In May 2023, alongside the coronation of King Charles III, an announcement was made regarding what the coronation dish will be. Personally chosen by King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla: the Coronation Quiche! A quiche is a savory egg custard that is baked into a crisp, light pastry case with variations of savory ingredients (cheeses, meats, seafood, and/or vegetables) depending on preferences.

Sounds delicious, right? Well, despite being delicious, when the coronation dish was announced, some members of the population were confused by this choice. The quiche is officially classified as a dish of French cuisine, leading some to believe that the quiche is a French dish. However, based on historical events, in which the quiche is of German origin, causes others to argue that it is a German dish. And, why did King Charles III choose this dish anyways? Isn’t the royal family British?

The Food Debate: Is The Quiche French or German?

So, is the quiche French or German? The complicated nature of the debate of the quiche lies in its complicated history. To simplify historical events, the quiche originated in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, which was under German rule at the time. Then, the region was renamed to Alsace-Lorraine as this former territory of the German Empire became a region of modern-day France.

Meanwhile, the word “quiche” is from the German word “kuchen”, which means cake! To this day, Alsace-Lorraine, the home of the quiche, remains culturally not entirely French, but at the same time, is not entirely German either. Thus, although Alsace is part of France, there are cultural exceptions since Alsace-Lorraine was under German influence for so long (half of the population speaks still speaks Alsatian, which is a German dialect, despite the people being considered French on government papers).

When King Charles III chose this dish it was revealed that the dish, much like the royal family, is of German origin! Nearly 300 years ago, when England’s Queen Anne passed away, the German Elector George Louis of Hanover was proclaimed king of Great Britain, making him the first German to ascend the English throne. This makes the current British royal family German. History is full of surprises! Making the quiche the perfect dish to reflect the complicated history of the dish and the current royal family itself.

A Quiche Fit for A King

Quiche was originally made using primarily vegetarian ingredients, which is why it was considered an ‘unmanly dish’ in the 1950s. Today, the quiche has evolved to endless variations of the dish.

Cooks can adjust the ingredients based on their preferences by incorporating combinations of meats such as ham and seafood and including vegetables that weren’t in the original quiche such as broccoli and mushrooms. The quiche is served hot, warm, or cold as an entrée, for breakfast, lunch, or enjoyed as an evening snack. It pairs well with a green salad and boiled potatoes for the perfect lunch.

When the royal household released the recipe for the coronation quiche, it was revealed that this version emphasizes the delicate flavors of spinach, broad beans, and fresh tarragon. It also includes grated cheddar cheese, a French influence on the dish, and an ingredient that the King is known to love and incorporate into many of his dishes.

The limitless quiche flavor combinations make it a great dish all year round and for many occasions! However, because of this, there is much debate about which quiche flavor combination is the ultimate quiche. Is there only one quiche fit for a king?

Let us know what quiche flavor combinations you’ve tried and declare to be the only quiche fit for the king! Also, which side of the quiche debate are you on? Is it a French dish or a German dish? Do you agree with its classification as part of French cuisine? Or, do you argue the French-German combination?