History of the Cornish Pasty

Nobody knows for sure when the pasty came into being, but there is no question that it has long been considered one of Britain’s most ancient and beloved foods. Not only are pasties mentioned in a letter to Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry the VIII (1491-1547) from her baker, but it would appear that even the Bard himself was more than partial to a Cornish pasty! As you can see below, they appear in two of Shakespeare's plays:

The Merry Wives of Windsor: Act 1 Scene 1
PAGE: Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome. Come, we have a hot venison pasty to dinner: come gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness.

All's Well That Ends Well: Act IV Scene III
PAROLLES: I will confess to what I know without constraint: if ye pinch me like a pasty , I can say no more.

The pasty, a ‘packed lunch’ for Cornish miners, comprising of meat, potato, onion and seasoning, all wrapped in a filling pastry crust, provided a complete nourishing meal. The thick crimp along the edge was ideal for eating on the go, as it meant the miner did not even have to stop to wash the dirt off his hands, but could simply throw the crust away when he had finished. Finally, miners who were superstitious about dangers such as cave-ins and poisonous gases were reassured that by leaving these crusts out to appease the malevolent spirits they believe inhabited the deep mine-shafts, they could work in safety.