A TRUE TASTE OF COUNTY’S HERITAGE

A classic Cornish pasty contains diced or minced beef, potato, swede, onion and seasoning, all of which are added uncooked to the pastry case. It has a capital letter D shape and is traditionally crimped on one side only. Although references to a pasty can be found as far back as the 13th century, the folded, crimped-crust version that is familiar today first found favour among 19th century tin miners in Cornwall. The pasties were filling and easy to transport to work. The thick crust also provided the pasty with a layer of insulation, so the filling would stay warm for several hours. The distinctive crimped crust along one side is thought to have acted as a handle for miners to eat the remainder of the pasty without touching the food with hands that may have been grubby and even contaminated with arsenic. This part of the pasty could then be discarded if necessary. The Cornish pasty was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in 2011 by the European Commission. This means that only those pasties prepared in Cornwall following the traditional recipe can be described as Cornish. However, they can be transported and baked elsewhere in Britain after preparation in Cornwall. While other companies outside the county can produce similar pasties, they are not allowed to label them as Cornish.