Things aren't that bad.

A lot of the pundit class are always saying "It's not that bad." George Will and David Brooks love to swing that way. It usually means some vareation on "Shut-up and be glad you have a job." Now when I say it it's because while the fight goes on things do get better once and awhile. I just stumbled across this video by accident, but give it a watch. I don't care about Hunter Thompson grizzled hack writer and faux tough guy nor do I care about the hells angel hack humane being and faux tough guy. What facinates me about this is the studio audience. The last 2 minutes are amazing.



If you still don't know what I am talking about you might want to give yourself a gut check. Since when is it hilarious to talk about beating your wife, ecspecially when your buddy actually did the deed. Since when would a television host allow that to go unchallanged? Plus he cuts off the one person, Thompson, who seems to find the "beat women" thing offensive. That tape is only 40 years old. Where's Oprah when you need her?

So we are evolving. We may be trigger happy apes with narsistic personality disorder that write women tweaking blogs, but we are light years ahead of that studio audience. Not being a wife beater is no reason to pat yourself on the back, but it is an improvement over actually doing it then thinking it is perfct audience entertainment. To PC? I don't think so. So here's to us evolving even if we have to keep trying. Makes me want some cold beer and some grown-up food.

Mmmm! processed meat!

Don't you get tired of the usual beer food? I do. So today we are going to make pate. There is an accent mark over the e, but I am keyboard illiterate. There are several kinds but we are going for a classic silky pate which is really a dip that will stop you heart. Then because Erin asked nicely and I am feeling good about everyone being so evolved we'll do a country style tureen.





No way are we doing Fois gras by the way. So I find smoked fish the way to go. Salmon or trout are great but if you can get smoked bluefish go nuts. Then you will need shallots (no onions! way too strong) a squeeze of lemon, pinch of salt and either a package of cream cheese ( you could use marscapone) or half a package of cream cheese with an equal amount of butter. Mmm Butter! You know what I would do.

1. If the fish has skin remove it. Mince the fish fine.
2.  Add the shallots, the salt, and the lemon to the binder. (for our purpose cheese and butter Mmmmm butter!).
3. Beat the living crap out of it.
4. If you want it really silky pulse (pulse only or you will melt the butter, Mmmm butter! which would be bad.) in a food processor. You want the stuff to combine not separate. Oil and water and all that.
5. Scrap it into a ramekin, cover, then let everything ripen over night. Remember to put it out with some crackers (not saltines you soulless losers!) spring for melba toasts.

Now if classic pate is really a fancy dip country pate if meatloaf on steroids, very elegant steroids.
You will need...

1. Put 2 and a half pounds of ground pork in a large bowl.
2. Using your chefs knife mince a half pound of bacon. Mmmm bacon!
3. Add it to the bowl
4. Mince and onion then sweat it in butter for 7 or 8 minutes. Mmmm butter! 
5. Add a couple of cloves of minced garlic for the last minute.
6. Toss it into the meat bowl. Plus some thyme, black pepper, salt, and maybe a little allspice. 2 teaspoons of each. Maybe only one of the allspice.
7. Mix everything with your fingers until combined.
8. Mix 1/3 cup heavy cream, 2 large eggs, and 3/4 cup on cognac.
9. Dump it in the bowl then mix until combined.
10. Meanwhile use more bacon, Mmmm bacon! to line a terrine (the difference between a terrine and a loaf pan is a terrine is made of ceramic or pottery and a loaf pan is made of metal.)  Over hang the edges so the bacon can be folded over to cover the meat when the pan is full.
11. Put half the meat in the terrine.
12. Slice a ham steak into strips. Line the bottom layer.
13. Add the rest of the meat. Press it down. Then fold over the bacon. Mmmm bacon! Cover tightly with foil.
14. Put a roasting pan in the oven. Heat to 350 degrees.
15. Boil a kettle of water.
16. Place the terrine in the pan. Pour the boiling water half way up the side of the pan.
17. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. 2 maybe 2 and a half hours.
18. Take it out and place it on a sheet pan. Weigh down the top with a couple of cans.
19. Refrigerate overnight.
20. 2 or 3 minutes in hot water will help unmold it. Just invert it on a platter. Careful there will be grease. Have paper towels handy.

Slice and serve with cornichions. Duh, that's pickles.