What is a GI?
GI stands for Geographic Indicator. It’s a framework that gives legal protection to the name Cornish Pasty and stops inferior products being passed off as genuine Cornish pasties.
What are the characteristics of a genuine Cornish pasty?
Firstly, the pasty must have been made within the geographical county of Cornwall
Then a genuine Cornish pasty must only contain:
- Roughly diced or minced beef
- Sliced or diced potato
- Swede (turnip)
- Onion
- Seasoning to taste (mainly salt & pepper)
The ingredients must be uncooked when the pasty is assembled.
The pastry must be savoury and can be shortcrust, puff or rough puff and must hold all ingredients through cooking and handling without cracking or breaking.
The pasty must be crimped into a D shape, with the crimp towards one side, and glazed with milk, egg or both, before being slowly baked to combine and release all the lovely flaovurs.
What does the GI status mean for Cornish pasty makers?
GI status marks Cornish pasties out as a quality product that the customer can rely on to meet the specified method of making laid down by law. When people see the GI symbols on a Cornish pasty, they know they’re getting the real thing.
Can I buy genuine Cornish pasties outside of Cornwall?
Definitely! Every day thousands of Cornish pasties are sent all over Britain and beyond, to be sold in shops, supermarkets, cafes, pubs and concessions. Many pasty producers also sell them online. Sometimes these are baked and packaged in Cornwall and sometimes they are prepared in Cornwall then freshly baked at their final destination. As long as the pasty is made in Cornwall, by an approved Cornish pasty producer, you can enjoy it wherever you are.
How is the industry regulated?
Any product sold using the protected Cornish pasty name needs to be verified. Products and production methods are therefore audited by an approved external body (Cornwall Council is the one we recommend) and certified that they meet the required standard.
After receiving this verification, a producer can use the name Cornish Pasty when selling those products. All producers are re-audited periodically to ensure they are still producing genuine Cornish pasties that meet the GI standard.
Do I need to be a member of the CPA to produce and sell Cornish pasties?
No you don’t. The Association came about in order to help Cornish pasties achieve their special recognition and now exists to promote and uphold these standards among the family of Cornish Pasty producers.
Once a producer obtains their GI certification they are automatically eligible to become a member of the CPA, and there’s no fee for joining up. When you join, we’ll give you all the advice you need about the GI and you’ll have the chance to join in with the CPA’s activities such as Cornish Pasty Week.
If that’s not for you, you can still use the name Cornish Pasty, as long as your products have been verified by one of the approved bodies and you’ve received your certificate.
How do I know if I’ve bought a genuine Cornish pasty?
Look for one of the GI logos in the shop, on the labelling, or on the packaging. All genuine Cornish pasties should bear this. Pasties made by CPA members may also carry the CPA’s certification mark. If in doubt, ask where the pasties came from and you can always check it out with us.
Who should I go to for advice?
We’re here to help with as much as possible. We deal with calls, letters and emails from all over the world asking about Cornish pasties. We can point you in the direction of other sources of information and answer most questions about pasties – apart from – who makes the best one?!
Phone: 01872 865101
Email: [emailprotected]
Write: Cornish Pasty Association
c/o Cornwall Food & Drink Ltd
Great Cornish Food Store, Tregurra Park, Newquay Road, Truro TR1 1RH
FAQs
The Mighty Cornish Pasty
What is the difference between a Cornish pasty and a pasty? ›
There will always be great debate about the origin of the pasty, but one easy way to detect the Devon pasty from the Cornish is that the Devon pasty has a top-crimp and is oval in shape, whereas the Cornish pasty is semi-circular and side-crimped along the curve.
What is the secret of the Cornish pasty? ›
Use a firm waxy potato such as Maris Peer or Wilja. A floury potato will disintegrate on cooking. Crimping is one of the secrets to a true Cornish pasty. A good hand crimp is usually a sign of a good handmade pasty.
