Quiche

Etymology

The word is first attested in French in 1805, and in 1605 in Lorrain patois. The first English usage—"quiche Lorraine"—was recorded in 1925. The further etymology is uncertain but it may be related to the German Kuchen meaning "cake" or "tart".

History

Quiche is considered a French dish; however, using eggs and cream in pastry was practised in English cuisine at least as early as the 14th century and Italian cuisine at least as early as the 13th century. Recipes for eggs and cream baked in pastry containing meat, fish and fruit are referred to Crustardes of flesh and Crustade in the 14th-century The Forme of Cury and in 15th-century cookbooks, such as the Italian Libro de arte coquinaria.

Varieties

Quiche has a pastry crust and a filling of eggs and milk or cream. It can be made with vegetables, meat and seafood.

Quiche lorraine

Quiche lorraine (named after the Lorraine region of France) is a popular variant that was originally an open pie with eggs, cream and lardons. In English-speaking countries, modern preparations of the dish usually include mature cheese (Cheddar cheese often being used in British varieties), and the lardons are replaced by bacon.

Other varieties

There are many variants of quiche, using a wide variety of ingredients. Variants may be named descriptively, often in French, e.g. quiche au fromage (quiche with cheese) and quiche aux champignons (quiche with mushrooms) or conventionally, e.g. florentine (spinach) and provençale (tomatoes).