As the holidays approach, you ought to start thinking about what you're going to bring to your friend and family get-togethers. Well, yes a bottle of booze, but we mean something to share. How about something nostalgic of the 1950s, when canned food, chemical preservatives, and microwaving were chic? Something refined that the vegans and little children will shy away from. Yes, your grandmother's Liverwurst Snack.

Perhaps there is still an old lady in your social circle who makes this classic dish. Perhaps you are that old lady. If not, YOU could be that old lady, regardless of your age or gender. It will be a big hit with folks of a certain age, people who like organ meat, and anyone else who dares to try it (due to the high bacon content of the liverwurst, it's an excellent introduction to the wonderful world of offal). And if you like a little pretense with your crackers, you can call it pâté.

Best of all, it's easy to make.

Liverwurst Snack

4 oz. cream cheese (that's half a block)

8 oz. Braunschweiger (that pasty kind of liverwurst)

1/2 onion, minced finely

Put the cream cheese and liverwurst in a bowl and let them get on up to room temperature.

Meanwhile, saute the onions in a tiny bit of butter, over medium low heat until they are getting nice and brown. (Let's not bicker about caramelization and Mallairdization and just agree that they're brown.)

Put the hot onions right on top of the cheese and liverwurst and mash it all together with a fork until it is a homogeneous mixture of liver sausage and cream cheese with little bits of onion throughout.

Cover and chill for at least a few hours before consumption.

Great on crackers or toast points, you could pipe it through a piping bag for fancy canapés. A classic presentation is to form it into a ball and roll that in raw, diced onions. It's also great to spread thick on bread for a lunchtime sandwich.

Enjoy, and ponder why no one makes tomato aspic any more.