your term and a 1/3 hole in your school year. Pay attention now since there will be a test at the end. This caused consternation with the plans of Track 1 students since there was only so much time to get all the college bound ‘full year’ required classes done. Oh, the pressure and inhumanity of it all! I tell you about all this so you will understand the seriousness of the BIG Plan.
A month after starting High School I turned 15 and my Maternal Grandfather Lloyd Williams gave me his 1928 Model A Ford pickup. After finishing my Freshman year it was imperative for me to get Driver’s Ed done during the summer school session. I could then continue without school ‘holes’ and get my license as I turned 16 later in the Fall of ‘69. There were only so many slots and I lost the Driver’s Ed lotto receiving my back-up classes, chosen mostly as a joke, Cooking and Photography. No, I didn’t get a lawyer and sue since this was back in the world when life was just life and sometimes unfair. But, I digress…
Summer school was held at various high schools in the district and with mixed student bodies. Both these classes were given at Lynbrook High School three miles away by trusty Schwinn. Cooking class had 24 students of which I was the only guy and Lindy Bonetti, who I knew slightly, was the only other CHS student. How could I only ‘know of’ Lindy Bonetti? At that time CHS had a total enrollment of 2200 students and our graduation class of ‘72 had 700 in it. Of course Lindy and I teamed up to be a cooking group. Lindy and I became ‘just’ good friends. I learned there was a lot of science in cooking and we did the lab cooking thing twice a week.
Lindy did not attend one cooking day and a funny thing happened that was to set in motion a lifelong, never ending, and ultimately futile quest to understand women. 
As I gallantly soldiered on cooking alone making cream puffs, to my surprise there was a constant stream of friendly visits from various other girls leaving their cooking, “just to see how I was doing.” This had never happened before and I began to realize woman, at least high school girls, were complicated. Even though Lindy and I were obviously not a couple, if she was present I was ‘her property’ where the others were concerned. If Lindy was absent, I was fair game.
For one brief, glorious moment, I glimpsed the vast undercurrent of female interrelations that seems to go on above the heads or under the radar of mere dumb males.
As for the 1928 pickup; that was another epiphany in my young life. My Dad and I completed the short block overhaul on the Ford that summer and when the truck sat there idling in the front driveway; I was holding a coffee can full of leftover engine parts. I started driving it that summer putting a couple thousand miles on that beauty before I ever turned 16. It was too noticeable and conspicuous for anyone to ever question if I even had a license.
Oh, about my Mom’s omelet recipe; I cooked that as my final exam sharing the delicious omelet with the whole class and received an A grade.
Gail Campbell’s Spanish Omelet Recipe
Recipe will make 4-6 servings.
6 Eggs
½ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (mild)
½ Cup Sour Cream
½ Cup Chopped Green Peppers
10 ounce Can Enchilada Sauce (mild)
Salt & pepper if desired
Use a large electric skillet or fry pan. Non-stick coatings are one of the top industrial age miracles like Velcro and 8-track tapes! Don’t even try this in an iron skillet since there is not enough Pam in the world.
Preparation:
1. Break eggs into a mixing bowl and whip to mix.
2. Lightly cover fry pan with something more like Pam to stop
sticking and bring to medium heat.
3. Pour in egg mixture and turn to low heat, and then one more
notch lower than you think is ok. (Sticking = Disaster)
4. Allow eggs to slowly cook through, popping bubbles and tilting
pan to fill in holes. (Dry eggs are ok – burnt eggs are not)
Slow cooking in the pan to a finish of what looks like ‘egg leather’ without burning is the secret here. The dish will not end up dry.
5. When eggs are almost done turn off heat, pour a line of
enchilada sauce down the center.
6. Evenly add 4 or 5 dime size globs of sour cream, half the onions,
and sprinkle half of the cheese.
7. Fold 1/3 of egg strip over center, repeat with the other side.
8. Flip cooking pan upside down low over serving plate so omelet
rests with folded edges down.
9. Cover eggs with remaining enchilada sauce, cheese, onions, and
sour cream for presentation.
10. After all the oohs and aahs, cut to desired portions at table.
Variations: Finely chopped bits of any kind of cooked meat. Canned enchilada sauce today comes with all kinds of added bits, green chilies, onion, etc. Get one of these for added variation.
