Life of Pie: The Quest for Quiche
A Quiche of the Past
The quiche is an enchanting marriage of textures between a pie crust and a savoury filling. Although it may seem like the quiche has a French origin, it infact has a surprising German past! The quiche first came into the picture in 16th Century in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, under the German reign. Inspired by the German word for cake ‘kuchen’, the quiche was just another staple until the French gave it a well-deserved makeover!
Under the French, the quiche got a new identity. They called it the “Quiche Lorraine”, after the cultural and historical hub in the northeast of France, close to the border of Germany. At first, the Quiche Lorraine was just an open pie with a filling of egg and cream custard with smoked bacon or pork pieces. Post World War II, the quiche found its way into England and eventually the U.S. Due to the presence of vegetarian ingredients, it was deemed as an “unmanly” dish. Sexism aside, the quiche has come a long way ever since.
A Food for All Seasons
The evolution of the quiche has less to do with its variations and more to do with the fact that it could be the ideal choice of food at any given time. According to me, if a dish can be eaten for all three meals, it has already overachieved its purpose! A quiche can be enjoyed at any time of the day — breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Since my empty pockets restrain me from splurging on fine dining, when a craving for the munchies hits me, I often find myself whipping up a ‘meal for one’ in my kitchen. I’m no Julia Child, but the quiche is a regular feature on my ‘carte du jour’ or daily menu. This quick and easy recipe is a four seasons kind of dish. It’s the sort of food you can find solace in at anytime of the year. It also accommodates to all your mood swings — the good, bad and the ugly! I could relish a quiche straight out of the fridge. Even while I’m plonked on my bed with no intention of getting out, quiche comes to my rescue.
The Vast World of Quiche
The modern day quiche seems to have found its calling. The quiche has many variations — from the Quiche Lorraine, to the
other twists with broccoli, mushrooms, ham or seafood, it certainly lives up to the status of being the food of four seasons. Today, the Quiche Lorraine comes with a sprinkle of cheese and if you add onions to it, it becomes the quiche Alsacienne or the Zwiebelkuchen in German. Keep out the cheese and add bacon to it and it becomes Speckkuchen.
The quiche thrives in the culinary universe with tremendous scope for experimenting. It has the potential to become a treasured meal for anyone — from teenagers devouring it for sheer comfort to the manliest of men just snackin’ it up!
