Bacon-Cheddar Quiche

Hurricane Joaquin passed us by with barely a brush, but for two weeks preceding we had nothing . but. rain. My boss's husband counted eighteen days of drear. General bad weather chased in circles by a nor’easter will do that for you. And after a fortnight of this weather, there’s no wanting energetic food. I want comfort food. Food necessary and amiable to cuddling up with, accompanied by tea or coffee or the occasional cup of cider. We all know that food tastes better when shared with a friend, so on my day off I rallied to the grocery store, got a few things, drove to my friend’s house, and set to work on a Quiche Lorraine. Joanna is eight months pregnant, so all this cream and bacon and Old Croc cheddar cheese and flaky, buttery pastry was for her sake. Yep. Let’s go with that explanation. Alllllll that yummy, fatty goodness just for the sake of baby JoJo.

Prior to reading Mastering The Art of French Cooking, my ratio of eggs-to-cream in a quiche was majorly off. When I make quiche for my family, I leave off the crust (who has time for pastry crust in the morning when ten people are waiting for breakfast?) and I usually crack nearly a dozen eggs, add a splash of cream or milk, and whatever “good stuff” we have on hand. So my concept of quiche was basically a glorified omelet. “Omelet Pie,” let’s call it. Good, quivery, creamy slices of quiche at several restaurants over the summer and early autumn succeeded in changing my ideal of what a quiche ought to be. I am pleased to announce that this quiche, based off Julia Child's vision for Quiche Lorraine is the perfect composition. And the beauty of quiche is that it seems to grow better with time and is the perfect thing to eat for tomorrow's breakfast or lunch! I love things that do double-duty and leave me more time in my mornings! 

Bacon-Cheddar Quiche:

6-8 slices of bacon, cooked to a crisp

An 8-inch, partially-cooked pastry shell placed on a baking sheet

3 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup very sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 Tablespoons butter cut into pea-sized dots

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop crispy bacon into crumbles. Beat eggs, cream, milk, and seasonings in a mixing bowl till blended. Check seasonings. Mix in bacon crumbles and shredded cheese.

2.) Pour filling into pastry shell and distribute pats of butter across top. Bake for 25-30 minutes in upper third of oven, or until quiche has puffed and browned. Be certain filling is set before removing from oven. The quiche will be slightly jiggly but not sloshy. Allow to cool.