A Taste of History
The tale of the Cornish pasty by Alan Garnsworthy
NORMALLY each spring, the Eden Project in Cornwall hosts the World Pasty Championships, on St Piran’s Day which falls on 5 March. As St Piran is the patron saint of Cornwall and of tin miners, what better way to celebrate his special day? Whilst pies and pasties date back to medieval times, the Cornish pasty is more recent, having first been made for the tin and copper miners of the 17th and 18th centuries.
In those days, everything had to be done with simple hand tools and muscle power. Before the miners could even start work, they might spend an hour or two climbing down ladders, which was hard enough in itself. To fuel this, the miners needed warm, nutritious food – preferably something that could be easily carried.
Cornish pasties fitted the bill perfectly. They were traditionally made with meat and vegetables, though sometimes one end would be filled with something sweet for pudding. The sugary end gave miners a quick energy boost after lunch, whilst the pastry and potatoes would give them a more gradual release of energy to get them through their shift.
The thick pastry kept the filling hot for hours, and it could even be put in a pocket to keep the miner warm in the chilly depths! If a pasty did get cold, it could always be placed on a shovel and warmed over a candle.
A vital part of the Cornish pasty was the big crust of pastry along one edge. As the miners’ hands were usually filthy, they would use this crust as a handle, before throwing it away, which was important, as they might have traces of arsenic on their fingers.
Pasties also protected miners in another way. They would leave small pieces of their lunch for the “knockers”, which were
spirits that lived in the mine. Some miners believed that knockers would warn of danger by knocking on the walls. Others claimed that these mischievous beings liked to cause accidents out of spite. Either way, it was best to keep them happy.
When the mining industry began declining in the 19th century, people emigrated in search of work. Around 250,000 Cornishmen ended up working in mines as far away as Australia, Mexico and the USA.
The Cornish miners took with them not just their expertise, but also their favourite food. For example, in some parts of Mexico you can find a familiar-looking snack known as a “paste”. This South American version of the pasty may contain exotic ingredients such as chilli or pineapple, but its origins are distinctly Cornish.
The town of Real del Monte, where around 350 Cornish miners worked, is still known as “Little Cornwall”, and has hosted an International Pasty Festival since 2009. In 2014, the link between Real del Monte and Cornwall was even marked by a royal visit from Prince Charles and Camilla.
Whilst pasties can now be found all around the world, Cornish pasties can only be made in one place. If the last pasty you ate was described as traditional or authentic rather than Cornish, this is a sign that it was probably made outside of Cornwall.
The world championships in Cornwall are open to everyone, however. Whilst entries in the Cornish Pasty categories must meet strict criteria and follow tradition, there are several “open savoury” categories, where unusual or innovative pasty recipes are welcome.
Some of the 2020 highlights included Nick Brown’s ham hock, cheddar and apple chutney pasty, which took first place in the Open Savoury Professional Category, and a goats’ cheese, pear and walnut version created by Jan Micallef from Sheffield, who was crowned the
Open Savoury Amateur Champion.
The coveted title of champion Cornish Pasty Company was awarded to the Phat Pasty Co.
For more information,visit cornishpastyassociation. co.uk.