Trick or Treat with some Pâté

Pumpkins Galore!

The Americans love their Halloween!  There are pumpkins everywhere and it seems that almost everyone goes all out to decorate with spider webs, gravestones, ghouls, spiders and a lot more.  It's quite entertaining walking around the neighbourhood to see how much trouble the average American family goes to for this annual ...what would you call it? Celebration? There are Halloween parties, Halloween paraphernalia in every store, candles, and parents go all out to make sure their children have fabulous costumes for their trick or treating.  So, how and why is Halloween so popular in the US?

Well, as you know, the Irish came to America in droves in the mid-1800s. The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the "Otherworld" became thin on Halloween (Samhain which means "summer's end"), allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. 

So, if I was having a Halloween celebration or dinner party with friends, I like to start my guests with a glass of wine and a platter of toasted ciabatta that has been basted with olive oil, rosemary, garlic and chili and then toasted (my friend James will attest to the fact that it is delicious) and serve it with some good Pâté.  So, off I go to my favourite grocery store, Wholefoods, and begin scanning the fridges and shelves for some Pâté. Where the hell is it?  So, I ask the girl at the counter where I can find the Pâté.  "Pattay?" she asks quizzically says.  "Yes" I reply.  "I'm sorry, I've never heard of that she says?"  At this point, I am speechless - in the words of one of my favourite TV characters, Elaine from Seinfeld - "I am without speech".  So, with a look of shock and horror on my face, I turn around and walk away with, if I was a dog, my tail between my legs.  "What am I going to do without Pâté?"  So, I go searching on the internet for some Pâté.  Joy, there is a company in New York that makes it and you can order it online!!! And they send it all the way from New York in a "huge" container (of course, as this is America). How long does Pâté keep I wonder?

On a final note, my husband and I were staying with dear friends in California last weekend, and when asked what I'd like for breakfast, I replied: "some eggs would be lovely please".  At which point, our dear friend took a carton (like a milk carton) out of the fridge and said:  "How would you like them cooked?"