I have been waiting all year for November to finally arrive. No, I’m not talking about the presidential election–the excruciatingly overwrought drama that refuses to end. Yes, by all verified accounts we did elect a new POTUS. But the current one is clearly refusing to accept the fact that his reality tv show has been cancelled and won’t be returning next season. Even my birthday, which happened two days after “election day,” felt somewhat anticlimactic–not having a clear decisive “winner” declared until Saturday morning. No, the event I’ve been most eagerly awaiting is the return of The Crown on Netflix this weekend. Season 4 will be Olivia Coleman’s last turn at playing Queen Elizabeth II before passing the baton over to Imelda Staunton for the final two seasons. Now that is how you execute a graceful transition!
I’ve been a big fan of the series since the very beginning and my loyalty has not wavered through the recasting of all the actors from Season 2 to Season 3, which has been by and large seamless–from Claire Foy to Olivia Coleman, Matt Smith to Tobias Menzies. Credit must be given to the producers and show-runner Peter Morgan who I think rightly put the emphasis on telling the story about institution of “The Crown” rather than on the specific individuals within the monarchy–each cast of actors playing in a set piece depicting a very specific period in history. In a way it’s like viewing a series of dioramas in a museum capturing a moment in time.
What excites me about Season 4 is that it is the first time I feel a personal connection to the time period–the 80’s. I was far too young to remember much about the historical events that took place in Season 3. I do, however, have vivid memories of the 80’s and the introduction of Lady Diana Spencer and ascension of Margaret Thatcher in world politics.
I remember waking up at 2am to watch the “wedding of the century” before trudging off in a daze to my job that summer before my freshman year in college. How I managed to not fall asleep or drop any microchips on the assembly line that day was a miracle.
I so wanted to be there for all the pomp and circumstance. No doubt that’s in part why I applied to study in England for my junior year instead of transferring to UC Berkeley, as my mom had expected. Sure, I was majoring in English Literature so it made total sense I’d want to immerse myself in the birthplace of Austen, Shakespeare, Wordworth, and Bronte. But let’s be honest, I wanted to go to the places (or at least be nearby) where Princess Diana and the other royals went. That, of course, meant lots of day trips with my fellow American students abroad up to London, where we trolled Sloan Square, Knightsbridge, Harrods, and Hyde Park. I even attempted a “Princess Di” haircut…with laughably disastrous results. No, I don’t have any photographic evidence–thank goodness phone cameras didn’t exist then.
Just visualize my bone straight, coarse Asian hair fashioned in a style more Dutch boy than Princess Diana. Suffice it to say I wore headbands for months until my hair grew out, which went along with the faux Sloan Ranger vibe I was channeling with my faux pearl necklace, Marks & Spencer sweater set, and kitten-heeled pumps.
Once I returned home from England I eventually went back to my usual California college student attire, putting away my faux pearls and tossing away the well-worn kitten heels. I traded in Sloan Ranger for Flashdance. Ripped baggy sweatshirts and distressed jeans was a much easier look to maintain.
Looking at photographs of myself from that time period, it’s hard to say if I even had a distinct personal style. Like Princess Diana, I was still a young woman trying to figure out who I was, my likes and dislikes. For instance, I developed a love for sashimi, a food I never touched as a kid, always eschewing it in favor of “safer” varieties of sushi such as futomaki or California roll, until a college roommate took me to a sushi bar. It became a kind of gateway to more grown-up adventurous eating. When I watch footage of Diana at 20, dutifully racing towards motherhood within the first of marriage, I can’t help wondering how much of her development as an adult was hampered not just by weight of immense responsibility, but by intense public scrutiny–the entire world laser-focused on her every move, questioning every decision, criticizing every mistake. Unlike the Princess, I had no particular role to play. For me the 80’s was a decade of trial and error, falling madly in love, weathering soul-crushing disappoint, discovering a passion for cooking that would ultimately take me on a completely different career path than the one I pursued after college, and finding my voice. I can’t imagine not having the freedom to make all the mistakes I made.
While The Crown is an interpretation of historical events and artful meditation on the institution of monarchy, our feelings towards the individuals being portrayed are tied to the actor’s performance. That can’t be helped. My hope is that Emma Corrin, who plays Diana Spencer in Season 4, will do “young Diana” justice.
