Pâté

Description

Even though the word pâté might bring to mind an expensive gourmet duck or goose liver hors d’oeuvre, the truth is that pâtés include an entire range of different meat-based and vegetable-based spreads. This dish is incredibly versatile, and is much easier to prepare than one might expect. Pâtés can be made for any occasion, and they can serve as both an inexpensive crowd-pleaser for a casual home get-together or as a show-stopping first course fit for even the fanciest of dinner parties. And although similar meat-based spreads trace their origins back thousands of years to ancient Greece, the French and Belgian pâtés we know today rose to fame during the Renaissance, when they were commonly served during hot summer months alongside other cold meat products. Over time, the image of pâté began to shift from a simple and convenient way to preserve meat to a more creative, even extravagant method of preparing food. This is thanks in great part to Marie-Antoine Carême, one of the first and most famous professional chefs in France. Pâtés were traditionally prepared either as pâté en croûte , which is baked in a crust like a pie, or as pâté en terrine , which is baked in a glazed earthenware pan or other molded dish. Today, pâté (lit. paste) simply describes a wide variety of seasoned ground meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, or dairy products flavored with various herbs, spices, and sometimes even liquors such as sherry or cognac. Pâtés often consist of several different base ingredients mixed into a delicious medley of flavors. They can be blended into a smooth and creamy mousse-like spread, while the chunkier, firmer country-style varieties are typically sliced or cubed for appetizer platters and sandwiches. Interestingly enough, despite being elevated to haute cuisine and the fine dining scene during the early 20th century, pâté has retained its appeal among all classes, and remains a favorite in France and beyond even today.