May 20 is dedicated to the food holiday National Quiche Lorraine Day.
Quiche Lorraine is believed to have originated in the rural Lorraine Region of France. The original Quiche Lorraine consisted of an open pie, made using a bottom crust with a filling of custard and smoked bacon. A cast iron skillet was used to cook the original Quiche. The cheese was added to the recipe at a much later time.
The History of Quiche Lorraine Day
It’s often regarded as being birthed from French cuisine, but it may have started life in medieval Germany.
The quiche lorraine is named after the Lorraine region of France, where it was created as an open pie filled up with savory custard and cubes of pork fat.
A quiche lorraine was originally made without cheese, but today you’ll probably find most recipes call for this dairy addition. Traditionally, a Lorraine doesn’t include onions – if you do pop onions in your quiche Lorraine mixture, you’re making a quiche Alsacienne.
Have a great Quiche Lorraine Day!
- Quiche can be served hot or cold. It is part of French cuisine but is also popular in other countries, particularly as party food.
- Quiche lorraine is a popular variant that was originally an open pie with a filling of custard with lardons. Modern preparations of the dish usually include mature cheese and freshly-cooked bacon as ingredients.
- The classic French Quiche actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, which was under German rule. (Renamed Lorraine when it came under French control – TADA!!! Quiche Lorraine).
- Quiche is considered a French dish, however custards in pastry were known in English cuisine at least as early as the 14th century.
- The word quiche is derived from the German word for cake, kuchen.
- The largest quiche was created in Paris, November 22, 1997 by Chef Alain Marcotullio. He used 125 quarts of milk, 1,928 eggs, 156 pounds of bacon, 134 pounds of butter and more than 140 pounds of flour.
- During the 1900’s, quiche was often considered to be a food avoided by “real” men, as it often contained only small quantities of meat.
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