Pick of the pâtés

It may be considered pass‚ in some circles but pâté still retains a loyal band of customers, and terrines are most definitely in vogue, especially vegetarian varieties. That was the shared view of Caterer‘s panel of tasters, who gathered at the Donnington Valley hotel near Newbury in Berkshire to sample a selection of pâtés and terrines ranging from the familiar to the exotic.

Terrines, especially, give chefs a chance to show off their culinary skills and, in the quest to offer the customer ever more choice, bought-in varieties are now available in a host of different styles, from seasonal specials to seafood and vegetarian. In the words of one member of the panel: "It takes a certain skill to make a good pâté, but producing a visually good terrine is a real art."

For those who don't have the time or skill to make their own, several products in this taste test were considered good enough to pass as home-made. All were chilled products, served straight from packaging to plate by head chef Kelvin Johnson, who then joined in the tasting himself.

The tasters
Kelvin Johnson is head chef at the Donnington Valley hotel. The four-star private hotel has a 120-seat restaurant as well as conference and banqueting facilities. It feeds about 250 customers per day, with an average spend of about £30. The clientele is mixed, ranging from local visitors, weddings and golfing parties at weekends to conference and corporate clients during the week. Johnson and his team make their own terrines, with the possible exception of lobster.

Errol Rose is executive development chef for contract catering group Sodexho. He is responsible for overseeing a range of 120 contracts of differing sizes across the southern region, where chefs either make their own terrines and pâtés or buy them in according to budget and customer profile.

Andy Tester is development chef for contract caterer Baxter & Platts, part of the Compass group. He oversees the company's fine-dining and staff-restaurant contracts for mainly blue-chip clients. Average customer spend on pâtés and terrines, both bought-in and home-made, can vary from £1.50 to £5 depending on the contract site.

Keith Marshall is chef-proprietor of the Dew Pond restaurant in Old Burghclere, Hampshire. The 40-cover country house restaurant feeds about 30 customers per day, with an average spend of £45. Seafood terrines and pâtés, duck confit and guinea fowl are popular on the menu and are made in-house.

Pâtés and terrines taste test - the results

The products were rated according to our star system.

Outstanding
* Recommended

Supreme of Salmon with Truffles - Meridian Sea
£13.70 for 1.6kg (85p per 100g) (available November and December)

• Positive comments: good for Christmas parties; would look good on a buffet; lovely natural taste and appearance; superb flavours; would sell all year, not just in the festive season.
• Less favourable: none.

**
Chicken Peperonata Terrine - Brakefresh £13.40 per kg (£1.34 per 100g)

• Positive comments: looks and feels home-made when slicing; wonderful fresh aroma; can taste every ingredient; held together by own juices, not gelatine; good-quality chicken; would make an excellent starter and main course; "If I had no time to make a terrine, I'd buy this one."
• Less favourable: none.

*
Stilton and Guinness Pâté- Patchwork Traditional Food Co £4 for 230g, £7.40 for 455g, £12.45 for 910g (£1.36 per 100g)

• Positive comments: looks home-made if presented on plate as a quenelle; superb vegetarian option, great texture, very light; good colour; good balance of bitter Guinness and intense Stilton flavour; innovative, well-thought-out product.
• Less favourable: none.

Chicken Liver Pâté with Tequila and Cranberry - Patchwork Traditional Food Co £3.50 for 230g, £6.50 for 455g, £12.50 for 910g (£1.37 per 100g)

• Positive comments: unusual, nice sweetness; can taste all the flavours; could pass as home-made; good texture and aroma.
• Less favourable: let down by the unappetising colour - too grey.

Duck Pâté with Lightly Smoked Duck Pieces enriched with Apple Jelly and Tarragon - Castle Maclellan Foods £16.02 per case of 18 x 2 x 75g, or 44.5p per 75g portion (59p per 100g)

• Positive comments: very good value for money; all the main ingredients come through; apple jelly and tarragon work well; well-balanced, home-made feel.
• Less favourable: tarragon flavour could be stronger.

Roast Pepper and Mozzarella Terrine - Diversity Foods £12.24 per kg (£1.22 per 100g)

• Positive comments: lovely colour, fashionable ingredients; good flavour of roasted peppers; rustic texture, looks coarse but tastes smooth; would work well on a large buffet.
• Less favourable: expected mozzarella to be whiter; contrast would work better with white mozzarella running through and no pepper; some bits of pepper skin left in.

Smoked Salmon and Cod Terrine - Brakefresh
£17.95 per kg (£1.79 per 100g)

• Positive comments: looks home-made when whole; fresh cod clearly visible.
• Less favourable: cod not strong enough to combine with smoked salmon; a bit bland and gelatinous; bubbly texture.

Brussels Pâté - Diversity Foods £5.34 per kg (53p per 100g)

• Positive comments: quite good value; tastes better than it looks.
• Less favourable: highly seasoned; mass-produced feel; texture too bubbly.

Duck and Fig Terrine - Diversity Foods
£15.90 per kg (£1.59 per 100g)

• Positive comments: looks good; cuts cleanly.
• Less favourable: nice to see the figs, but portions don't slice evenly - figs and pistachios could be more evenly distributed; figs appear tinned rather than fresh.

Scallop with Orange Zest Terrine - Meridian Sea £10.70 per kg (£1.07 per 100g) (available November and December)

• Positive comments: good appearance, looks appetising, good flavours; plenty of scallops; very good value for a scallop dish; good choice for both starter and buffet.
• Less favourable: orange could be stronger.

Pheasant Pâté with Garlic and Juniper - Castle Maclellan Foods £16.02 per case of 36 x 75g portions, 44.5p per portion (59p per 100g)

• Positive comments: good value for money; appetising aroma.
• Less favourable: not strong enough flavour for pheasant; flavour overpowered by garlic; pink colour makes it look more artificial.

Contacts

Brakefresh 0845 606 9090
Castle Maclellan Foods
01557 330905
Diversity Foods 020 8685 5204
Meridian Sea 0870 240 0172
Patchwork Traditional Food Co
01824 705832