I don’t know when I first became intrigued by the concept of pressed meat.

Did I eat too much bologna or Braunschweiger for lunch as a child? Was there an excess of that frugal Protestant staple, SPAM and eggs, for dinner? Anyone else remember Vienna sausage?

More recently, maybe it was my mother-in-law’s terrific chicken liver pâté for Passover, or the Italian version I clipped from the newspaper years ago involving red wine and rosemary that fueled my desire to seek that salty, silky, sensual bite.

It’s hard to say when it started, but I’d forgotten my fascination for awhile until I noticed recently that homemade charcuterie is coming back into fashion at many local restaurants. It’s a point of pride for many young chefs and butchers, and there are excellent versions available at local groceries.

But I started wondering whether this was something I could actually make at home.

When I saw Molly Wizenberg’s recipe for country pork pâté in this month’s Bon Appetit, I knew I had to try it. “If you can make meatloaf, you can make pâté,” she promises. After all, it’s just a meat casserole, I reasoned. How hard could it be?

Well, it was a multi-step, two-day process. Not hard, but time consuming. But it tastes wonderful. I keep unwrapping it and sneaking slices between meals. I guess I’ll have to go to the gym a few extra times this week, but it’s so worth it.

As soon as I unmolded it from the pan yesterday, I wondered whether anyone else in the house would eat it, but I’m going to try to convince them that this is not mystery meat, just lots of fresh pork fat and bacon and ham. With good quality meat, it can’t be beat.

I’ll admit it’s not sexy to look at, but this pâté has a fresh and intriguing taste. The black pepper, cognac, and thyme keep it from being too heavy and cloying, adding just the right spice kick.

If you don’t like to see how sausage is made, look away, but here’s my photo-log of the various steps. Enjoy!