A quiche delicacy comprising spinach, fava beans and tarragon, has been declared the official coronation food by Britain’s Royal Family – and this is pushing prices up.  

Dubbed the coronation quiche on the royal website, the royal family goes on to describe the recipe as “deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavours of Spinach, Broad Beans and fresh Tarragon”

You can eat it hot or cold alongside a green salad plus boiled potatoes – the perfect combo for the Coronation Big Lunch.

While the royal website provides the full recipe complete with instructions on how to go about preparing a quiche befitting the coronation big lunch, many will be heading to supermarkets to buy ready-made quiche.

Related: Spinach Quiche Nutrition 

CNN is reporting that because of the anticipated huge demand, quiche prices are projected to go up by about 21% in supermarkets. But according to some analysts, the supermarket quiche could still be way cheaper compared to home made options. The costs of some of the ingredients have already gone up drastically in 2023. Cheddar prices, for instance, have shot up above 40% compared to the prices in 2022, according to the office of National Statistics.  Egg prices are also not friendly, having increased by more than 30%.

As expected, a good number of supermarkets across the UK are vigorously promoting their quiches, eager to net the huge numbers of customers who will be keen not to miss out on the coronation experience.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are huge crusaders of organic farming, and this perhaps explains the choice of the big lunch meal.

But some in the public are not amused with the choice of the coronation meal – the quiche, and they are letting their views known. According to the New York Times,  pie chef Mr. Calum Franklin termed the choice “unimaginative” and wondered why the royal family had to choose this “crap” in a country that is full of unique cuisines. Some Twitter users claimed it’s 2023 and not 1973, implying the proposed food is too ancient.

The coronation quiche debate is also taking a political twist, with some parties wondering why the royal family never went for a pie which would have been more patriotic. Economy conscious critics accused the family of being insensitive as to select a recipe containing eggs while the prices of eggs in the UK have skyrocketed mostly as a result of the avian flu.

Related: Egg prices in the UK

Overall, the country’s economy is not doing very well, and therefore not many people might join the frency. But still it’s expected that the numbers will be high.

By April, the prices had already gone up by 15.7% compared to 2022 prices at the same time. Reuters reported that the British Retail Consortium (BRC) indicated on 2nd May that lower food prices were “on the horizon”.

In October 2022, the consumer price inflation reached a 40 year high of 11.1%. By March 2023, it was still high, at 10%.

More on quiche

Quiche is a savory, open-faced pastry dish originating from French cuisine. It typically consists of a crust made from shortcrust pastry, which is filled with a mixture of eggs, cream or milk, cheese, and various ingredients such as vegetables, meats, or seafood. The filling, once poured into the pastry crust, is baked until it sets into a custard-like consistency.

One of the most well-known varieties is Quiche Lorraine, which features bacon or lardons in the egg and cream filling. Quiches can be served warm or cold and are often enjoyed as a breakfast, brunch, or light meal.

Quiche has its roots in the medieval period, originating in the region of Lorraine, which is now part of modern-day France but was historically a territory contested by France and Germany. The name “quiche” comes from the German word “Kuchen,” meaning “cake” or “tart.”

The earliest form of quiche, called “Quiche Lorraine,” consisted of an open pie made with a simple bread dough crust, filled with a mixture of beaten eggs, cream, and smoked bacon or lardons. As the dish gained popularity, it spread across France and evolved, with the bread dough crust being replaced by a more delicate shortcrust or puff pastry.

Over time, numerous variations of the classic quiche emerged, with different combinations of ingredients such as cheese, vegetables, and seafood added to the egg and cream filling. Quiche became particularly popular in the United States in the 1950s and 1970s, and it remains a favorite dish for brunch and light meals worldwide.