My kitchen is the heart of my home. My friends all like to hang out in there instead of in my more spacious living room.
|
My kitchen is the heart of my home. My friends all like to hang out in there instead of in my more spacious living room.
|
A Cornish tradition moves up to the North of EnglandIn a strange way, Lancaster reminds me of Rome, a place where people from everywhere can find their own space. It was no surprise to me that I should be walking down the main street of this small, compact Northern town only to find a Cornish bakery. I couldn't resist going in for nose around. Jacqui, the owner, made me feel more than welcome and even found time to stop for a chat. Jacqui's love of the Cornish pasty comes from a time when she lived and worked in Cornwall. Life is strange, and despite its northern location, Lancaster proved to be the ideal environment for her to start a successful business selling pasties. The Cornish pasty is a good example of how deeply food is intertwined with tradition and culture. Jacqui, as one of the few sellers of the pasty in Northern England, has been instrumental in familiarising other regions with this delicacy from the Southernmost part of England. Tiddly Oggy, an edible lunchboxThe Cornish pasty can be considered a self-contained lunchbox. Even the box itself is edible. Traditionally baked by the wives of Cornish miners, the pasty was composed of two parts, 'savoury' and 'sweet'. The traditional recipe calls for cubed potatoes, turnips (yellow swedes), onions and cubed beef steak, all dressed with a simple pinch of salt and pepper. “No peas or carrots! Only potatoes and swedes”, Jacqui told me, describing the filling. I could tell from her tone of voice that she'd have no time for any other ingredients save 'tatties' and swedes. For the sweet end of the pasty, the “afters”, the traditional recipe uses cubed cooking apples, sultanas and brown sugar. A piece of dry or stale bread separated this from the 'savoury' end, acting as a barrier against mixing and also absorbing some of the moisture given off during baking. As with other personal items, the wives marked their pasties with their husband's initials, a tradition which Jacqui carries on, marking her pasties with a code to indicate the filling. If there's no crimp, it's not a real Cornish pastyTraditional recipes are defined by elements that can't be changed if they want to keep their 'traditional' status. The crimp of the Cornish pasty is its signature. As Jacqui pointed out, the crimp works as a handle. Cornish tin miners were often covered with polluted dust, which could be dangerous if ingested. Holding the pasty by the crimp allowed them to enjoy their lunch in safety. Although there are some who argue that the miners ate their pasties wrapped in pieces of muslin or paper bags so they could enjoy every last bit, as we do today, the simplicity of the filling gives a rounded and earthy flavour, while the peppery taste of each fresh bite leaves space for the sweet aftertaste of the turnips. A mouthful of flavours in each crimp! Healthy and practicalSometimes traditional recipes don't conform to today's healthy standards, but as Jacqui pointed out, the filling of the Cornish pasty contains 12.5% beef and 25% vegetables, with no added fat. This, together with the fact that it is baked makes it very healthy. Originally created for people who needed to eat wherever they worked, the pasty can be carried around and eaten anywhere. It's impossible not to love the Cornish pasty! Alas, my food allergies prevented me from tasting the pastry, but I'm sure they taste gorgeous. It can't be any other way, because Jacqui makes a point of only offering the real deal!
The Cornish Pasty Association offers to following recipe: For the shortcrust pastry (rough puff can also be used):
Comments are closed.
|
AuthorI love cooking, and when it comes to quality I'm quite fussy. Archives
February 2018
Categories
All
Let's connect!My Links |