Terrines & Pates

Strictly speaking, a pâté is distinguished from a terrine by the way in which it is cooked: a pâté is baked in pastry and a terrine (Fr. terre, meaning earth) is cooked in a special earthenware terrine mold. However, over the years these distinctions have been less rigorously observed and the definitions have acquired a much looser meaning. Fine-textured, rich mixtures that used to be baked in pastry are still known as pâtés, even though the pastry has been replaced by a terrine mold or loaf pan; liver pâté is a good example. The name pâté is also applied to mixtures that have been baked in the oven or sautéed in a frying pan, then puréed to a smooth consistency.