Pâtés Rendezvous
We have been making pâtés since the early 1980's. My husband, Ewald, born in Stuttgart Germany, had opened this business in 1982 making many different kinds of German and French charcuterie. Rather than "cooking", my passion lies more in the preparation, presentation and the tasting of excellent food.
How did you come up with your Pâté formulas? Any special inspiration?I have to credit my husband Ewald for developing the many of the classic items in the line. He passed away unexpectedly in 1994 however and I have done much product development since that time. Pâtés is a wonderful "medium" to carry different flavors. Nearly any flavor profile that excites you can be made in a pâtés. Some of my most successful creations have been Alexian Pheasant with Rosemary and, our Spiced Apple Mousse which is a mousse made of duck meats , apple schnapps, and mulling spices yummmmmm!
What do you like about Pâté? Do you have any advice for people who have never tried it?I love to eat pâtés, and I LOVE the smell of it when it has just come out of the ovens. Seriously though, it is such a playful food. Its like cheese, you can do so much with it and there are so many different varieties to taste and to entertain with. For someone who hasn't tried it I would recommend trying a smooth and creamy mousse first. Our duck liver mousse with Cognac is the best selling pâtés in our line and even children love it!
When you're developing a new product, how do you start?Typically, I will decide on a flavor profile, or combination of flavors that I want to use and if I want it to be a creamy mousse, or a more coarse bite. From that point my production manager and myself collaborate on the details of the formula and we formulate small batches that we produce and distribute to Alexian fans for their opinion.
Does Alexian work with any unusual ingredients?Yes, indeed! We use white asparagus with spinach and broccoli in one of our vegetable pâtéss. We use tofu in all three of our vegan pâtéss, and we use pheasant in our best selling coarse cut pâtés. We also use a very interesting blend of herbs featuring lavender, in our Herb de Provence pâtés. At one time we even used rabbit, and venison, but, those were not favored by American consumers.
We also use liquor in all of our meat pâtéss. In addition to the typical port wine and sherry, we also use Brandy, Grand Marnier Vermouth liquor and Apple Schnapps.
I like the sampler concept. How fun is it to try several different pâtéss lined up next to each other as one would find at a trade show. Add more festivity by asking your guests to guess what each pâtés is!!!!
Believe it or not, my favorite way to eat pâtés is by spreading a creamy mousse on a warm English style muffin. Delicious! A most satisfying way to get your protein before you start your day!
That is a very easy question. The answer is KNIVES. Knives are very personal. The way they perform of course, but also how they are balanced and how they feel in your palm. My favorite knives that I reach for most often are the boning, slicing and Chef's for chopping.
What are your passions outside of cooking?I have a 31 ft sailboat that I race off the New Jersey shore. I also am an avid tennis player and skier. And, I am a voracious reader. I read everything and anything but I like biography, history, and travel and adventure the best.
