​Meat: The charcuterie part of the board. Estimate serving 4-6 slices of meat per person.

• Pate-Country (hard) or mousse (creamy)
• Cured salami
• Prosciutto
• Pre-sliced salami
• Always slice thinly

 
Spreadables:

• Herb cheese spreads
• Grainy mustards
• Spiced jams
• Pesto
• Vegetable spreads
• Hummus

 
Cheese: With a variety of flavors, textures, and colors. Plan to serve 1-2 ounces of cheese per person.

• Goat cheese
• Cheddar
• Smoked cheese
• Yellow or orange cheeses
• Wine-soaked cheese
• Herb flavored cheeses
• Cheese spreads

 
Produce: A mix of fruits and/or veggies. These can be fresh or dried.

• Raspberries, black berries, strawberries
• Dried apricots, pitted dates
• Sliced apples or pears dipped in lemon water
• Star fruit
• Slice cucumber, carrots, celery, fennel

 
Dippers: Variety of crackers, bread sticks, sliced baguette, or mini pita.
 
Savory: This can be nuts, olives, pickles, etc.
 
Garnish: Anything from fresh herbs, edible flowers, chunks of chocolate, colorful vegetable chips

This recipe is delicious and very easy to make. The larger loaf pan is great for serving a crowd on a charcuterie board or as a sliced appetizer plate with the garnishes listed below. I prefer to prepare the pate in smaller pans. When sliced, the smaller size is lovely on a charcuterie board. The cooked pate freezes well for later use. I have also prepared this without lining the pan with bacon slices and it has turned out beautifully.
 
Serves 10-12
Makes one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan Or three 3½X 6” loaf pan Or two 11.75” by 2.25” terrine pans
 
1 cup brandy, Madeira, or sherry
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup minced onion
2 1/2 pounds ground pork
12 ounces bacon (8 to 10 slices), finely chopped
14 bacon slices (for lining pan)
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon orange zest, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 6-ounce piece ham steak, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
Coarse sea salt
Garnishes for serving: Cornichons, grainy or Dijon mustard, pickled onion slices, sliced baguette
 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
   
2. In a small sauce pan, bring the brandy to a boil and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool the reduced brandy.
3. Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over low heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. In a large bowl combine the ground pork and chopped bacon. Mix until well combined.
5. Add the cooked and cooled onion, pressed garlic, salt, thyme, allspice, orange zest, and pepper to the pork mixture and mix gently to combine. Add the beaten eggs, cream, and reduced brandy. Stir until well blended.
6. Line 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with bacon slices, arranging 8 slices across width of pan and 3 slices on each short side of pan and overlapping pan on all sides. Evenly press half of meat mixture (about 3 1/4 cups) onto bottom of pan atop bacon slices. Arrange ham strips in single layer. Top with remaining meat mixture.
7. Fold bacon slices over, covering pâté. Tap the mold on the counter to “settle “ the mixture. Cover pan tightly with foil. Place pan in 13x9x2-inch baking pan an pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Carefully place the pan in the oven. Cook the pâté until a thermometer inserted through foil into center registers 155 degrees, about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
8. Remove loaf pan from baking pan and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Place heavy skillet or 2 to 3 heavy cans atop pâté to weigh down. Chill overnight. Can be made 4 days ahead.
9. To remove the pate from the pan, place loaf pan with pâté in larger pan of hot water for about 3 minutes. Invert pâté onto platter; discard fat from platter and wipe clean. Cut pâté crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and serve with garnishes.

Makes enough for a double crust pie 
​
2 1/2 cups (363g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (224 g) chilled fat of your choice, cut into tablespoon-size pieces (butter, lard, leaf lard)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (120ml) ice water plus 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) more as needed.

