World Pasty Championships

The pasty originated in the 14th century as a food that miners could take underground. There is some dispute over whether the first pasties were from Devon, crimped on top, or from Cornwall, crimped on the side.[1][lower-alpha 1] Since 2011 a pasty must be made in Cornwall to carry the label "Cornish Pasty".[1] Pasties have been carried to many other parts of the world by Cornish immigrants, some of whom have developed unusual variants.[6] The World Pasty Championships are an annual event sponsored by the Cornish Pasty Association and held at the Eden Project.[6] As of 2016 there were categories for Cornish Pastry and for Open Savory broken into Professional, Amateur, Junior (15 and under) and Company sub-categories.[7]

The first World Pasty Championships were held on 3 March 2012 at the Eden Project, a park near St Austell, Cornwall. Entrants came from the UK, US and Australia. The 102 pasties that were entered were evaluated by a panel of 21 judges based on taste, texture, appearance, crimp and technical expertise. The open savoury amateur winner was a pasty with wild rabbit poached in cider-soaked leeks, with peas and lemon zest.[8]

In 2015 the 88-year-old mother of John Lethbridge, a Cornish sea shanty singer with the Fisherman's Friends, won the Cornish Pasty Amateur title. She had been making pasties since she helped her mother as a child.[9] Mrs. Lethbridge uses the traditional potatoes, swede and onion, sliced thinly and placed in layers. She always uses beef skirt for the meat.[10] At the 2015 event an empanada submitted by the miner Jorge Pereira from Chile won the open savoury category. The traditional Chilean pasty had beef, onion, hard-boiled eggs, olives and sultanas.[1] Entrants also came from Canada and the US. The Open Savoury Professional category was won by a smoked haddock, white wine and mustard pasty. One of the entries was a huge pasty in the shape of half a globe, with the crust showing the oceans, seas and continents.[11] The 70 centimetres (28 in) diameter globe was the work of the head chef of the Eden Project.[12]

At the 5th annual championship, held on St Piran's Day 2016, a baker from Canada, won the Pasty Ambassador prize.[13] Matt Grant originated in England, where his mother taught him how to make a pasty. He now runs a pasty company in Arnprior, Ontario.[2] Other entries included an eclectic range of fillings, including a haggis, neeps and tatties pasty, a pulled pork, sweet potato, shallots and cheddar pasty, and a Mumbai pasty with onion, sweet potato, green peas, cauliflower and undisclosed spices.[13] Altogether there were more than 200 entries.[14] The event included comedy and music performances.[15]