Saturday 29 May 2010

Inheritance :: the quiche dish

Inheritance :: possession by transmission from past generations
Chambers Concise Dictionary

I've not inherited many pieces of cooking equipment, so the few items I have mean a great deal to me.  Cooking equipment is essentially straightforward and practical - but it is also intensely emotional.


This is a ceramic quiche dish from the 1970s.  The decade in which a quiche appeared at every summer lunch party and Christening around the land.  This one was my mother's second best quiche dish and she passed it on to me about ten years ago when she and my father moved house.  There was a great deal of clutter busting done by my parents at that time.  My mother decided that she didn't need two ceramic quiche dishes in her life and passed this one on to me.


I love this dish.  Principally because it ties me to my childhood and all the delicious quiches that my mother cooked in it.  My mother cooked a great many quiches when I was small.  You can read about her very tasty tuna and tomato one here


I like to cook quiches too.  Often just with whatever vegetables and herbs I have languishing in the fridge, and need using up.  The one above, which I made earlier in the week, was made with leeks, courgettes and dill - and was a roaring success.  Quiches taste even better the day after (at room temperature though, not straight from the fridge) and make an energising lunch along with a big pile of lettuce leaves and a sharp, vinegary dressing.


I also love this dish because it is so of its era - brown and speckly like wholemeal bread, with very dated-looking illustrations in green and yellow and the classic 1970s recipe for Quiche Lorraine printed inside.  The dish will get passed on to O when I am no longer making quiches, and maybe someday she'll share with her children some of her favourite quiche recipes - including that tuna and tomato one which her Grandmother and Mother liked to make each summer.

10 comments:

  1. I love it! I'm a huge quiche fan too - such a good way to use up extra eggs. Caramalised onion is my favourite.

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  2. It makes me very nostalgic to see the dish but I am thrilled it is being used so frequently. Yes the 1970s were a wonderful era in many respects!

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  3. I know exactly what you mean about cooking equipment being emotional. I have my Nana's old Mason mixing bowl and I always think of her when I use it. I love your dish! I do like a bit of quiche but actually don't think I've ever made one, despite owning at least 2 flan dishes! Must try and remedy that soon...
    R x

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  4. I have my Grandma's cake tins and a cake made in them is always special.
    We like quiche too, so handy for using up stlightly sad peppers.

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  5. I have some of my mum in law's old ceramic quiche dishes - and it has been far too long since I made one. I must admit I prefer to cook quiche in tins than in the ceramic dishes but there is something incredibly appealing about them.

    I also have her old Kenwood mixer, which is a complete joy to use.

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  6. I love baking equipment, and as you say, inherited bakeware is especially lovely as great nostalgia attached. I am a massive fan of quiche (not tuna though-bleurgh) but am intrigued to know your recipe-can I have a copy? and what pastry do use? I am a bit scared of pastry. Bake blind or not? make own or buy from Tesco? Hmm.Tricky.

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  7. I love quiche, too, and I agree with you about it being even better the next day! Actually making an asparagus tart tonight!

    K x

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  8. Aren't you lucky that your family isn't my family, and they didn't drop it and break it into bits.

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  9. What a lovely quiche dish! And it has the flutey edges too!!! I have a nice one that we were given as a wedding present but it only has the flutey edge on the OUTSIDE not on the inside!!! Weird! Lucy x

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