Q: Qat and quiche: Or how drug smuggling formed cuisine in the Free City of Jubylon

At some point before the Doctors' revolution (estimated to about 50-60 years before), the Free City of Jubylon suffered from a drug epidemic of partly opium, but especially qat (also spelled khat). The High Circle caught hold of a rumour that the drugs were especially smuggled in through baked top-crust pies (i.e. with dough on top) and banned them, in a decision that was both decisive and somewhat naive at the same time.

Sascha Fichot was a young (apparently French) chef who had recently arrived in Jubylon. He was often perceived as arrogant, though his closest friends more described him as reserved. He used the banning of closed pies as a tool publicity to launch his new restaurant, specializing in quiches without a top-crust. It became an overnight success, with everyone appreciating the young man’s efforts, atmosphere and food. The drug epidemic was later dealt with by the Doctors’ Government and would probably have been forgotten if not for Fichot’s success. He opened a second, a third and then a fourth restaurant, supervising all of their kitchens. He wrote two recipe books “Good quiches” and “More good quiches” with his personal favourites. Those titles would suggest a dry and no-nonsense way of writing, which I can confirm dominate the two books.

However, this means that I have gotten to do something I very rarely get to do as a historian: Field testing. Or in this case, kitchen testing. Which has been an absolute delight for me, my spouse, our family and friends and my research assistants. Fichot’s suggestions and small tips for baking quiches are excellent and easy to use, even for a beginner like me. The crusts are crisp in just the right way and the filling is deliciously balanced. Fichot clearly had his own style, including an overwhelming love for black mushrooms. Close to 71% of the quiches contain black mushrooms. He clearly knew what he was doing so. My own reviews have been nothing but positive. As for Fichot, he worked hard for ten years before semi-retiring and marrying his neighbour, Sayaka Nakayama. Nakayama was a seamstress/tailor and originally rumoured to have been a Japanese noblewoman, who ran away at a young age. Regardless of the actual truth, they were said to lead a happy life together; keeping mostly to themselves, except for a few public appearances where they were always very well dressed.