Protecting the pasty

Having an entire family which is ethnically Cornish I have taken an interest in the recent decision of the European Commission to give the name  "Cornish" pasty protected status. This means that only pasties made west of the Tamar can be called "Cornish" pasties, though pasties can be prepared in the county and then baked elsewhere.

This hasn't been universally cheered even in Cormwall. Ask anyone from Cornwall the recipe for a pasty and they will give you several answers. No wonder there are now allegations in the county of "pasty fascism".

When we are in the West Country we have found two wonderful pasty makers - in Ridgeway,  Plymton and the cafe at Jennycliff, neither in Cornwall. The latter actually overlooks Plymouth sound and is less that a mile from Cornwall but they will not be able to use the term "Cornish pasty". But that's the point. In Devon and Cornwall no one calls pasties "Cornish pasties". They just call them "pasties".

Meanwhile Greggs the massive chain of bakers shops have a problem. For years they have been selling a product they allege is a "Cornish pasty". They sell 10 million a year.

It takes my mind back some twelve years ago when I made an official visit as part of a European Parliamentary delegation to the vineyards around Barcelona. When Spain joined the EU they were stunned to find that they could not longer market "Spanish Champagne" as it to had protected status, meaning that the word "Champagne" could only be used to describe a sparkling wine coming from the Champagne region of France.

"Spanish Champagne" was always seen as the inferior product, the sort of stuff that was dished out at weddings for the toast. However the Spaniards saw this as an opportunity. They began labeling and marketing their drink as "Cava" - a reference to the caves where the bottled wine is stored during the secondary fermentation. Some producers told me it was the best move they ever made. They were able to create a market for their own top quality product.

So there is hope for pasty manufacturers outside of Cornwall. We may see the emergence of a traditional English or Devonian pasty. Just as in the Caribbean the pasty has been adopted to local tastes.  The pasty has always been a flexible dish and will inevitably change with the times. Has any thought of putting a Mars bar in one?