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French Delights...
This month we'll look at more French food creations, some born out of necessity and one that was a complete surprise to us. We'll explore savory bites, how they came to be and finish on a sweet note. Pâté, Terrine and Rilletts, oh my...you may have seen them on a menu, but the names are often used interchangeably and can be a bit confusing. Most people don't know what they are, so we're going to take a closer look at their subtle differences. As Chef Auguste Escoffier once said, "Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness," so let's continue to discover French gastronomy...
Have a seat and enjoy with us ©Burak The Weekender
Pâté - Pâté...where to even start? You either love it, hate it or aren't sure what it actually is. Some even call it a fancy meatloaf. So what exactly is Pâté? In a nutshell, it's a blend of meat with emulsified fat, herbs and any number of other ingredients, combined to create a tasty spread or filling. Pâté's history is muddled but a version of this bite can be traced back to the Egyptian and Roman Empires, where it was served at banquets for nobility. It slowly spread to Europe, and by the Middle Ages, Pâté with high-quality components was being served at French royal feasts. However, some believe that Pâté began as a peasant dish and as a way to preserve meat. Forcemeats, any raw meat or fish emulsified with fat, often liver and pork, utilized all parts of the animal, including internal organs. The dish may have begun with simple game like rabbit, pigeon or venison, but could also be made with duck, pork or lamb. By the 19th century, it was a staple in France and over time the ingredients became more refined as each region developed its own version. The word Pâté is thought to have come from the Old French word patete, meaning a paste. Over time, recipes were elevated as chefs experimented with different meats, flavors and combinations. Forcemeats are soaked in herbs, wine, brandy or Cognac - the alcohol adds flavor and preserves it. The meat is ground to the desired texture and blended with emulsified fat, then a binding agent like eggs or butter is added. Nuts, olives, dried fruit and herbs can be used for additional flavor. The mixture is then layered into a pan or covered in dough, and cooked in a water bath. It may be smooth, creamy or coarsely chopped, and while usually served cold, can be enjoyed at room temp. There are liver, venison, foie gras, veggie and seafood Pâtés...the list is really endless. While Pâté de Campagne is mixed with onions, garlic, herbs and juniper berries, and has a coarse texture, chicken liver Pâté tends to be smooth. It can be the main dish, snack or an amuse-bouche. You'll find this French delicacy served on charcuterie boards with crusty bread, mustard, caramelized onions, gherkins or fruit preserves to enhance the flavors. And wine...we can't forget the vino, like a fruity Beaujolais! Pâté can be traditional or high-end, but is a very versatile bite - rich in flavors, textures and options - which to choose?
**The late, great Anthony Bourdain said in his Les Halles Cookbook, “You’ve made meatloaf, right? You’ve eaten cold meatloaf, yes? If so, he says, you’re halfway to Pâté. Nothing to be scared of!"
**In 1779, Pâté de foie gras was credited to Chef Jean Joseph Clause - he was gifted twenty pistoles by King Louis XVI, received a patent for it in 1784, and eventually started his own company.
Pâté de campagne ©French Together official site
Pâté en Croûte - So what's the difference between Pâté and Pâté en Croûte? Other than the pastry shell, not too much. The pastry was originally designed to preserve the meat and keep it moist, but wasn't meant to be eaten. Pâtés were originally made by a pâtissier, who used a mixture of forcemeats wrapped in pastry before cooking. But leave it to the French to make them look beautiful. In the 12th century, Pâtés were coarse, but gradually became more finely ground, with an edible crust. Chefs at the royal court created opulent presentations for banquets and ceremonial feasts. By the 18th century, this bite became known as Pâté en Croûte, but as techniques for food preservation advanced, their popularity waned, and by the 20th century fell out of favor. But in 2009, four friends from Lyon created a World Pâté en Croûte Championship in an effort to bring the dish back to life by emphasizing its beauty and taste. Chefs from all over the world continue to participate for the title every December, and there's no sign of it slowing down, making what's old new again. Pâté en Croûte is quintessentially French and can be a masterpiece that requires great skill and technique. To make this artful creation, one must master three trades - butcher, pastry chef and cook. The dough, made with puff pastry or shortcrust, must be flaky but sturdy, and balance well with the flavors inside. The Pâté itself can be prepared with any mixture of meats marinated in brandy, wine or other alcohol, along with fats, herbs and seasonings. The sky is the limit for different combinations of flavors and textures, but one must have a refined palate to succeed. As the Pâté cooks it shrinks from the crust, so once removed from the oven and nearly cooled, aspic is added to the pastry. It's poured into the "chimneys" created in the dough design, allowing hot air to escape so it doesn't explode. The meat absorbs the aspic, filling in any gaps while adding structure and allowing it to be cut without crumbling. As you slice through the perfectly baked pastry, you'll find a work of art inside. They're delicate, intricate, sophisticated, rich in flavor and luxurious. The pastry is artfully and skillfully crafted, and the Pâté inside perfectly balanced, blended and equally beautiful. They're a blank canvas for chefs to create their own crowning achievements. A wonderful centerpiece, you can enjoy it as a meal or as part of a charcuterie board - they're lovely to look at and even more delicious to feast on. So while the pastry crust was essential for the Pâté en Croûte when they first originated, they've become a pièce de résistance...
