World Pasty Championships facts for kids
Quick facts for kids World Pasty Championships |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Status | active |
| Genre | Food festival |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Eden Project, Cornwall |
| Coordinates | 50°21′46″N 4°44′43″W / 50.362746°N 4.745312°W |
| Country | England |
| Inaugurated | March 3, 2012 |
| Organised by | Eden Project |
| Sponsor | Cornish Pasty Association |
The World Pasty Championships is a super fun yearly event held in Cornwall, England. It's all about celebrating the famous Cornish Pasty and other tasty pasty types! People from all over the world, like Australia and the Americas, join in.
Awards are given to different groups. There are prizes for amateur (hobby) bakers, professional chefs, young bakers (called juniors), and even companies. For a pasty to be called a "Cornish Pasty" in the competition, it must be made in Cornwall. It also needs to use special traditional ingredients and cooking methods. But in the "open savoury" category, bakers can be much more creative with their fillings!
What is a Pasty?
Pasties have a long history, going back to the 14th century. They were first made as a handy meal for miners to take underground. It was a full meal wrapped in pastry!
There's a friendly debate about where the very first pasties came from. Some say Devon, others say Cornwall. The way the pastry edge is sealed (called the "crimp") can be different too.
Since 2011, there's a rule: if a pasty wants to be called a "Cornish Pasty," it must be made in Cornwall. Cornish people who moved to other parts of the world took their pasty recipes with them. This is why you can find many unique pasty versions around the globe!
The Championships Event
The World Pasty Championships happen every year. They are sponsored by the Cornish Pasty Association. The event takes place at the amazing Eden Project in Cornwall.
As of 2016, there were several categories for pasty makers. These included:
- Cornish Pasty: For traditional pasties.
- Open Savoury: For creative pasties with any filling.
Both of these main categories were then split into smaller groups:
- Professional bakers
- Amateur (hobby) bakers
- Junior bakers (aged 15 and under)
- Companies
Championship History
The very first World Pasty Championships took place on March 3, 2012. It was held at the Eden Project, which is a cool park near St Austell, Cornwall. Bakers from the UK, US, and Australia entered the competition.
A total of 102 pasties were entered that year! A group of 21 judges carefully checked each one. They looked at how the pasty tasted, its texture, how it looked, the crimp, and how well it was made. The winner in the "open savoury amateur" category was a pasty filled with wild rabbit. This rabbit was cooked in leeks soaked in cider, with peas and lemon zest. Sounds interesting!
In 2015, something special happened. An 88-year-old lady won the "Cornish Pasty Amateur" title! She was the mother of John Lethbridge, a singer from the famous Cornish sea shanty group, the Fisherman's Friends. She had been making pasties since she was a child, helping her own mother. Mrs. Lethbridge always used traditional ingredients like thinly sliced potatoes, swede, and onion, layered inside. She always used beef skirt for the meat.
At the 2015 event, a miner named Jorge Pereira from Chile won the "open savoury" category. He entered an empanada, which is a traditional Chilean pasty. His pasty had beef, onion, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and even sultanas (small raisins). Bakers from Canada and the US also took part that year. The "Open Savoury Professional" prize went to a pasty with smoked haddock, white wine, and mustard. One very creative entry was a huge pasty shaped like half a globe! Its crust showed the oceans, seas, and continents. This giant pasty was 70 centimeters (about 27 inches) wide. It was made by the head chef of the Eden Project.
The 5th annual championship was held on St Piran's Day in 2016. A baker from Canada, Matt Grant, won the "Pasty Ambassador" prize. Matt was originally from England, where his mother taught him how to make pasties. Now, he runs his own pasty company in Arnprior, Ontario.
Other entries that year had a huge variety of fillings. Some unique ones included:
- A haggis, neeps, and tatties pasty (a Scottish dish).
- A pulled pork, sweet potato, shallots, and cheddar pasty.
- A Mumbai pasty with onion, sweet potato, green peas, cauliflower, and secret spices.
In total, there were over 200 pasty entries that year! The event also featured fun comedy acts and music performances. It's a great day out for everyone!
