Mousse de foies (duck or chicken liver mousse)

Charcuteries (pâtés, terrines, rillettes, head cheese etc.) used to be widely available in gourmet and butcher shops but the cost of even the simplest terrine is never cheap so this combined with health worries about fat has led to the demise of many charcuteries.  Even France had countless charcuteries 50 years ago.  Homemade versions, if you have time, are the best or if you know of a good butcher who can vouch for the ingredients.  Another place to try premium charcuteries are restaurants that specialize in local produce or restaurants in wineries (some of my most memorable meals have been in a winery).  I was happy to see that Chives Bistro had a charcuterie platter on their menu when I was there a couple of months ago.  My father used to make his own head cheese, which as a young girl, seemed quite appalling by just the name alone.  As an adult and through international travel, my view on such oddly named foods doesn’t put me off from at least trying and so I challenge anyone to open their palate to discover there is taste beyond ugly wording!  I subscribe to an in-depth periodical, The Art of Eating, by Edward Behr in which he writes about ingredients following the logic that good food cannot be had without starting with the best ingredients (my motto as well).  I’ve been wanting to make this duck mousse for a while and decided to make it for New Year’s Eve.

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  I have been asked to remove this recipe by Mr. Behr due to ‘reproduction’.  I’m still not sure why, as this recipe is based on one Mr. Behr’s friend found in an old book.  Anyway, being a good corporate citizen, I have complied.