Quiche
Encyclopedia
Quiche (ˈkiːʃ; ) is a savory, open-faced pie of vegetables, cheese, or meat in custard
, baked in a pastry
crust.
The quiche is sometimes regarded as the savoury equivalent of
egg custard tart.
Küeche ‘cake’ (cf. German
Kuchen). Central Franconian
typically unrounded the ü (y) and shifted the fricative "ch" (ç) to "sh" (ʃ), resulting in "kishe", which in standard French spelling gives "quiche."
and Harleian MSS 279 and 4016.
or lardon
s. It was only later that cheese
was added to the quiche Lorraine. The addition of Gruyère cheese makes a quiche au gruyère or a quiche vosgienne. The 'quiche alsacienne' is similar to the 'quiche Lorraine', though onions are added to the recipe. The bottom crust was originally made from bread dough, but that has since evolved into a short-crust or puff pastry
crust that is often baked using a springform pan
. In the north of England, a quiche lorraine is more commonly referred to as a Bacon & egg pie and is often decorated with a chequered lattice of pastry on the top.
Today, one can find many varieties of quiche, from the original quiche Lorraine, to ones with broccoli, mushrooms, ham and/or seafood (primarily shellfish). Quiche can be served as an entrée, for lunch, breakfast or an evening snack. To this day, there is a minor German influence on the cuisine of the Lorraine region. The origin of quiche Lorraine is rural and the original quiche Lorraine had a rustic style: it was cooked in a cast-iron pan and the pastry edges were not crimped. Today, quiche Lorraine is served throughout France and has a modern look with a crimped pastry crust. The current version of quiche Lorraine served in France
does not include cheese
: although Americans may wish to add this, either Emmental
or Gruyère. Unlike the version served in the United States, the bacon is cubed, no onions are added and the custard base is thicker.
's 1982 bestseller Real Men Don't Eat Quiche
attempts to humorously typecast quiche as a stereotypically feminine
food in the context of American culture.
Custard
Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce , to a thick pastry cream used to fill éclairs. The most common custards are used as...
, baked in a pastry
Pastry
Pastry is the name given to various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder and/or eggs. Small cakes, tarts and other sweet baked products are called "pastries."...
crust.
The quiche is sometimes regarded as the savoury equivalent of
egg custard tart.
Etymology
The word quiche comes from French, which ultimately borrowed the word from Lorraine FranconianLorraine Franconian
Lorraine Franconian is a designation, in practice ambiguous, for dialects of West Central German , a group of High German dialects spoken in the Moselle département in the north-eastern French region of Lorraine.The term Lorraine Franconian has multiple denotations...
Küeche ‘cake’ (cf. German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Kuchen). Central Franconian
Central Franconian
Central Franconian is a name for the following set of West Central German dialect groups:* Ripuarian...
typically unrounded the ü (y) and shifted the fricative "ch" (ç) to "sh" (ʃ), resulting in "kishe", which in standard French spelling gives "quiche."
History
Today quiche is considered as typically French. However, savoury custards in pastry were known in English cuisine at least as early as the fourteenth century. Recipes for custards baked in pastry containing meat, fish and fruit are referred to Crustardes of flessh and Crustade in The Forme of CuryForme of Cury
The Forme of Cury is an extensive recipe collection of the 14th century whose author is given as "the chief Master Cooks of King Richard II". The modern name was given to it by Samuel Pegge, who published an edition of it in 1791. This name has since come into usage for almost all versions of the...
and Harleian MSS 279 and 4016.
Quiche lorraine
Quiche lorraine was originally an open pie with a filling of custard with smoked baconBacon
Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
or lardon
Lardon
Lardon is a small strip or cube of pork fat used in a wide variety of cuisines to flavor savory foods and salads. In French cuisine, lardons are also used for larding, by threading them with a needle into meats that are to be braised or roasted...
s. It was only later that cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
was added to the quiche Lorraine. The addition of Gruyère cheese makes a quiche au gruyère or a quiche vosgienne. The 'quiche alsacienne' is similar to the 'quiche Lorraine', though onions are added to the recipe. The bottom crust was originally made from bread dough, but that has since evolved into a short-crust or puff pastry
Puff pastry
In baking, a puff pastry is a light, flaky, leavened pastry containing several layers of fat which is in solid state at 20 °C . In raw form, puff pastry is a dough which is spread with solid fat and repeatedly folded and rolled out and used to produce the aforementioned pastries...
crust that is often baked using a springform pan
Springform pan
A springform pan is a type of bakeware that features sides that can be removed from the base. Springform refers to the construction style of this pan. The base and the sides are separate pieces that are held together when the base is aligned with a groove that rings the bottom of the walls. The pan...
. In the north of England, a quiche lorraine is more commonly referred to as a Bacon & egg pie and is often decorated with a chequered lattice of pastry on the top.
Today, one can find many varieties of quiche, from the original quiche Lorraine, to ones with broccoli, mushrooms, ham and/or seafood (primarily shellfish). Quiche can be served as an entrée, for lunch, breakfast or an evening snack. To this day, there is a minor German influence on the cuisine of the Lorraine region. The origin of quiche Lorraine is rural and the original quiche Lorraine had a rustic style: it was cooked in a cast-iron pan and the pastry edges were not crimped. Today, quiche Lorraine is served throughout France and has a modern look with a crimped pastry crust. The current version of quiche Lorraine served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
does not include cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
: although Americans may wish to add this, either Emmental
Emmental (cheese)
Emmental or Emmentaler is a cheese from Switzerland. It is sometimes known as Swiss cheese in North America, Australia and New Zealand, although Swiss cheese does not always imply Emmentaler....
or Gruyère. Unlike the version served in the United States, the bacon is cubed, no onions are added and the custard base is thicker.
Cultural references
Bruce FeirsteinBruce Feirstein
Bruce Feirstein is an American screenwriter and humorist, best known for his contributions to the James Bond series and his best-selling humor books, including Real Men Don't Eat Quiche and Nice Guys Sleep Alone. Real Men Don't Eat Quiche was on the New York Times best seller list for 53...
's 1982 bestseller Real Men Don't Eat Quiche
Real Men Don't Eat Quiche
Real Men Don't Eat Quiche, by American Bruce Feirstein, is a bestselling tongue-in-cheek book satirizing stereotypes of masculinity, published in 1982...
attempts to humorously typecast quiche as a stereotypically feminine
Femininity
Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors...
food in the context of American culture.