Higgidy Spinach, Feta and Roasted Red Pepper Quiche

By now, I think I've had at least two of these things - one eaten cold, the other having passed through the oven just to see what difference it makes.

In the main, it seems that the only noticeable difference - temperature at the point of serving aside - is in the Feta.

But let's start from the beginning. Higgidy is one of these companies that produce quality, hand-made foodstuffs to be sold wherever fine foods are sold. This particular quiche is described as "Seeded shortcrust pastry stuffed with leaf spinach, mature cheddar and sautéed onions in a creamy free range egg filling topped with crumbled feta and roasted red peppers", and a better description for the contents would be hard to come by.

The packaging is decorated with all kinds of cute sketches, and a nice little rhyme running round two sides of the box. There's even a short mention of the 1838 Pastry War which, while it may sound implausible, is actually quite true. Even before you open the box and sample the quiche, there's a sense of enthusiasm about the product that's not very common with us Brits...

And it's the contents that you're really interested in, isn't it?

Well, I can only say good things about this quiche, and I'm not necessarily a great fan of spinach or feta. Granted, the sharp yet creamy cheese is mellowed somewhat when the quiche is served warm so, having tried it both ways, I favour the idea of popping it in the oven for a while. The spinach manages to taste fresh, and the roasted peppers are the perfect, sweet and light counterpoint to the otherwise dairy-heavy content. Either way, the bulk of the quiche is soft, light and generally delicious, and the pastry is nicely judged - not too light, not too heavy.

They even go so far as to offer serving suggestions, should one choose to serve the quiche to several diners, by slice, rather than wolfing down the whole thing by oneself.

And, as if this all this were not enough, they have an offer whereby sending them 10 'use by' dates from a 4-month period, cut from the packaging of their product range, yields a voucher towards your next pie/quiche.

Higgidy products are not stocked in my local shops, so I have to go a bit further afield to find them but, based on the quality of the products and the obvious passion with which they are made, I am certainly inclined to make the effort!