Start with the bottom crust
Turn a slice on its side before you judge anything else. A well-made quiche has a bottom crust that is golden and dry, not pale and damp. Getting there takes blind baking: the baker lines the raw shell with parchment and weights, bakes it until set, then often brushes it with egg and returns it to the oven for a few minutes to seal it before the custard goes in. Shops that skip this step end up with a soggy base by midday.
The crust itself is usually pâte brisée, a short, buttery pastry that is sturdier than pie dough. French-leaning bakeries often bake quiche in deep, straight-sided rings two inches or more tall, which gives a thick band of custard. American cafés more often use shallow fluted tart pans or pie plates, so the crust-to-filling ratio is higher.
What the custard should feel like
Classic proportions run roughly one egg to half a cup of dairy, with cream or a mix of cream and whole milk. The result should wobble slightly when warm and slice cleanly when cool, with a texture closer to silky flan than to scrambled eggs. Weeping liquid, rubbery edges or tiny holes throughout point to overbaking or too many eggs.
Fillings need to be cooked and drained before they go in. Raw spinach, mushrooms or zucchini release water as they bake, which is the second most common cause of a wet quiche after an unbaked shell.
From Lorraine to the café case
Quiche comes from the Lorraine region of northeastern France, near the German border, and the name is usually traced to the German Kuchen. The original quiche Lorraine was eggs, cream and smoked bacon. Cheese is a later addition, though most bakeries now include Gruyère or Swiss, and purists will tell you onions belong in a different tart.
Quiche became fashionable in the US in the 1970s as a brunch and luncheon dish, then picked up a dated reputation for a while. It never left French bakeries, and today it is a steady seller at bakery-cafés, where a slice with a green salad makes a full lunch.
Buying a whole quiche for a crowd
Most bakeries sell 9 or 10 inch quiches that cut into 6 to 8 servings. Expect roughly $25 to $50 for a whole pie depending on size and fillings, and around $6 to $12 for a single slice. Many shops want a day or two of notice for whole quiches, especially before Mother's Day and Easter, when brunch orders pile up.
Quiche is easy to serve warm or at room temperature. Keep it refrigerated, and reheat slices in a 325°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes rather than the microwave, which toughens the custard and softens the crust. Eat leftovers within three to four days.
