The quiche, while is known as a quintessentially French dish, is actually of German origins. The quiche is an open-faced savory pie usually filled with eggs, cream, onions, ham, and of course bacon. The perfect quiche has a fluffy (think of the fluffiest scrambled eggs) textured filling on a moist, yet flaky crust. A lot of people are turned off by quiches because they’ve tried one or two poorly made ones that were dense and soggy, but once someone has tried a perfectly cooked quiche, then they’re hooked for life.
Quiche Trivia
- The term quiche came from the German word “Kuchen”, which means cake.
- The most famous variety, the quiche Lorraine got its name from the kingdom of Lothringen, the birthplace of the quiche. The place was renamed Lorraine when the French took over.
- The quiche Lorraine didn’t originally have cheese in it, but today, it is known for its cheesy flavor because of the added cheese.
- The original quiche had a crust made from bread dough, but now it has evolved to using short-crust or puff pastry which gives it that signature flakey texture.
Quiche Buying Guide
The two famous quiche varieties that everyone has probably heard of but don’t really know what they are off the bat. They’re basically the same thing, except for a couple of differences in the main filling ingredient. They both have cream, milk, eggs, and cheese as the base of the filling.
- Quiche Florentine – The quiche Florentine is actually one of the tougher quiches to make due to it using a lot of vegetables (usually spinach) as its main filling. The water from the vegetables will often cause the quiche to become runny and not set properly.
- Quiche Lorraine – Instead of spinach or other vegetables, the Lorraine uses bacon as its main filling and uses finely chopped chives to give it that signature green color.
Whichever quiche variety you choose, when properly prepared, they’re both really tasty and filling at the same time.
Quiche Production & Farming in Texas
Texans love giving a Texas-spin on food and the quiche is no exception. There are local variants known as Texas Quiche or Cowboy Quiche that replaces the more delicate French flavors with bold, and in-your-face flavors. Instead of swiss cheese, mushrooms, and vegetables, other heartier ingredients are used like asparagus, cheddar cheese, jalapeno peppers, shrimp, and of course bacon, preferably lots of it.
You can find quiche producers in most farmers’ markets around the state and in a lot of the local farm-to-table restaurants. You can also find a number of sellers that make frozen, ready to reheat and eat quiche that’s a lot healthier than a commercially produced frozen quiche.
Preservatives, Additives, and Chemicals:
There is a healthy debate ongoing here whether store-bought quiche is actually good or not. One of the reasons why a lot of health-conscious people are concerned about the healthiness of store-bought quiches is not about the bacon and the cheese in it (we all deserve to indulge every once in a while) but the added chemicals and preservatives.
Sure there’s nothing wrong with buying mass-produced quiche when you’re talking about taste and texture. The producers of these have spent millions in research on how to make their products last as long as possible, but at what cost? Different additives are added to the different components to make them taste as fresh as the day they were baked. Some of these additives include:
- Powdered Cellulose
- High Fructose Corn Syrup (yes, even savory pies use this)
- Xanthan Gum
But of course, compared to other ready-made frozen food available, the frozen quiches don’t have as many additives (or they’re just not labeled properly). While these are all within FDA limits, it’s still best to have freshly made food that’s wholesome and made from locally sourced ingredients.
Packaging:
Commercially available quiche is usually packed in a plastic bag before being packed in freezer-safe cartons. Buying local (or making your own) will remove the need for these single-use packaging and will help reduce overall waste.
Enjoying Quiches
Quiche is best served warm or straight from the oven. The fluffy texture of the egg works best when eaten warm and fresh.
Storage:
Quiche, once cooled down, can be stored in the fridge for up to five days, provided that it is stored in an air-tight container. Quiche is also one of those foods that can be made ahead and stored in the freezer for up to three months and can easily be reheated in the oven.
Cooking:
Make your own Tex-Mex Quiche:
This wouldn’t be a Texas-centric site if we didn’t at least give you a local twist on the quiche.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 ½ cups half-and-half cream
1 pastry shell (9 inches) (use your favorite pie crust recipe for this)
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces, chopped green chiles
2 ounces sliced ripe olives, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Step 1:
Combine the different cheeses with the flour.
Step 2:
Sprinkle the chili powder on the crust then add the cheese mixture on top.
Step 3:
Combine the rest of the ingredients and pour into the pie crust
Step 4:
Bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Step 5:
Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes for the quiche to set properly.
Step 6:
Slice, serve, and enjoy your Tex-Mex Quiche!
