France is the country that developed charcuterie more than any other country in Europe since the Middle Ages. French cured meats are nowadays high quality products (delicatessen) and is one of them now important ambassadors of French gastronomy, let's not forget that they are her creations French country cuisine which were intended to utilize and preserve meats, poultry and game in the season since there were no other ways than salting and placing in fat.

Among the cured meats (ham, sausages, salami) foie gras stand out (foie gras), the terrines (terrines) and pate (pâté) which is the richest chapter of French cuisine as humble but delicious country terrines co-exist here, - they were a way of utilizing and preserving even the last piece of a pig or game, in the rural areas of France, - together with the queen's pates (Pâté a la reine) or Cardinal Mazarin's pates (Pâté a la Mazarine), and other culinary masterpieces with eccentric decoration usually of the kitchen of royal courts or aristocratic landowners.

Nowadays housewives, domestic and professional cooks, and imaginative chefs create based on meats (pork, beef), poultry (hens, ducks), game (boar, hare, deer, pheasant, snipe), fish and with various marriages such as with dried fruits (figs), nuts (peanuts in shell), herbs, herbs (thyme), and spices (cedar, nutmeg, ginger, cloves), pates and terrines of all kinds and possible combinations. Let's get to know these three exquisite dishes a little better, which are produced and made available by charcuteries of France and Paris.

The foie gras (foie gras = fatty goose liver) which very often becomes a kind of pate, was known in Ancient Greece, from the forced feeding of geese in order to swell their livers and become bigger, softer, fatty and tasty. In fact, the word liver comes from "liver", that is, the liver that has been force-fed figs.

 

The pâté they are made from ingredients that are so ground that they can be spread on a bread, as a spread. In pâté the dominant material is the liver of duck, chicken, pork, etc. Historically, the word pâté came from the tendency to wrap the respective preparations in dough, which in French is called pât (Pât). On pâté days, dough is not necessarily used, and when it is, they are called pâtés  pâté en croute = pate in baked dough).

The terrine come from word terrine which means from the earth (terre) and referred to a large clay vessel in which it was baked in the oven, which over the years, gave its name to the contents.

Terrines, unlike pâtés where their material is pureed, have larger and more irregular pieces, usually called country terrines (campagne terrine) and they usually combine pork and liver. The preparation of terrines has been reduced to a high art, the products presented by delicatessen shops (charcuterie) they have unique flavors as well as aesthetics and are offered in slices 2 cm thick as they are cut from the elongated stick surrounded by the dough.

Finally, in this category of charcuterie there is another similar item called Rilletes which is a paste of pork fibers and fat, decidedly coarser in texture and less complex than pate.

The most important charcuteries of Paris are Fauchon (foie gras), la Maison Verot, This makes it a perfect choice for people with diabetes and for those who want to lose weight or follow a balanced diet. Cul de Cochon, Maison Thielen, This makes it a perfect choice for people with diabetes and for those who want to lose weight or follow a balanced diet. Lastre sans Apostrophe, the Vidoche, This makes it a perfect choice for people with diabetes and for those who want to lose weight or follow a balanced diet. Arnaud Nicolas, la Maison David etc.

Arnaud Nicolas, l'adresse où trouver une charcuterie d'exception à Paris
At the foot of Montmartre is the greatest master of charcuterie in Paris, perhaps even in France. In his small charcuterie you will find dozens of types of charcuterie, sausages, boudins, pâtés, terrines, rigettes, fougères with the most famous, the delicious grandmother's terrine (terinne de la grand-mère), the pâté en croûte de volaille , le saucisson lyonnais or foie gras Arnaud Nicolas, 125 Rue Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris