Rigatoni alla Salsiccia

reserved exclusively for her birthday, Christmas, New Years, and Valentine’s Day. The bulk of the original spread is made of butter, chicken liver, and heavy cream, seasoned with herbs, garlic, shallot, and alcohol, usually port, bourbon, cognac, or brandy. I researched and tried out many vegan alternatives, using lentils, eggplant, chickpeas, and other ingredients to try and mimic different aspects of pate’s unique, savory, rich flavor. Through trial and error, I finally found a combination that perfectly evoked the meaty flavor and unique nuttiness of the spread; cremini mushrooms and toasted walnuts, blended with sautéed onion, minced garlic, olive and coconut oils and seasoned with hickory-smoked salt, black pepper, fresh thyme and parsley, finished with a splash of bourbon. I remember clearly the night I brought my mom thick slices of fresh-baked sourdough and the set pate in a little white ramekin, and her genuine disbelief that I had recreated one of her favorite foods. It wasn’t easy. It was often frustrating. It felt like a waste of time. But all of that extra time and effort spent to accommodate her new needs became worth it. In that moment, I was able to express my love for her in a way that other love languages could only hope to achieve.