It's Me, Sara Louise

Fun For The Whole Family

There is no such thing as a free lunch, even at Papa’s house. It was time to earn our keep.
Some of the wild boar that Papa hunted needed to be made into pâté. Apparently, this is an activity for the whole family. Fun.
I’m warning you now. If you are eating, do not read any further. If you have a weak stomach, look away. Some of these pictures might make you queasy, the way the smell of all that wild boar blood made me.
Queasy.
I’m leaving out the first pictures of the chopping and grinding of the meat.
Once again, queasy.
Here’s Uncle’s hands mixing it up. And that’s Papa’s hand about to add some more… actually, I don’t know what that is, and I don’t want to. Just some more stuff…
Finished raw gooeyness….
All the empty tins to be packed with raw gooeyness…
Even the dogs got involved. Here’s Leo, either supervising or desperately hoping Papa’s Wife’s pâté packing skills aren’t great…
Ruby is far too civilized for raw pâté scraps. He prefers to supervise from the side with a nice Côtes du Rhône…
I love this dog
Raw gooeyness packed tightly and ready to be sealed…
Papa showing The Husband how to use the sealing machine (I’m sure it has some technical name other than, sealing machine)…
Raw gooeyness packed, sealed, and ready to be boiled…
Notice how you don’t see me or my hands anywhere and I stayed behind the camera?
That’s not an accident.
I used to love pâté.
Now, not so much.
bisou

Sara Louise

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24 responses to “Fun For The Whole Family”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I love pate, but, I prefer to live in ignorance. I know it comes from a process and I respect that I do- but, yeah better not knowing.If I were you, I would've been doing what Ruby did, hanging out with the wine. Lots, and lots of wine.

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  2. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Please please please give me the recipe!!! I have a wild boar in the freezer!

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  3. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I remember a time , when child , we used to do the same with a pig killed in the farm next to our house ! I still remember the scent of the baked head of this little animal ! yurk i was sick just to smelling it but believe me when it was time to eat i was the first in place ! lol Good french experience hein?

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  4. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Hi there and thanks for stopping by over at mine. I LOVE your blog. I can totally relate – I once moved to Lausanne without speaking French, it 'only' took me about three years to speak the language fluently. Bloody hard work! (Excuse my French ;))xx MM

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  5. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Your bllog reminds me of this great cheesy movie called a Good Year. I visit the area a lot and I'm absolutely in love with it. thx for stopping by at mine. That gooey stuff looks great! x LZ

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  6. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Habebi – yes, I think paté ignorance is bliss :-)Tammy – I'll see if I can pry it out of Papa's hands and let you know :-)Morgane – Definitely a good French experience, and one I won't be forgetting anytime soon!Met Mom – The language thing is not coming along as easily as I thought. I had hoped at six months I'd be fluent… HA! Seven months and counting…Emily – I heard of that movie, now I think I'm going to have to check it out 🙂

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  7. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I become more impressed with you after each new blog. You may have become queasy, but by God you hung in there. I love Ruby, she should be the star of a post someday.

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  8. Avatar
    Anonymous

    James – that is such a lovely compliment, thank you very much 🙂 And as for Ruby, I wrote this post awhile back http://sarainlepetitvillage.blogspot.com/2009/10/ruby-thursday.html But I think Ruby might be do for another one soon…

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  9. Avatar
    Anonymous

    My dog's name is Ruby . . . she's more of a wine cooler dog. Not a bright animal. That was pretty cool. Like an episode of Bizarre Foods.

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  10. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Oh you're right, that looks revolting! Brava for not getting sick while taking pics! Yuck, queasiness…you'll have to let us know how it tastes. Probably much better with a glass of wine. Or three. 🙂

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  11. Avatar
    Anonymous

    The French do canned and potted meats like no other. I think it looks pretty gross but damn it's tasty.

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  12. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Oh! – Hi there, Sam. Sara Louise may I introduce myself? I'm John, and I found your writing through Sam's blog. Let me just say there is the remotest chance we may one day be neighbors (if Argentina does not get me first) and in the meantime I appreciate the pleasure of getting to live vicariously through your experiences. Thank you. I love the pate-making! Reminds me of something I saw on Tony Bourdain's show, or the annual end-of-harvest carnitas preparation we did with the vineyard crew when I worked at a big winery. Like your experience both started with a whole pig. Anyone who is not a little queasy has no heart or soul, but I have the deepest respect for the animal that provides me with such deliciousness.

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  13. Avatar
    Anonymous

    You just helped my diet by posting those pictures =P

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  14. Avatar
    Anonymous

    John! You blog floozie….

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  15. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Sometimes you don't want to know too much. My brother worked in a hotdog factory when he was in college and hasn't eaten a 'dog since! I think it's the same issue.

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  16. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I'm sure it's just delicious. One can't be squeamish when it comes to good pâté de sanglier. I'm surprised you can it though, I would have expected it to be in jars.

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  17. Avatar
    Anonymous

    The preparation process does look absolutely revolting!But I am sure, it tastes delicious. I have to admit I am a bit precious with pate, I can only eat smooth pate (terrine), as I don't like the bouncy bits! I love Ruby, he certainly has the right idea!XX

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  18. Avatar
    Anonymous

    ewwwwwwww…yuuummmmmmmm.

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  19. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Ugh – that brought me back to my days in Bretagne. My ex was a cattle farmer and once a month, the butcher-mobile would come around to kill a cow, and like your in-laws, the whole family would have to dig in and help. Watching them cut it up, package up some parts and then make hamburger with the rest was not for the faint of heart. Which is why I almost always happened to be “busy” that day. LOL

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  20. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Many years ago, when I was just starting out as a cook, I worked at a restaurant in San Francisco, and one of my jobs was to make the pate campagne. Luckily the butchering part was done, but the messy part was all mine. I have never made one since. Who has a wild boar in their freezer? Only on your blog!

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  21. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Fascinating, I would have watched from afar though!! Found you through James!!KarenaArt by Karena

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  22. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Oh. My. God. quelle horror! (i'm sure that's spelled wrong.) I'm not sure how you were brave and steely enough to even take the pics. I may have to become vegetarian! however, it was a great post…not sure I ever would have known how pate is made. ps the doggie with wine is the best!

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  23. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I am so with Ruby on this one.

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  24. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Ruby, Ruby…what can I say. He's obviously an exceptional canine.

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