Quiche lorraine — Nancy, France

The word quiche comes from the German Kuchen, cake, by way of the Lorraine dialect: the "kiche" is recorded in Nancy as early as the 16th century, at the court of the Duke of Lorraine. The original recipe has a plainness modern versions have forgotten: bread dough or shortcrust pastry, smoked bacon lardons, and a migaine — the mixture of eggs and thick cream that sets in the oven. No cheese, no onions: Gruyère is a 20th-century addition that Lorraine views with suspicion. It is eaten hot or warm, as a starter or with a salad. The pastry must be blind-baked first to stay crisp under the cream.