CORONATION QUICHE I Westminster Abbey, London, England

Words and images by The Coracle

After a 70 year wait, the nation has a new official coronation dish to replace its famous predecessor, coronation chicken, what are the chances of it still being eaten in 2093?

A quiche is French but coronation tart doesn’t have a regal ring to it. There are francophile precedents; Queen Elizabeth’s coronation lunch menu was written entirely in French and in 1937 George VI served up quiche lorraine. Historically our neighbours have influenced much of the UK’s fine food with famous French chefs like Antonin Careme, Auguste Escoffier and the Roux Brothers all playing starring roles. Could Charles and Camilla even be hiding a pro-European sentiment in their choice of dish?

The American magazine, The Atlantic, says that ‘One of the stranger aspects of the modern British monarchy is that its special occasions come with an official dish’ or in the case of some coronations make that dishes….In 1821 King George IV spent the equivalent of 27 million pounds on a lunch for 2000 guests in Westminster Hall, the 1st course alone had 20 dishes. Hundreds of people looked on, presumably to see if anyone exploded from overeating. There was an official banquet at every coronation between 1189 – 1830 when William IV decided it was too extravagant. Sound familiar?

Before looking at this year’s flan, let’s recap on Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 choice, despite its great age most people will still be aware of it, although I’m ashamed to say The Coracle only just made the regal link, so ubiquitous has it become. Coronation chicken was invented by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume of Le Cordon Bleu cookery school and the recipe was included in the very popular Constance Spry cookbook, a precursor to the dominance of Delia you know who. The original dish was served at Westminster School to 350 ‘foreign representatives’, hopefully most were French so they could read le menu. By contrast the quiche was designed to be served the day after the coronation at community lunches all over the UK, more democratic and appropriate to 2023 perhaps. Coronation chicken was also expensive in post-war rationing Britain although it became cheaper over time. The food historian Polly Russell says ‘When made to the original recipe, it is fit for a Queen.’ It wasn’t really designed to go in a pre-packaged sandwich or to regally top a jacket potato.

So what did we have this time? The royal website describes the quiche as ‘crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavours of spinach, broad beans and fresh tarragon. Eat hot or cold with a green salad and boiled new potatoes’. How light it is with lard, cream and butter is debatable but coronation days are for feasting not fasting.

This quiche is on trend and veg based. Apart from the lard of course! Maybe by the time of William’s coronation, we might have a vegan coronation dish. It’s also seasonal and tarragon is a nice twist, a touch of luxury whilst remaining real, although I couldn’t find any in Aldi. Plus it’s relatively easy to chef up and share; ‘Perfect for a coronation lunch’ says the palace. Other perks are that it’s wholesome, healthy and alliterative!

It might evolve like the original coronation chicken. By the 2002 golden jubilee it was served to partygoers in a plastic tub, ‘baked chicken cut into pieces and dressed with a mix of creme fraiche, mayonnaise, lime and ginger and served with pasta salad, lime quarters and chopped flat leaf parsley’. Environmentally bad and you’d imagine it would taste worse. The new dish reflects a little of the soft power the monarchy desires with its emphasis on: environment, inclusivity and community. Maybe that’s the plan anyway.

The Guardian’s Felicity Cloake says ‘Does the coronation quiche live up to my beloved curried chicken salad? Well, it’s less original, less distinctive – but it’s also likely to be less divisive, which is exactly what the country needs right now. Whether anyone will remember it in 70 years’ time is another matter.’

The Coracle’s quiche is in the image above but if you really can’t be bothered to make it, Morrisons do a £3 ready made version. Homemade is surely best though, whichever nation inspired it.

See the original recipe here

Get some cooking tips from Felicity Cloake here