FranckThe Origin of Quiche
Here at The Pan’s Club, quiche has a very special place in our heart- in fact, it’s one of the most popular items on our menu! The great thing about quiche is that it’s so versatile, as you can add pretty much anything you can think of to the basic ingredients. From simple muchrooms and peppers to more creative ingredients like spinach and caramelized onions, there’s so much you can do with quiche, which is why we have so many to choose from at The Pan’s Club. For today’s blog post, though, we thought we’d take things way, way back, to take a look at where the humble quiche originally came from. We think you’ll agree that learning about the history of quiche will give you a newfound appreciation for this tasty treat!
Way back when- the birth of quiche
When most people think of quiche, they tend to assume that it’s French in origin. That’s only natural, since it was in France that quiche first became popular, and it’s been a staple of French cuisine for centuries. Surprisingly, though, the quiche actually originated in Germany. It dates back all the way to medieval times, when it became a local cuisine in the kingdom of Lothringen. It’s believed that the word “quiche” comes from the German word “kuchen”, which means cake- although it doesn’t really resemble what we know as cake nowadays!
Eventually, during the wars that raged across Europe throughout the Middle Ages, France invaded Lothringen. They decided that the local name was no longer fitting for a region that now belonged to the French, so they renamed it Lorraine to better suit their language. The occupying forces discovered just how delicious quiche could be, and it quickly became a popular dish throughout France. Hey presto- the quiche Lorraine was born!
How quiche has changed over the years
Originally, quiche Lorraine was a lot simpler than it is now. It used to be made up of only eggs and cream custard, along with some smoked bacon to add a bit of a kick to the flavor. What’s more, the crust was once made out of simple bread dough, until the recipe got switched up to use a puff pastry crust instead. It was only many years later that cheese was added to the mix, and the dish finally became the quiche that we all know and love today.
As you can see, then, literally hundreds of years of experience and experimentation have gone into the humble quiche, making it much more complex than originally meets the eye. From being a niche local cuisine in a small German kingdom, to a dish that you’ll find all over the world, this simple yet delicious foodstuff has come a long way. So, next time you dig in to your Pan’s Club lunchbox and are about to bite into a delicious mouthful of quiche, think back on where it all comes from, and really savor the flavor of history!