Proper Cornish Trevithick Steampunk Pasty from Cornwall

Proper Cornish Trevithick Steampunk Pasty from Cornwall

Dear Boffins Laboratory journal reader

Today is Richard 'Trevithick Day' in Camborne, Cornwall.  Mr Trevithick being one of the founding fathers of steam & his 'Puffing Devil' (Don't believe, then click the link?) therefore the Boffin thought he'd tinker up something proper Cornish steampunk in the laboratory.

It is said that the Cornish once had such a reputation for putting anything in their pasties that the Devil refused to cross the Tamar from Devon least he end up in a pasty. 

Now given the propensity of steampunkers to add gears, watch parts, sprockets, rivets & pistons  to anything that they can lay their hands on...it seemed only right and proper to 'steampunk a pasty'.

The Cornish are right proud of their pasties, just look at the stink kicked up when that up-country gentleman (I use the word very loosely) tried slapping a VAT tax on pasty's.



Because the Cornish once had a reputation of putting anything in a pasty,
 the Devil refused to cross the Tamar from Devon least he end up in one! 

What is more the Cornish pasty is a protected species, seriously!  It has PGI protected status from the Brussels European Commission, just like Champagne does from the Champagne region of France.  If a pasty is made anywhere else but in Cornwall (UK) it cannot by European law be called a Cornish pasty.

...and if you really want to upset a Cornish person...put carrots in your pasty.  They will not be impressed. 

Don't even start on whether it should be crimped to one side or down the middle, that's how civil wars are caused.  Then there is the whole short crust verses flaky pastry debate, that can keep Cornish bal maids jawing for hours as to one or the tuther.

Even the spelling of it; 'pasty' or 'pastie' can cause a long discussion.

Steampunkers will add gears, clock parts, rivet it & put a piston in
 anything if its in their reach & they can get their hands on it!

It is said in Cornwall that the pasty was invented for the Cornish tin miners croust (see Cornish dialect words), the end left over bit of the pasty which was held in the miners hands was then left as a token offering for the 'knockers'.

More recent research in 2006 has thrown up a little dilemma from Devon in 1510, but we won't talk about that....tis blasphemy in Cornwall!

Now I have to go as there appears to be a flame torch bearing lynch mob making its way up from the village towards the Boffins Bunker laboratory.  They will be here 'dreckly' & after what happened to Victor Frankenstein & his experimental laboratory I'd better go batten down the blast doors.

kind regards

Boffins Bunker

NB:- Judging from this video of the 'Puffing Devil', the day went well.