At first glance, a quiche may not look entirely appetizing. It’s understandable, the idea of an egg pie seems kind of unsettling. However, there’s a reason quiches are a classic favorite throughout breakfast restaurants and cute little cafes.
Quiche can be filled with meats, vegetables, cheeses, or all of the above, so there is a wide variety of choices. A basic quiche is typically known for its smooth, creamy, savory flavor and flaky pie crust.
What is a Quiche?
The Origin of the Quiche
Interestingly enough, the quiche was created in a town in Germany called Lothringen, and was originally just egg, bacon, and cream custard. The word quiche is derived from the German word ‘kuchen’, meaning cake. Though it may look like a cake, the taste is wildly different.
What Makes a Quiche a Quiche?
Quiches must consist of at least three things: eggs, cream, and a pie crust. Usually, quiches include some sort of meat or vegetable, like spinach, and more recently, they typically have a lovely amount of cheese in the filling. Because the requirements are so broad, there are hundreds of different takes on the classic quiche.
Taste
The Initial Impression
As previously mentioned, a quiche can be a lot of things: meaty, full of spinach, super cheesy, etc. For the sake of this tasting review, imagine we are trying a simple quiche made of a flaky pie crust, a smooth egg base, and cheese and seasonings for added flavor. After the first bite, you’ll see just how creamy and soft the quiche is.
The seasonings are usually salt, pepper, or other light flavors like garlic salt or onion powder, and the cheese adds a nice savory taste to compliment the cream. If you’re low on seasonings and need to figure out a substitute, there are plenty of options!
The Aftertaste
Quiches don’t have a different aftertaste unless one of the added ingredients itself does. If the quiche was made with a very pungent cheese or vegetables like onions that have intense flavors, you may experience a strange aftertaste. Otherwise, it’ll be just about what you tried the first time around.
Texture
Creamy
A good quiche should have enough cream to make the egg base smooth. It should complement the savory flavors and tone them down. If your fork doesn’t glide through, it could’ve been better. One of the key ingredients for a good quiche is plenty of cream custard, so a well-made quiche has to be creamy.
Light & Fluffy
Any time eggs are made well they’ll end up light and fluffy with plenty of air. The way to create this texture is through a proper mixing/whipping process that is not difficult to achieve. Quiches should have a similar feel to a light custard with more movement. The pie crust should be flaky, the base should be fluffy, and the quiche should be full of flavor!
Different Types of Quiches
Bacon
The earliest quiches used bacon as the main additional flavor to the base. The egg, cheese, and bacon quiche is arguably the most popular and possibly the most delicious.
When trying a quiche for the first time, this is a great choice to go with. Most people enjoy a bacon and cheese quiche, regardless of whether they actually enjoy quiches or not.
Spinach
Second only to the bacon and cheese quiche, the spinach quiche is incredibly popular at cute breakfast places. The spinach has a light flavor and compliments the cheese well. Plus, it adds a lot of nutrients and value health-wise!
Broccoli
It’s a well-known fact that broccoli and cheese go splendidly together. They make up at least one casserole at most Thanksgiving dinners, go together in a lot of soups, and now, have made their debut at breakfast. The broccoli softens until its texture compliments the egg base, and the cheese adds the saltiness the broccoli requires. It’s a masterpiece.
Conclusion
All in all, the quiche is an excellent addition to any breakfast or brunch. It adds a savory element to a mostly sweet meal and does so exquisitely. Because the quiche is such a versatile dish, you can add it to just about any meal for any occasion. Just remember to whip those eggs!
