Pâté - has it fallen out of fashion?

TastyReuben said:
So I checked my cookbooks (all 14 of them :)) and found three pâté recipes and one terrine.

One pâté recipe was in that old German cookbook, and another was in. Pepin cookbook. No surprises for those two.

The third one, and the terrine, were in a 1980's edition of The Betty Crocker Cookbook. For those not in the know, Betty Crocker is an iconic American brand, and their cookbooks have been around since maybe the 1930's or so, updated as food fashions change, and are meant to represent a good cross-section of "American" cooking. For many people, it's their first "real" cookbook, and they used to be commonly given to new homemakers/brides.

In that cookbook, the pâté is a cheese one, no meat.
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Betty Crocker is well known here, we used to have cake mixes with her brand. I've just inherited some old books so I'll have a look at those as well.

Russ
 
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rascal said:
That sounds nice , I serve mine with either toast or crackers. I saw on rick steins programme in France where they force fed ducks. It's a cruel practice I believe. Last I heard it was banned in socal.?

Russ
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Its geese not ducks they feed like that.
 
I love pate.....chicken liver with a hint of garlic is my favourite and I always make some at Christmas time. Brussels pate (usually made with pork liver) is probably the one you see most often, and I like that one too, but its very mild tasting. Smoked fish works pretty well in a pate too - in fact I'd probably try any smooth pate (I'm not so keen on the coarse ones).

On the other hand Hubby much prefers coarse pates and terrines. We're members of a scheme called France Passion which allows us to stay in our motorhome at various artisan producers in France - there's almost always a terrine or two on sale in their little shop (I think the attraction is that terrines don't need to be refrigerated until opening). The last one we bought was a goat terrine from a little goat farm in Normandy - we're planning on having it at the weekend.

Foie gras is very different to pate......pate is normally the liver blended with a mixture of cream and butter plus herbs and other ingredients such as shallots. Foie gras on the other hand is just the fattened duck or goose liver and its much firmer than most pates. Foie gras is very expensive so it should be carefully sliced and then served on lightly toasted brioche :hungry: You can get foie gras pates and terrines, but to me they don't taste particularly of foie gras so it seems a waste to me, might as well just buy normal pates or terrines.

Its not often you hear rillettes mentioned, but they are another favourite of our's which we always bring home from holiday - my favourite is chicken rillettes, but to be honest they're all good.
 
Karen W said:
If you do find or make your own pate...
Remembering a recipe idea for a cocktail party-dish. Pate-filled puff pastry stars. Cut out puff pastry with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Stack two stars together & bake until puffed. Let cool, and pipe pate inside the stars. Very pretty. I remember the pic. The stars were served on a platter with sprigs of thyme scattered about.:chef:
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Example:
Mushroom Pate filled Puff Pastry Stars « Vegalicious Recipes

Seeing if link works, as well. Will try to translate measurements to US to try.
 
Windigo said:
Used to happen to ducks too, but it's banned for both now by EU regulations.
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The EU may have banned it, but France chooses not to comply because they consider it part of their cultural heritage.

Most foie gras these days is from ducks, geese only account for a very small percentage. From what I've been told, goose foie gras has a milder (less liver-y) taste. Its also more expensive than duck fois gras.
 
The market here sold it at the Deli counter. It was usually displayed next to a retro dish called Ambrosia. From memory, marshmallows, Mandarin oranges or pineapple, cherries and nuts. Sweet!!
 
MrsDangermouse said:
Its not often you hear rillettes mentioned, but they are another favourite of our's which we always bring home from holiday - my favourite is chicken rillettes, but to be honest they're all good.
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Yes I love rillettes too! My favorite is the duck version, though I once had a venison one that was also amazing.
 
Karen W said:
And coconut too. Diabetes on a plate. *shudder* it usually made an appearance around the Holidays. Some Mid-century dishes were odd. Something for everyone. Lol
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When I was a kid (1970s-80s), ambrosia was everywhere. We even got it in school lunches. The day they had ambrosia on the menu, everybody ate the school lunch. :laugh:
 
morning glory said:
How strange - surely that isn't a pâté? Or at least I can't see how.
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The recipe is listed as Chèvre Pâté and calls for chèvre cheese, butter, milk, paprika, red pepper, pecans, and black olives.

It says to blend everything but the last two ingredients until smooth, then to stir in the chopped nuts and chopped olives, firm up in the fridge, and serve with rye crackers.

That sounds a bit like a '70's dinner party dish to me. I may have to try it!
 
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