It's not uncommon to feel overwhelmed when beginning to learn about a new cuisine, but you should never let that uncertainty keep you from embracing something new.
Perhaps you sampled a delicious pâté at a holiday get together, stumbled upon a tempting slice while at your local grocery store, or have simply heard about it for so long you've decided to try it out for yourself. Never fear - here at Alexian, pâté is our passion and we take pride in educating our customers on the delightful ins and outs of our world.
Lesson I: What is Pâté?
Simply put, pâté (pronounce PAH-TAY) is French for "paste." It's most basic definition is as follows: "pâté is a mixture of cooked ground meat, liver, liquor, and fat minced into a spreadable paste."
While traditionally served baked into a crust, the modern version often comes in a slice, ready for you to create sumptuous appetizers, breakfasts, sandwiches and dinners.
A pâté often contains chicken, pork, duck, goose, or other game and common additions include vegetables, herbs, spices, and either wine or brandy (often cognac or sherry). Pâté can be served either hot or cold, but it is considered best enjoyed at room temperature.
Lesson II: The Terminology
Each pâté has its own distinct personality, and each Alexian pâté is prepared with our European, time-honored family recipes to encompass a range of consistencies, flavor profiles and meats. We offer a wide selection - ranging from vegan varieties to traditional pâtés. Here's how to know what to expect:
Terrine: A terrine is a type of cooking pan, similar in nature to a meatloaf pan. The term is also used to describe foods which are cooked in these pans, typically coarse-textured pâtés. Terrines can be made of many things, including vegetables! Alexian vegetable and vegan terrines are a perfect example.
Mousse: A mousse is a smooth and creamy pâté, perfect for spreading onto a baguette.
Country Style: Our country style pâtés are traditional, rustic pâtés that are coarse in texture and bold in flavor.
Lesson III: Enjoying Your Pâté
As we've mentioned just before, pâtés come in a wide range of varieties. The good news? There's a pâté for everyone. The (not really bad at all) news? You might have to try a few types and recipes to find your go-to favorite.
Our pâtés can be enjoyed simply: spread on toast points with marmalade or chutney, served cubed on toothpicks or skewers, or added to your favorite sandwich, wrap, or salad.
Our pâté can also be enjoyed in imaginative and exotic creations such as Vietnamese Bahn Mis, Earthy Mushroom-stuffed raviolis or grown-up grilled cheeses. For these recipes and more inspiration, please visit: A Week of Meals with Alexian and Around the World with Alexian.
Do you still have questions? Feel free to reach out to us anytime via Facebook or email!
FAQs
A pâté often contains chicken, pork, duck, goose, or other game and common additions include vegetables, herbs, spices, and either wine or brandy (often cognac or sherry). Pâté can be served either hot or cold, but it is considered best enjoyed at room temperature.
What are the basics of pâté? ›
Pâté is a mixture of seasoned ground meat with seasoning, herbs and vegetables that is baked into a terrine and served at room temperature (for most of them). Some pâté are baked inside a pastry dough which is known as pâté en croûte.
What is the most important meat in pâté? ›
Traditionally made with liver, and mixed with wine and spices until it's cooked down into a spreadable texture, pâté can also be created with liver or other parts of pork, venison, chicken, fish, duck and other game, and even created with veggies on occasion.
What is a fun fact about pâté? ›
The word "pâté" is related to the word "pasta." This isn't just a fun fact of linguistics. Pâté was indeed related to dough. A few centuries ago, pâté was prepared the same way it is today — minced meat was chopped, carrots, onions and spices were added.
What is the main ingredient of pâté? ›
Pâté is often made of pig meat and parts, but wild game like snipe, partridge, venison or wild boar can be cooked into a pâté, as can farm-raised duck, rabbit or pheasant. Even vegetables can be made into pâté. Lean meats might require the addition of some pork fat to keep the pâté from drying out in the oven.
Should pâté be served warm or cold? ›
A pâté often contains chicken, pork, duck, goose, or other game and common additions include vegetables, herbs, spices, and either wine or brandy (often cognac or sherry). Pâté can be served either hot or cold, but it is considered best enjoyed at room temperature.
Why is pâté so expensive? ›
Often artisanal pâté is made with locally sourced ingredients, with meat and fat from small farms instead of large corporations. The practices the company adheres to can drastically influence the price of the final product, creating a rather large gap between mass-market production and artisanal product.
What is pâté called in America? ›
Pâtés, Mousses, and Terrines: What's the difference? These words are typically used casually but they are all used interchangeably to refer to a baked ground mixture of meat, poultry or game ingredients (and sometimes vegetable and seafood as well), that have been combined with spices and a liquor.
What is the most common type of pâté? ›
Though common meats used in Pates include beef, pork, liver, ham, salmon, chicken and wild game, Pâté de Foie Gras is considered the king of Pates.
How should pâté be eaten? ›
Accompaniments for meat Pates and fish Pates require little more than toast and a few refreshing celery sticks or radish slices. Toasts are also a great partner with Pate. A grilled, properly spiky sourdough bread would be the ideal here, but any decent, thick-cut real white or granary bread will do.
pate in American English
1. the head, esp. the top of the head. 2. the brain or intellect.
What is the jelly layer on pâté? ›
Aspic or meat jelly (/ˈæspɪk/) is a savory gelatin made with a meat stock or broth, set in a mold to encase other ingredients. These often include pieces of meat, seafood, vegetable, or eggs. Aspic is also sometimes referred to as aspic gelée or aspic jelly.
Is pâté as healthy as liver? ›
Liver and liver products, like pâté, are a rich source of vitamin A in the form of retinol, which is the 'active' form. Muscle meat is not such an impressive source and plant sources have to be converted to the active form in the gut, so that the body can use them.
What is the most common pâté? ›
Some of the most popular types of pâté in France include pâté de campagne, made with pork, pâté de foie gras, made with duck or goose liver, and pâté en croûte, which is baked in a pastry crust.
What is a traditional pâté? ›
Paté (pronounced pah-tay) is a French term that loosely translates to paste. Paté is a savory filling of meat and fat that is baked in a terrine (an earthenware vessel) and served hot or cold. Traditionally, paté was baked in pastry, aka paté en croute.
Are pâté and liverwurst the same thing? ›
Pâté is most associated with French cuisine, but variations on this dish can be found all over the world. It's possible that Americans who are unfamiliar with pâté are fans of liverwurst, unaware that the dishes are essentially the same. Liverwurst, especially in sliced form, is a common sandwich filler for many.
What's the difference between meat paste and pâté? ›
Pate is French for paste. The most common types of pastes consist of offal, or meat (e.g., chicken, beef, rabbit, pork), but pate can also be made from vegetables and other ingredients; and 'all of the above'; with recipe variations too numerous to mention.
