12 Facts About Cornish pasty

Origins of the Cornish pasty are unclear, though there are many references to them throughout historical documents and fiction.

In contrast to its earlier place amongst the wealthy, during the 17th and 18th centuries, the Cornish pasty became popular with working people in Cornwall, where tin miners and others adopted it because of its unique shape, forming a complete meal that could be carried easily and eaten without cutlery.

Side-crimped pasties gave rise to the suggestion that the miner might have eaten the Cornish pasty holding the thick edge of pastry, which was later discarded, thereby ensuring that dirty fingers did not touch the food or mouth.

Cornish pasty, which so admirably comprises a dinner in itself—meat, potatoes, and other good things well cooked and made up into so portable a form—was a subject of much admiration, and reminded me of the old coaching days, when I secured a pasty at Bodmin in order to take it home to my cook, that it might be dissected and serve as a pattern for Cornish pasties in quite another part of the country.

Cornish pasty pasties are very popular with the working classes in this neighbourhood, and have lately been successfully introduced into some parts of Devonshire.

Related searches

On 20 July 2011, after a nine-year campaign by the Cornish Pasty Association – the trade organisation of about 50 pasty makers based in Cornwall – the name "Cornish pasty" was awarded Protected Geographical Indication status by the European Commission.

Recipe for a Cornish pasty, as defined by its protected status, includes diced or minced beef, onion, potato and swede in rough chunks along with some "light peppery" seasoning.

The use of carrot in a traditional Cornish pasty is frowned upon, though it does appear regularly in recipes.

Part-savoury, part-sweet Cornish pasty was eaten by miners in the 19th century, in the copper mines on Parys Mountain, Anglesey.

Some sources state that the difference between a Devon and Cornish pasty is that a Devon pasty has a top-crimp and is oval in shape, whereas the Cornish pasty is semicircular and side-crimped along the curve.

Cornish pasty proverb, recounted in 1861, emphasised the great variety of ingredients that were used in pasties by saying that the devil would not come into Cornwall for fear of ending up as a filling in one.

For example, a giant Cornish pasty is paraded from Polruan to Fowey through the streets during regatta week.