Rigorous trials are underway to find Cornwall?s finest pasty producer ? and a Tavistock firm is in the running. The study, being undertaken by a Bodmin-based pasty company, is being carried out in response to what organisers say has been a surge in mass produced, low quality pasties by large companies. According to Proper Cornish, the perfect pasty should ?be hand-filled with chunks of good quality chuck or skirt steak, onion, swede and potato, well seasoned and then contained within a non-greasy, light pastry which has been hand-crimped for the perfect finish.? For the past three months, independent judges have been visiting bakers and outlets across the region to see if they make the grade. Each pasty is assessed on a strict set of criterion, including pastry taste and texture, use of top quality filling ingredients, filling to pastry ratio and hand finished crimping. Among the pasty making elite identified by the list are The Original Pasty House, which has an outlet in Tavistock?s West Street. Experts say the pasty industry contributes more than £150-million to the Cornish economy every year.
