Occupational Hazard

At 3:00am this Saturday I woke with sweat ringing my neck and a sharp violent pain in my abdomen. I was sleeping on my best friend’s couch and her six-month-old twin girls were sleeping fitfully in a nearby room. Just before going to sleep that night, my friend reminded me that her house was haunted by a child ghost. She said, however, that I shouldn’t worry because ghosts were common household pests like mice or roaches.

Ghost crap freaks me out, but let me tell you when I woke in the dark with that pain in my stomach all I could think about was getting to the bathroom. From there followed an unpleasant shuttle run between the couch and bathroom that lasted about an hour. I was being squeezed and contorted in good exorcist fashion. My body was emptying itself of some bad bug and it didn’t much care which exit was used.

That night I earned my stripes. I had been working on a review of a local Boston restaurant. Always the scapegoat, I feel inclined to blame a beautiful plate of garlicky mussels for my unfortunate state. Despite the pain I felt like a champ, like a hockey player who had lost his first tooth or a sailor with his first tattoo. I was a food writer with her first on-the-job case of food poisoning. That’s right people, I’m in the big leagues. Put my right hand on the French Laundry cookbook and swear me in.

Make Quiche Easy

Oui Oui my friends… Ok, my knowledge of France is limited to a three day trip in high school and a couple of layovers at Charles de Gaulle airport, but I do know quiche.

Quiche is a Brown-family function staple. From July 4th BBQs to Christmas dinner, you’ll always find someone leaning over the kitchen sink eating a slice from their open palm. It’s our version of the amuse bouche.

Hard core foodies don’t kick my a##, but this recipe calls for a, say it ain’t so, frozen pie crust. For those of you who want to bring something tasty to your next potluck with very little work, check out my recipe. If you want the extra challenge and extra bragging rights, I’d say go with this one from Michael Rhulman. Bon Appetit.


Broccoli Quiche

1 frozen pie crust (deep dish)
½ pound raw broccoli (spears)
10oz cheddar cheese (shredded)
3 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp flour
½ tsp salt

Defrost the crust, prick with a fork and par-bake on 350 degrees until light brown (about 15 minutes).

Boil broccoli in salted water until fork tender (about 3 minutes). Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk eggs, milk, cream, flour and salt together.


Spread half of the shredded cheese in the bottom of the par-baked crust.


Layer broccoli on top of cheese.


Pour egg mixture over broccoli and top with remaining cheese.


Bake quiche on a cookie sheet on the lowest oven rack for 45 minutes. The cheese should be brown and most of the filling should be puffed up.

Let sit for 20-30 minutes to set and cool.


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FOOD IS ONE OF THE MOST VISCERAL ASPECTS OF A CULTURE; IT CAN BE EXPERIENCED WITH NO LANGUAGE SKILLS, NO GUIDE, AND MOST TIMES WITH VERY LITTLE MONEY.