# What does Pâté de Foie Gras taste like?



## chave982

I noticed that the Wegmans store in my area offers this, along with several other pâtés.  I'm just curious, if I don't like beef liver, will I not like duck/goose liver either?  Or does this have a completely different taste?


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## Andy M.

It's still recognizable as liver.  There are other flavors as well.  It's a paste (pate) of goose liver.


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## chave982

Andy M. said:


> It's still recognizable as liver. There are other flavors as well. It's a paste (pate) of goose liver.


 
So when you say "recognizable as liver", do you mean it's flavor is similar to that of a beef liver?  That's the only other liver I've ever tried.
This is a duck liver, btw, not a goose liver..I'm guessing there's not much of a difference?


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## Andy M.

Duck and goose are similar.  As compared to beef liver, the taste is different but texture and some flavors are similar among all livers. 

Really, it's difficult for someone to describe the taste of something you've never experienced.  Especially since every pate is different because of the other ingredients.

If you are really curious, buy one and give it a try.  If you end up tossing it after one taste, you've paid to learn something.  Who knows, you may be discovering a new food love.


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## chave982

Ok, so another question: How do I serve it?  The store sells it by the slice at around 1" thick pieces.  Do I just cut a piece off and put it on a cracker, or what?  Wow, I must sound so uncultured, lol...


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## BreezyCooking

Chopped chicken livers with a pedigree? Lol!!

No really - poultry liver (chicken, goose, duck) doesn't taste anything like beef, calf, or pork liver. I hate beef/calves liver with a passion - always have - but do love chicken (& other poultry) livers. The flavor is much milder & the texture is much softer.

If you don't want to take a chance & spring for pricey pates, buy some fresh chicken livers (usually about a buck or so for a pound) & saute them up in an obscene amount of butter until cooked thru, squeeze on some fresh lemon juice, & see how you like them. If you hate the taste, you haven't lost much (& if you have a dog or cat, they'll love them!). I'd also suggest buying a 1/4 pound of chopped chicken livers at a good deli counter, but every place's recipe can be so different, that I'm not sure you'd get the true flavor.


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## Andy M.

chave982 said:


> Ok, so another question: How do I serve it? The store sells it by the slice at around 1" thick pieces. Do I just cut a piece off and put it on a cracker, or what? Wow, I must sound so uncultured, lol...


 

That's right.  Spread some on a cracker and enjoy.  How much are they asking for a slice?


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## chave982

Andy M. said:


> That's right. Spread some on a cracker and enjoy. How much are they asking for a slice?


 
There's a few different kinds, and they go from $7 - $20 per 1" slice.  Is this a good price?


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## Andy M.

Hard to say.  It depends on the weight of the slice and what's in it.  I'd go for a lower cost one that includes duck liver so you can see if you like it.  The more expensive ones may include costly ingredients such as truffles.


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## auntdot

Pate is made from liver, it is not the pure foie gras, or liver.  If there is a food that is the ultimate taste experience it is foie gras, at least in MHO.

The flavor of the pate at Wegman's, which does put out some really fine products, I cannot comment on.

Many people who say they do not like liver is because they have never tasted decent liver.  The dark red stuff sold in the supermarkets as calves liver is awful offal.

True calves liver is white to pink in color. It must be at least 1/2 inch in thickness. When properly cooked the taste is ambrosia, nothing less.

Have introduced many confirmed liver haters to the product.

Whether you will like the pate sold at your supermarket, cannot tell you, nor can anyone else.

There are pates I like and those I can pass on.  I have a recipe for a country pate I have to dig out, and have not thought about in years.  It is a sheer delight, nothing less.

If I can find the recipe it is going on my Christmas menu.

Pate is an olio, a mixture, made with a liver base.  That is all.  If you want to risk a few bucks try it. If not don't.

Cannot add anything more.l


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## jennyema

Andy M. said:


> Hard to say. It depends on the weight of the slice and what's in it. I'd go for a lower cost one that includes duck liver so you can see if you like it. The more expensive ones may include costly ingredients such as truffles.


 
Tuffles!  Yum.

Pâté de Foie Gras when made correctly should be silky and sensuous, with a dusky or earthy liver taste, but milder than calves or beef liver.