What is a fun fact about Cornish pasties? ›
Originally, tin miners used the crimp you find on Cornish pasties as a makeshift 'handle' which they would then throw away. They had to discard the crust due to the fact that their fingers were contaminated with arsenic dust.
What is the story behind the Cornish pasty? ›
As mining boomed in Cornwall, pasties became a go-to meal for the miners' crib break (a Cornish colloquialism for a mid-morning break): they were an all-in-one meal that could be taken down the mines, particularly if they were so deep that it was impractical for the miners to return to the surface during the day for a ...
What is a Cornish pasty called in America? ›
This made for a hearty yet portable meal for the miners. They're still very popular there, and you'll find them in every local bakery and community cookbook! American pasties are the American equivalent to Cornish pasties.
Why can't you say Cornish pasty? ›
Since 2011, the Cornish Pasty has enjoyed protected status under Protected Food Names legislation; so only a pasty made to a specific recipe in Cornwall can be called a “Cornish Pasty”.
What is the slang for a Cornish pasty? ›
The Oggy!, Oggy!, Oggy! is a traditional shout (which stems from 'hoggan') from the miners' wives or pasty sellers; it is a call to say the pasties are ready. In Cornish slang, Oggy is simply a pasty.
How unhealthy is a Cornish pasty? ›
But what you might not know is just how many calories are in a Cornish pasty. And how other various food groups, healthy or otherwise, match up to that. Apparently a traditional large pasty from the Cornish Pasty Company contains 774 calories and 45g of fat.
Is the Cornish pasty illegal? ›
Cornish pasties have won official recognition protection under the EU protected food names scheme, Food Minister Jim Paice announced today. After 200 years of being handed down from generation to generation, often by word of mouth, the recipe for Cornish pasties will be officially protected across Europe.
Prima hand crimp all their pasties by hand giving it a distinctive D shape and making it a Proper Steak Cornish Pasty. Our Pre-Baked Prima pasties are delivered to you ready to eat, pre-cooked and chilled. They can be eaten from chilled or oven heated to enjoy hot.
What is the nickname for a Cornish pasty? ›
Several web sites that state tiddy oggy is another name for Cornish pasty, and indeed, it is commonly used but we suspect it is used unknowingly as to its original meaning. Cornwall-calling.co.uk mentions on its pastie page that a tiddy oggy was filled only with potato.
How many Cornish pasties are made each year? ›
There is so much to know about the pasty – an iconic part of the culture, heritage and economy of Cornwall. We've dug out a few of our favourite facts… At least 120 million Cornish pasties are made each year.
What is the difference between a pasty and a Cornish pasty? ›
Some sources state that the difference between a Devon and a Cornish pasty is that a Devon pasty has a top-crimp and is oval in shape, whereas the Cornish pasty is semicircular and side-crimped along the curve.
Why does a Cornish pasty have a crimped edge? ›
Pasties were made with a thick crimped edge along one side so the miners could use the crimp as a handle to hold on to while eating. The miners hand would often be covered in arsenic from the mine, so the miners would discard the handle when they were done.
Who is the oldest Cornish pasty maker? ›
Warrens Bakery is a company based in Cornwall in the United Kingdom, which claims to be Britain's oldest Cornish pasty maker, having been established in St Just in 1860. The company produces baked goods which are sold through its chain of shops and through wholesale channels.
Is a steak pasty a Cornish pasty? ›
Savour Cornwall with every bite of our Prima Steak Pasties. These frozen treasures capture the essence of Cornish cuisine, and they're not just any Pasties – they're a taste of tradition, love, and Cornish heritage.
Does a traditional Cornish pasty have jam in it? ›
Tradition has it that the original pasties contained meat and vegetables in one end and jam or fruit in the other end, in order to give the hard-working men 'two courses'. Cornish housewives also marked their husband's initials on the left-hand side of the pastry casing, in order to avoid confusion at lunchtime.
What is a Scottish pasty called? ›
A bridie or Forfar bridie is a Scottish meat pasty that originates from Forfar, Scotland. Bridie. A bridie.