1. Make sure all the ingredients are chilled.
2. Put all ingredients but the ice water in a large bowl.
3. With clean hands, quickly smoosh the mixture together, or use a single blade mezzaluna or pastry blender with an up and down motion, until the ingredients look like cracker crumbs with lumps the size of peas an almonds. These lumps will make your curst flaky. Don't coat all the flour with fat. You should still see some white floury places in the bowl when you are finished. Work quickly so that the dough still feels chilly when you are done. 
4. Sprinkle 5 to 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture, fluffing and tossing lightly with a fork as you do.
5. Sprinkle over more water as needed, a tablespoon at a time, and fluff with a fork after each addition until it holds together. When the dough looks shaggy in the bowl, you are getting close. give some of your dough a firm handshake and see if it holds together. If it does, go on to step 6. If it doesn't, add a bit more water if needed for the dough to come together. the dough should feel moist without feeling tacky. 
6. Form and pat the dough into a big ball. If it feels a little dry on the outside, dip your fingers into some ice water and pat them on the outside of the dough in a few places. Don't get it so we that it is sticky. The dough should feel like cool clay and firm yet pliable as when patting a baby's bottom. 
7. Divide the dough in half and make two chubby disks about 5 inches across.
8. Wrap the  discs separately in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to three days.

 
“Master Recipe Roll-Out Dough" from Pie Camp: The Skills You Need to Make Any Pie You Want by Kate McDermott, copyright © 2020. Reproduced with permission of The Countryman Press/W.W. Norton.

Liz's notes:
You can freeze your dough for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using. I have thawed on the counter as well-just be sure the dough is well chilled before rolling out.

1. Bring out your refrigerated dough disks and let them sit until they feel slightly soft to touch.
2. Place a rolling mat or piece of parchment paper on your counter, or use a light dusting of flour on the area you will be rolling out your dough. Keep more flour handy for dusting while you roll out your dough.
3. Always roll the dough out from the center of the disk. Lift and turn your disc as you work and lightly flour if you need. Roll out your disk until the circle of dough is 2-inches larger than the diameter of the top of your pie pan. Turn your pan over onto the rolled out dough and measure to be certain.
4. To place the dough into your pie pan, drape the dough over your rolling pin and gently lift and place the pin at the half-way mark of the pie pan. Gently unroll and carefully settle the dough into the pan. Trim to leave 1-inch overhang of dough. Fill  and bake according to your recipe.

Liz's notes:
Save all of your dough scraps to make some sweet or savory dough treats. I freeze all my dough trimmings and bake these yummy treats for my family. Go here for some ideas: Food52

Makes 1 Bundt cake or two 8 1/2 -by-4 ½-inch loaf pans
 
2/3 cup warm water
2 packages (4 ½ teaspoons) active dry yeast
3 2/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups brown sugar (light or dark), firmly packed
1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup whole milk w/1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I like Everland vanilla and buy it at HomeGoods. You can also purchase online)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups raisins or chopped dried dates (dried cranberries, cherries, apricot, or figs, or combination)
1 cup pecans, chopped or walnuts or almonds

1. Pour the warm water into a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. You should see some bubbles on top.
2. Add 1 cup of the flour to the yeast and mix until blended. You can use a mixer if you like. If so, use the paddle attachment.
3. Add the butter and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour (except 1 tablespoon), eggs, brown sugar, butter milk, vanilla extract, baking soda, spices, and salt. Beat for 3 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, toss the raisins and pecans with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour until coated, then stir them into the batter until evenly distributed.
5. Using pastry brush, evenly coat the Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Pour the batter into the pan. Cover with a towel and let rest for 1 ½ hours. The batter will rise slightly
6. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pan in the middle of the oven and bake the until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and up to 1 hour 15 minutes.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Optional Glaze: 
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice (or bourbon if you like that!)
Lemon zest
Chopped nuts

1. Whisk together the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth.
2. Let your cake cool completely then drizzle on your glaze. Let sit for 5 minutes then top with zest and chopped nuts. ​

Optional Sweetened Sour Cream Topping
16 oz Sour Cream (full fat)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I like Everland vanilla and buy it at HomeGoods. You can also purchase online)

1. Combine the sour cream, sugar to taste, and vanilla in a bowl and stir to blend. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Notes:
Dried fruit: use any dried fruit you like. Dried cranberries, blueberries, cherries, dates, figs, apricot. If using dried cherries, dates, figs, or apricots, chop to the size of raisins. 
Nuts: use pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios. Chop before adding.
Zest: add 1-2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest to the batter.