Pâté Gal, Pâté Experience, Pâté All Day
Eat More Organs in 2026 | My Only New Year's Resolution
Are you grossed out? Turned off? About to vomit in your purse? Thats okay, we are starting out slow. Be grateful that I am not busting out a bovine heart carpaccio or a chicken liver salad on day ONE. (Those are coming; you have been warned.) I will be saving those extra special offal situations for the cold, dark, dank doldrums of February♥️. I just have this sneaking suspicion that you will be begging for ANYTHING but another boring AF salad recipe, AND I will be here bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to regale you with tales about liver and onions😘.
I am part German, so I grew up eating liverwurst, AKA German pâté, and always enjoyed it. I don’t have a vivid memory of eating pate for the first time (of all the things to NOT have a great memory of🤬) and having my mind explode. It just seems that I have always liked it, and it never felt weird or exciting. I like umami, I like meat, I like mustard, I love bread, I love butter, that all aligns for me to be a pâté gal.
Let me preface these Organ Endeavors (should I trademark that🤔) with the acknowledgement that…
A) I get it. Eating organs can be weird. Both mentally and physically. If you grew up being told organs were byproducts and not food, your brain might file them under ew, not dinner. The texture of an organ can also be off-putting, especially if you go into the experience thinking it will be the same as eating a chicken nugget. It won’t. And that is ok. This texture fear isn’t biological. It’s learned.
B) There is a right way to enjoy organs. The goal is to find the right way for you.
Example: I consider eating steamed brussel sprouts to be cruel and unusual punishment, but eating roasted brussels sprouts is heaven on earth. Same cruciferous vegetable, wildly different eating experiences. Let’s use our friend, the brussel as our guide through Organ Town. Have the mindset of I will try. If you don’t like a certain kind, try another; if you don’t prefer a certain cooking method, try another; if you enjoy them but have zero desire to cook them at home, fine, seek them out when you are at a restaurant. (That still counts.)
Another option is to stay in your comfort zone, you know that cozy little box, it’s safe, it’s warm, there are cats, and observe My Organ Endeavors from the safety of your couch and a box of takeout. That is perfectly acceptable. Also, if you happen to have gout, you can also sit this one out. Whoever is left, better BUCKLE UP!
Today is for Pâté, the gateway drug to consuming more organs in 2026!!
Pâté isn’t a strange food. It’s old food. Created to use every last bit of scraps to make something delicious and incredibly nutritious. Absolutely nothing went to waste, and that was a win-win for everyone involved. Pâté is traditionally made with liver, but it can be much more than just a brick of liver. It can have cooked meats, mushrooms, vegetables, legumes, fats, spices, and even alcohol. It can be smooth or chunky, mild or bold, meat-based, seafood, or plant-based. (Plant-based people, you are STILL welcome here!) Taking the time to seek out a pâté that suits your fancy will be our first Organ Endeavor. If someone says, I don’t like pâté, they usually just haven’t met the right one yet.
In the world of pâté, we got options.
Smooth pâté - It is most likely liver-based (but it doesn’t have to be), it’s silky and spreadable, and meant to be slathered on toast. And I mean slathered, the more the better! This is my go-to pâté. Have you heard of Foie Gras (a pâté made with goose liver)? Controversial as it may be, this falls into the smooth category. I have had it a few times, and it is incredible. Rich and sultry, almost sensual, it tastes like dancing the tango after a half glass of Malbec in a dark bar off the cobblestone streets in Palermo.
Country pâté - Like the name suggests, it is rough and ready. Sturdy, course, and sliceable. Because of the course texture, you will be able to see all the bits in it. The fat, the meats, maybe a pistachio, or a piece of dried fruit, it could come wrapped in bacon. Don’t sleep on this version, the texture is not as it seems, and the crunch of a nut might be fun for you, who knows. You can eat it with crackers, or you can slap it onto some thicc bread and have it as a sandwich. Save a horse and eat more country pâté! (Should we make shirts?)
Terrine- Similar to a country pâté but cooked in a Terrine (the cooking vessel), hence the name. Terrines are known for their distinct layers that can be seen when sliced. Some look almost mosaic-like; they are beautiful, and the sky is the limit as to what sneaky things can be hiding in the layers. Pork, chicken, game, vegetables, herbs, pistachios, apricots, and bacon, oh my! Give me ALL the layers! Sliceable like our country friend and eaten cold or at room temperature. It’s the perfect picnic snack in Paris! (Or your couch💁♀️.)
Rillettes- Not pâté but a cousin, an aunt twice removed, an ex-in-law perhaps, still part of the family but like not at the same time. I want you to be aware of this guy because you might run into him on your scavenger hunt, and I don’t want it to be awkward for you. Just play it cool, and everything will be fine🫣. It is more of a chunky meat situation than a pâté. It is not made with liver but with shredded meats, pork, rabbit, duck, duck, goose! The meat is slow-cooked in fat, AKA confited, and then stored in a jar. There is often a layer of fat on top! Scoop out the fat and meat and spread it on a piece of bread. Rillettes can also be made with seafood, trout, salmon, or sardines. Best served at room temperature so the fat can get buttery soft and spread like a whipped cream dream over a delicate cracker or hearty bread slice.
I was out and about in the world seeking out some rillettes and hoping I could snag a nice, thick slice of terrine for us. (You and I.) I grabbed a pork rillette from the cold case and made my way to the large cheese and meat counter (at a specialty shop). I was peering through the glass, hoping to see a log of terrine sitting wedged under some other meats. I asked the young gentleman if they had any in the case, thinking I must have missed them. He replies, ‘Unfortunately not.’ Case closed, no terrines for our picnic in Paris. He then says, ‘but the same company (referring to the rillette purchase) makes a really good dog food. So you should check that out.’ Stunned at the comment, I didn’t know what to say. Did he think what I purchased was a treat for a dog? Not interested in getting tangled in this dog food meat web, I nodded politely and left. Still don’t know WTF that was about. To be fair, pâté does look very similar to cat food sooo it wasn’t completely a miss. I guess if I am ever in the market for dog food, I will seek out this company🙃.
The most important pâté lesson: No matter what version you go with, don’t sleep on the accoutrement! Having all the fixings will set you up for having a successful pâté experience.
Pâté shines with contrasting flavors:
Anything pickled
Mustard
Bitter greens
Crusty bread
Crackers
Fresh vegetables
Chutneys
Cornichons
Not all pâtés need an extra bit, but most do, so better to be prepared. The best way to approach this is to taste a bite plain and then start adding things and see how they complement your eating experience.
Pâté combos to get you started:
Smooth pâté + coarse grain mustard + cornichon (tiny pickle)
Sesame sourdough + country pâté + mustard + red pickled onions
Water cracker + pork rillette + kewpie mayo + parsley
Pâté isn’t one thing. Once you understand that, it stops being scary and starts being delicious. And you have taken your first hit of the organ drug! Yeaaaa, come on everyones doing it!
My pate face. I stood staring at the case of pâtés, terrines, and rillets for nothing short of an hour trying to decide which one to try! The best part of traveling is tasting😋. Picnic in Paris w/pâté (and friends).
Are we vibing yet? Eat more organs in 2026!!!! Please let me know your thoughts on pâté. What kind do you prefer? What are you excited to try out? Why have you never tried it before? But more importantly, will you try it now?
Cheers,
Nicole | Butter Cult
