National Pâté Day Date in the current year: November 1, 2024

Pâté is a paste or loaf made with very finely ground meat called forcemeat. Meats that are commonly used to make pâté include beef, fish, pork, poultry, and venison, as well as beef, chicken, duck, or goose liver. Other ingredients that may be added to the dish include vegetables, eggs, herbs and spices, and either brandy or wine.

Pâté is primarily associated with French and Belgian cuisine. Traditionally, a forcemeat mixture is baked in a crust as loaf or pie, or in a terrine (a glazed earthenware dish). The former variation of the dish is called pâté en croûte and the latter is called pâté en terrine. Pâté en terrine should not be confused with a similar dish called simply terrine, which is something in between pâté and aspic.

Pâté en croûte is usually served sliced, whereas pâté en terrine is served in a terrine or spread on bread or crackers. The dish can be served either hot or cold, but it is generally considered that pâté needs a few days of chilling to fully developed its flavor.

A lot of people think that pâté is a delicacy, mostly because pâté de foie gras is the most famous version of the dish. However, many cuisines have affordable versions of pâté made from ham, fish, liver, pork, poultry, or venison. These versions of pâté are usually served as a bread spread.

For example, Polish pasztet is made from fish or meat mixed with bread crumbs, flour and eggs. It also may contain a varied range of additional ingredients, such as cheese, mushrooms, vegetables, and various herbs, spices, and sauces.

Similar recipes can be found in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. They are chopped liver and vorschmack (chopped herring). Chopped liver is a type of liver pâté made by broiling or sautéing chicken, beef, or veal liver and onions, mixing them with hard-boiled eggs, schmaltz, pepper and salt, and grinding the mixture.

Vorschmack is a fish pâté made from chopped brined herring; it may also include other ingredients such as chopped hard-boiled eggs and onions, or a grated fresh apple. Vorschmack may be served as a spread on bread, cookies or crackers, as a salad, or as a main course, usually accompanied by boiled potatoes. Variations of the dish are known in other cuisines (Finnish, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian).

Given the reputation of the United States as a melting pot, it is not surprising that pâté has made its way to the country thanks to immigrants and even has a holiday dedicated to it. The origins of National Pâté Day are unclear, but don’t let this stop you from celebrating. You can out to a restaurant and enjoy a delicious pâté dish, buy pâté at a grocery store and eat it with bread or crackers, or even make your own pâté. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media using the hashtag #NationalPâtéDay.