Fine Cheese & Charcuterie September 2014

Avez-Vous du Pâté?

It’s time to start brushing up on our French language pronunciation as we are only a month away from one of the world’s great specialty food shows, SIAL Paris 2015. It’s hard for me to think of Paris without my mind drifting to thoughts of pâté de foie gras and escargots de Bourgogne. I admit I do have a particular love for French cuisine developed from a very young age, and I would always look forward to the next Paris adventure to satisfy my craving for pâté and other delicacies. Fortunately for us in America, many of these delicacies have become readily available stateside.

I can still remember the days when the U.S. dollar was worth more than the local French currency, giving Americans the buying power to enjoy eating our way through France without eating through our wallets. Unfortunately, that is not so true these days. But it has created the market opportunity for companies to transplant some of the Old-World traditions and methods to America, and produce an outstanding specialty food product for a more reasonable price.

I have participated in making homemade terrines and pâtés during the holidays, and I have to say that it is a labor of love. It also happens to be very rich, so a slice off the large block will usually be a reasonable serving, which means you better have a lot of guests, or you are going to be eating the leftovers for a long time! But wait, I have been seeing individual servings of a variety of mouthwatering pâtés available in the deli case at some (but not all) of our local supermarkets. Thanks to Alexian, Trois Petits Cochons and others, we are able to enjoy fine pâté made in America according to traditional European recipes and ingredients without going through all of the work. We don’t need to wait for a holiday to indulge anymore!

Anywhere there is cheese, we should find bread or crackers, both of which serve as excellent vehicles for delivering pâté to one’s palate as well, making it a match made in Francophile heaven. I would like to appeal to those grocery outlets that have understood the need for growing their cheese assortment to include more European specialty varieties, to also recognize that pâtés and terrines are a perfect pairing. With the holidays just around the corner, it seems like the ideal time to introduce or expand your assortment of prepared foods like pâtés that can quickly and easily become inspiration for an elegant appetizer platter for a party or family gathering.

David Spencer
Publisher, Gourmet Business 

President, HousewaresDirect, Inc. 

dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com