I have a soft spot for Diana in the 1980’s because she was only a couple years older than myself when she stepped into history. In many ways the subsequent turmoil caused by her contentious relationship with Charles and the royal establishment in the 90’s dominates the overall narrative of Diana’s life. I think it’s fitting that the producers of The Crown have chosen to cast one actress to portray Diana at the beginning of her marriage and another at the end, making a clear delineation between the person Diana was before her marriage and who she was after her marriage fell apart. Not having been born royal, she was certainly the individual who underwent the most dramatic transformation becoming a member of the royal family.
I don’t think it was a coincidence that the theme of last week’s Great British Bake Off was The 80’s–resplendent with signature quiches, finger donuts, and ice cream cake. To mark the premier of Season 4 of The Crown, I decided to make my 2020 version of quiche–a Broccoli Bacon Cheddar Quiche with a potato crust. I was inspired by a recipe for potato crusted quiche from former Bake Off champion Nadiya Hussein. Her crust was made with a combination of shredded regular and sweet potentates. I made mine with just russets because that is what I had in my pantry. Instead of using a deep fluted tart pan, I formed my crust in a swallower fluted long rectangular pan, which took less eggs and less time to cook.
I soaked my shredded potatoes in cold water for a bit to remove some of the starch before squeezing the potatoes dry in a dish cloth–a similar method I used for hash browns. To bind the potato together I added a little flour and some egg, along with sea salt, pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, garlic and onion powders. I pressed the potato mixture into the bottom and sides of the greased tart pan to form the crust, then baked it for about 25-30 mins. at 350F degrees until golden. I brushed a bit of egg wash on the surface and then bake the crust for another 5 mins. to seal out moisture from the custard.
While the crust baked I browned 2 slices of chopped bacon, reserving some of the rendered fat to brown some sliced onion. I sautéed a bit of chopped broccoli (about 1 small cluster) until just tender. To fill the crust, I layered about 2/3 c. shredded sharp cheddar at the bottom, then layered on the onion, bacon, and broccoli. For the custard I beat 2 large eggs with about 1/2 c. whole milk, and seasoned with sea salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg, then carefully poured the custard over the layered filling. The quiche baked at 350F degrees for about 20 mins., until the custard was set and the crust crispy and golden.
If you want to make a bigger quiche, double the recipe and use a deep pan. You will have to increase cooking time for custard to set.
Broccoli Bacon Cheddar Quiche w/ Potato Crust
Yield: 4 servings
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, shredded
- 3 T. all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs, divided
- 1/2 t. sea salt
- 1/4 t. black pepper
- 1/2 t. smoked paprika
- 1/2 t. dried thyme
- 1/2 t. garlic powder
- 1/2 t. onion powder
- 2/3 c. shredded sharp cheddar
- 2 slices bacon, chopped, browned, fat reserved
- 1/2 small onion, sliced
- 1 small broccoli cluster, chopped (about 2/3 c.)
- 1/2 c. whole milk
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- Soak the shredded potatoes in cold water for about 5 mins., then drain well, place in the center of a dish towel, gather up the sides and squeeze out all the excess liquid from the potatoes.
- Transfer potatoes into a bowl. Add salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, garlic and onion powders, flour and half of a beaten egg (reserve the other half to use for egg wash later) and mix together.
- Press the potato mixture firmly along the bottom and up the sides of a well-greased 1″ deep flute rectangular tart pan with removable base. Bake the crust in a preheated 350F degree oven for about 25-30 mins. or until the crust in light golden. Remove from the oven and brush the surface with the remaining beaten egg mixed with about 1 t. water. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 mins. to set.
- While the crust is baking, brown the onions in some reserved bacon fat, season with salt and pepper. Use the remaining fat to sauté the chopped broccoli until just tender, season with salt and pepper.
- Layer the bottom of the baked crust with cheddar, then top with bacon, onion, and broccoli.
- Beat the remaining 2 eggs with milk. Season with salt, pepper and pinch of nutmeg. Carefully pour the custard over the layered filling. Bake the quiche at 350F degrees for about 20 mins. or until custard is set and crust is crispy and golden.