The Pate of Our Lives

There has been a lot written about the sensory triggers certain foods can set off. I've written about several of mine and the sense of history and place that each have created. This liver pate certainly qualifies. Trust me: when I heard liver I was not prepared to dig it, but oh my, is it some creamy, smoky goodness. I experienced this pate in it's original form as served at the Levee House Cafe in Marietta,OH where I was a server. It was a hugely popular appetizer and I routinely suggested to customers and friends. I'm still not sure how it's prepared but will soon find out. It involves chicken or goose liver, red wine, onions and bacon. It's topped with red onion and served with toast points. I got Kaki hooked on it and soon it trickled to the rest of her family. Her father Jim, mother Barbara and brother Joe were soon big fans. I started bringing the pate to various events hosted by various Reckards, particularly the annual Christmas soiree at Jim and Barbara's house. I couldn't wait too see Jim's face light up when he saw the pate and hear him say,"Oh,boy!"

When we tragically lost Jim to cancer some years later, the post-funeral gathering of family and friends took place at Jim and Barbara's home. It seemed only natural that I bring the pate in Jim's honor. When I unwrapped it in the kitchen to show Barbara, her eyes widened and filled with tears and she backed away with one hand over her mouth. Aunt Joanne saw her reaction and asked her if she was okay. She simply smiled and said she was fine, it was just some fresh memories.

This all took place more than ten years ago and I had moved away and certainly not thought of the pate for awhile. Amazingly, Kaki discovered one of her employees, the supremely talented Christine Efaw was a former Levee House employee who frequently made the pate. She surprised me by making some not once but twice in the course of this week. It was spot-on and after all of these years all it took was one bite and the memories just flooded back....the blissfully satisfied looks on the customer's faces, Ruth whipping it up in the Levee House kitchen, Jim Reckard and Jeff Matthews hovering around it at Christmas and the feeling I and others got from eating it at Jim's funeral gathering and feeling as if he were right there.

As we gathered again at Kaki's this week and settled into our second helping of pate with a new group of friends, the delicious dish was once again front and center. It's a different setting now, but the familiar feeling of fellowship is there just the same. The pate is back and you said it, James B.....Oh, Boy!