I love pâte. Foie gras too and any other names it may be called.

I try not to think too much about what it’s made of and have only ever questioned the specific origin of liver when I was in the Hunter Valley and the restaurant tried to mask goat as chicken. If you’re wondering, they don’t taste the same and the plate was sent back to the kitchen pronto for trying to pull the wool over our eyes on that one!

Pâte is one of those things that if it’s on the menu, with warm brioche or dry crackers, then it’s an immediate order. If I had a preference, I love a duck and Grand Marnier combo.

I was invited to a lovely lunch at Bar Totti’s today. As Merivale restaurants go, this is a winner and if it was just me and Mr ELG, there would be a few things I’d order immediately; cue the wood-fired bread, chicken liver parfait, burrata, and a Totti’s Margarita or two but as a guest, I was happy to go with the flow and eat whatever! As we discussed any food intolerances, I became aware that my two other fellow lunch buddies were both pescatarians (a person who does not eat meat but does eat fish).

The food came out quickly (love a quick service) and to my surprise, a plate of Totti’s chicken liver parfait came out. Lucky me, I thought. So, there I was… mid-conversation helping myself to generous amounts to spread on my warm wood-fired bread when all of a sudden, my pescatarian lunch buddy takes some chicken liver parfait for herself. Ummm??! “I make an exception only for this chicken liver pâté”, she sheepishly says. And yes, after a good laugh, we agree that it is that bloody good to turn a pescatarian.

xoxo.