**In 1382, a recipe for Pâté en Croûte appeared in the cookbook Le Viander de Taillevent.
**Lyon is considered the capitol of Pâté en Croûte, where they're called Pâté Croûte.
**Pâté en Croûte can take up to three days to make.
**In the 17th century, Pâté en Croûte became part of an unspoken competition among French aristocrats.
Pâté en Croûte...so many options ©Club + Resort Chef official site - looking for a better photo
Terrine - A charcuterie staple, the word Terrine in French means "earthen pot" for both the container that it was originally cooked in and for the dish itself. It's essentially Pâté cooked in a dish, rather than a pastry crust. It dates back to the Middle Ages in France when it was not only a hearty meal, but a way to preserve meat and vegetables. Typically layered with forcemeats, vegetables and organ meats packed tightly together, it was cooked in a water bath. A jelly rich in flavor formed as the dish cooled and acted as a preservative. When completely cool, it was pressed with a heavy object and stored in a cold area. It was sometimes coated in aspic to bind everything together. While it began as a humble meal and a way to extend the shelf life of food, the recipe for Terrine has been elevated over time and now has endless options. It's all about layering different textures and flavors, including high-end ingredients. It can be made with everything from pork, venison, rabbit, goose liver, boar and duck to seafood, veal and sausage. Surprisingly, beef doesn't work well since it's too dense. Just about any vegetable may be used, including red peppers, zucchini, carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms. Terrine can be seasoned with white wine or brandy, basil, thyme and sage or quatre épices, a mix of pepper, nutmeg, cloves and dried ginger. Don't worry if you're not a meat eater - colorful veggie Terrines are popular these days and full of flavor. While the Terrine cooking vessel was once clay, it can now be prepared in any loaf-style pan, including glass, porcelain or even cast iron. Usually served cold or at room temp, Terrine is typically presented like Pâté, in thick slices on a charcuterie board with cornichons, relish, mustard and bread.
**Terrine is a close relative of Pâté, but cooked in a mold.
**Some call Terrine a high-end meatloaf.
**Bring along Terrine on a picnic - it's portable, versatile, delicious and goes great with a glass of vino, again, like Beaujolais!
A Terrine on a charcuterie board ©Will Fly For Food official site - Lyutik Ryutik
Rillettes - Similar to Pâté but chunkier, Rillettes are believed to date to the 15th century as a way for peasants to preserve food. Traditionally, it used the undesirable cuts of pork and had the unappealing nickname "pig jam." The meat was cut into small pieces, salted and cured overnight, then cooked low and slow in pork fat until it fell apart. The process could take days, but the rich flavor was worth the wait. Once fully cooked, it was shredded and mixed into the fat until it became a rustic paste, then packed into jars and topped with more fat. The fat rose to the top, solidifying and preserving the meat inside for several months. The method is essentially the same one used for duck confit, but with shredded pieces of meat rather than whole duck legs. So while the process is identical, the name is different - maybe it should be called whipped confit? The word Rillettes might be derived from the French term rille, indicating strips of pork. Of course, each region has its own version - Le Mans, Tours and Anjou in the Loire have a rivalry as to whose version is best - each is known for rich flavors and golden color. Today, Rillettes can be made from just about anything, including high-quality meats, chicken, duck and even fish. The confit cooking method and shredded meat are required for them to be called Rillettes, while Pâté is made from minced meat, usually liver, and has a smoother texture. Generally served cold, Rillettes can be spread on toast, crackers or a fresh and crusty baguette. It's another perfect addition to your charcuterie board...serve with pickles, mustards, compotes and vin rouge, of course...
**Rillons are similar to Rillettes, but they're cubed, take less time to cook and are meant to keep their shape.
**Balzac wrote about Rillettes in 1836.
Tasty Rillettes anyone? ©Mediterranean Living official site
Mousse au Chocolat - What better way to finish this month's newsletter than with a delicious treat? We know that Mousse in French translates to "foam," but the history of this decadent dessert is a bit uncertain at best. Chocolate arrived in France in 1615 when King Louis XIII married Princess Anne of Austria, but only as a hot beverage. The first Mousse can be traced to the 18th century as a cooking technique, but it was savory, made with meat or fish...we imagine it looked like a whipped Pâté. The first mention of Mousse as a dessert was in 1750, in Chef Menon's La science du maître d’hôtel confiseur. But apparently it really didn't take off in France until the late 1800s. So here comes the surprise that we mentioned - some say that it was created by an Impressionist artist known to experiment in the kitchen and who loved to create new dishes. If you guessed Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, you'd be correct - but it's unlikely to be true since it was mentioned before his time. But Toulouse-Lautrec did call it "mayonnaise de chocolat" in his writings, so we can credit him with that. The rich bite we know today became popular in the US in the 1930s, when electric mixers and instant pudding debuted. So what exactly is Mousse au Chocolat besides divine? It's light, airy, fluffy and rich, although early versions were more like pudding than today's Mousse. The traditional French recipe includes only chocolate, butter, sugar, and raw eggs, which create the light texture. Many recipes today use heavy cream, which adds richness and density. While chocolate is a fan fave, you can find Mousse in lots of flavors, including coffee, orange, rum and peppermint. It can be topped with fresh fruit, more chocolate and may be frozen for a yummy ice cream. It's a timeless dessert, but decisions will need to be made...which to choose?
**In 1892, Mousse au Chocolat first showed up in the US at the Food Exposition at Madison Square Garden in NYC, where it's said to have produced the first written account.
**The world record for largest chocolate mousse was recorded on 6 October 2013 at the Aventura Mall in Florida. Weighing in at 496.8 pounds, it included 108lbs of chocolate, 66lbs of butter, 24lbs of egg yolks, 20lbs of sugar, 50 quarts of heavy cream and 5 gallons of milk.
**National Chocolate Mousse Day - 3 April
Can you say yummo? ©Savory Thoughts official site
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