The atmosphere is suggestive, because it is a special evening: there are perhaps Christmas ramage compositions, perhaps a garland on the door and many candles, perhaps some red bow placed here and there to contribute to theambiance, there is the tree, decorated and sparkling like the crystals and decorations on the table. It is a party evening, you can breathe there’Crisp air of great occasions and in the kitchen there is excitement. Once the aperitif is served, the appetizers begin to arrive and the guests take a seat at the table.
Appetizers, especially on festive occasions, play an important role: they warm up the conviviality – and the appetite – on tiptoe, they anticipate the solemnity of the meal without being serious. Waiting for the usual latecomers, toast, laugh, taste, admire – the appetizer is spectacular, let's remember, it anticipates the effect wow of the more substantial courses that will follow.
Terrines, rillettes and pâté are ideal: they are elegant, scenic, comfortable and above all you can prepare in advance, freeing the cook who has to concentrate on the courses that are classically protagonists. Terrines, such as rillettes and pâtés, for a long time relegated, thanks to their French provenance, to an undeserved (largely) image of snobbery or extreme difficulty in preparation, are over the years – sometimes becoming Italian with the name of pasticcio – they have become part of the culinary heritage of Italian regions such as Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, Veneto, even Sicily.

We must also remember that, while pate, mousse And terrines they are often understood as synonyms, from a strictly technical – and implementation – point of view there are some differences. Terrines usually require a passage in the oven and the ingredients are coarsely chopped; the pâtés, on the other hand, require the preliminary cooking or marinating of the ingredients, which will then be chopped very finely and tied with butter for a super spreadable effect. The less known rillettes are also spalmonds like pates, but have a less smooth consistency, thanks to the presence of coarser minced meat. Finally, mousses are a delicious variant of creamy pâté, thanks to the addition of fresh cream that makes them particularly soft and frothy. All variations in the name of softness, whether we are talking about preparations of fish, sea or river, or meat, whether simple or precious; which are served in a crust or in jelly, or elegantly sliced.

A tip: in the terrines it is very important that, when cut, the slices are compact and with very evident layers: spread the creamiest mixes evenly, leveling them with a spatula; add the other ingredients symmetrically and beat the mold on the work surface as you go, to eliminate any air bubbles and settle everything. At the end, press with your hands or cover with parchment paper and place a weight on it.

If you are passionate about the world of terrines & C., here is a volume not to be missed (also splendid as a gift, as long as you want to share your "secrets" …): Terrines, rillettes, sausages and pies. 80 homemade recipes of the great French tradition – Slow Food Editore, € 29.90
Pâté, savory pies, terrines, rillettes, pies and many other preparations pillars of the French gastronomy told by Gilles and Nicolas Verot, father and son, charcutier for generations. Their Parisian workshop Maison Verot, a destination for gourmands from all over the world, is perhaps the highest point of reference in the world for this particular art, similar to but different from the Italian butcher or butcher. The charcutier is in fact a chef: the recipes in the volume are in fact all replicable in the home kitchen, without the need for unavailable ingredients or special tools. Beautiful photographs and illustrations explain, step by step, each procedure, from the choice of raw materials to the final result, with basic and traditional techniques, of 89 recipes. Here are some recipes extracted from the volume.