A mixture of cooked ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste, often made from liver and traditionally served as an appetizer with bread or crackers.
From French 'pâté,' derived from Old French 'pasté' meaning 'pastry,' because early pâtés were baked in pastry crusts. The word is related to 'paste' and originally referred to the pastry container rather than the filling.
The smoothest pâtés require a technique called 'passing through a tamis' - forcing the mixture through an extremely fine mesh sieve that removes any lumps and creates a silky texture! French law actually regulates what can be called pâté, requiring specific percentages of liver and prohibiting certain additives to maintain quality standards.
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