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## mitmondol

auntdot said:


> Pate is made from liver, it is not the pure foie gras, or liver.  If there is a food that is the ultimate taste experience it is foie gras, at least in MHO.
> 
> The flavor of the pate at Wegman's, which does put out some really fine products, I cannot comment on.
> 
> Many people who say they do not like liver is because they have never tasted decent liver.  The dark red stuff sold in the supermarkets as calves liver is awful offal.
> 
> True calves liver is white to pink in color. It must be at least 1/2 inch in thickness. When properly cooked the taste is ambrosia, nothing less.
> 
> Have introduced many confirmed liver haters to the product.
> 
> Whether you will like the pate sold at your supermarket, cannot tell you, nor can anyone else.
> 
> There are pates I like and those I can pass on.  I have a recipe for a country pate I have to dig out, and have not thought about in years.  It is a sheer delight, nothing less.
> 
> If I can find the recipe it is going on my Christmas menu.
> 
> Pate is an olio, a mixture, made with a liver base.  That is all.  If you want to risk a few bucks try it. If not don't.
> 
> Cannot add anything more.l



Very well said, couldn't agree more!
I can only add, that for someone who never had foie before, I would probably have them taste it in their pure form first. Nothing like any other livers!
I absolutely prefer goose liver, which is almost impossible to find.
But duck is nice, very nice too.
Pate could be a totally different experience, depending on what else is in it.
Not the pure foie taste.
Love them though!


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## ChefJune

chave982 said:


> Ok, so another question: How do I serve it? The store sells it by the slice at around 1" thick pieces. Do I just cut a piece off and put it on a cracker, or what? Wow, I must sound so uncultured, lol...


 
You can do that, or you can eat it with pear  sections, or add a dab of tart cherry jam on top your canape, or a bit of mango chutney....  the sweet/tart flavors are great counterpoint to the rich liver.


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## muzzlet

I don't think you sound uncultured at all!! At least you are willing to try something new and different. Better than those food snobs. Here's an idea: gather up a few friends who are equally adventerous. Everybody chips in a few bucks and you go out and but things people have always wanted to try but never have. Add a few bottles of your favorite beverages and have a grand old time. Then nobody is out anymore than their initial investment.
Never stop asking, that's how you learn and grow.


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## kitchenelf

All I have to add is just GO FOR IT!  Buy one of the less expensive ones but one that still contains the duck liver.  The best you can hope for is you don't like it because then you'll be buying the $20.00 stuff too - spending money on that instead of buying clothes and milk and toilet paper - late payments will start - you'll be on the streets, all because of this new food that you just can't get enough of!!!!!  

Yes, it's addicting stuff!!!  I've bought it with the best of intentions of putting it out at parties - it usually gets eaten while we are preparing other things.


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## jpmcgrew

If Pate is sold at the Deli see if they will let you try a sliver they usually let you have a taste of their meats and cheese if your not sure.


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## ChefJune

Remember that everything that is pate is not _pate de foie gras_.  Lots of pate is made with chicken, veal, beef or pork livers.   So be sure of what you are buying so you're tasting that product you're wanting to try.


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## jennyema

ChefJune said:


> Remember that everything that is pate is not _pate de foie gras_. Lots of pate is made with chicken, veal, beef or pork livers. So be sure of what you are buying so you're tasting that product you're wanting to try.


 
Yes.  And in addition to what it's made from, pates vary widely in taste and texture.


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## ironchef

The bottom line is, with most products of this nature, you'll get what you pay for. If you buy cheap, you'll get a product made with cheaper and inferior food products.


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## chave982

Okay, so I've finally tried it....annnnnnd, I don't think I'm quite ready for it yet.  I tried it with some mini toast things, and was prepared for anything, but could definetely not handle the flavor.  Wayyy to strong for someone who doesn't like liver to begin with.

I'm pretty good at acquiring tastes for things that I may not like upon the first try, so I'll give this another try some other time, and try to build up a taste for it...


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## Claire

It is liver.  I happen to love it.  To each his own.


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## Michael in FtW

Think I'll stick with my braunschweiger ... which is about the only way I like liver - and generally do not like liver.


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## Andy M.

Michael in FtW said:


> Think I'll stick with my braunschweiger ... which is about the only way I like liver - and generally do not like liver.


 

Michael, I'm a fan as well, despite Allen Sherman's song on the subject.  But it's not the only one for me.  The turkey I cooked today must have been a mutant because she had two livers .  I fried them both and had a snack to sustain me while preparing the feast today.


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## jpmcgrew

Michael in FtW said:


> Think I'll stick with my braunschweiger ... which is about the only way I like liver - and generally do not like liver.


When Im in the mood I love braunschweiger or liver wurst I call it the poor mans pate.But a good pate cant be beat.If Im in the mood.


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## Bilby

I love liverwurst and pate in general although I prefer not to eat foie gras.


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