Exploring Fabius Township and St. Joseph County, Michigan, with side trips all over this Great Lakes state

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Paean to a Pasty


As you can see we could not wait to eat before allowing this pasty to have its portrait taken.  It is sitting with us at a picnic table at  Bay Furnace National Forest Campground just west of Munising, Michigan, where we bought it at Muldoon's Pasties (their Facebook page).  It is a complete meal in a crust,  perfect for lunch at a roadside picnic table as you travel the UP.   Pasties for lunch and whitefish for supper and we are the happiest UP travelers!

Pasties, originally brought here by Cornish miners, are "the" food of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  We have tried the pasties from one end of the UP to the other and Muldoon's stand up with the best.  Originally we would always get pasties at Dobber's in Escanaba and then it became Gramma T's in Negaunee, but two summers ago when at the Porkies we discovered The Pasty Corner in Iron River.  It is now our #1 for flaky crust and delicious filling, however it is the farthest away from us.   Perhaps the bottom line here is that we never pass up a pasty shop; we have tasted pasties from Suzy's in St. Ignace,  Lehtos, Wildwood, and the AuTrain Cafe along the way, and Toni's in Laurium on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Visit Pasty Central for more not only on pasties but on the UP in general.

Here are the traditional ingredients of a UP pasty: diced potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, onions & ground or diced beef. But these days you can also buy a vegetarian or chicken pasty.  If you would like to learn more about the origin and history of this Cornish cuisine, visit Wikipedia's article, Pasty.  I am now so hungry I must complete this blog and search for a proper substitute for a pasty.  Wish me luck!

For less edible but still fascinating words beginning with P, visit ABC Wednesday.

10 comments:

  1. It used to be that we couldn't buy a decent Cornish Pasty anywhere locally (although they were still alive and well in Cornwall), but now a chain of shops has arrived called 'The Pasty Shop' and they sell pretty good pasties of all kinds, not just the traditional type.

    The Cornish ones are always a little more peppery, somehow. I wonder how the American version compares! The one above looks VERY tasty!

    Jay - ABC team

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  2. The Michigan Cornish seem to have started something. Yummy.

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  3. I've never heard of this dish, but it sounds very hearty and filling! I think I'll have to look up how to make them for our Midwest winters. Looks to be a perfect combination with a bowl of soup.

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  4. Looks very good! Is there a vegetarian variety?

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  5. What a delicious looking meal! Haven't had a pastie but have had similar. Great infl!

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  6. Looks tasty.


    On behalf of the ABC Wednesday team, thank you!

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  7. Good thing it's lunchtime! I'm hungry now. That thing looks good!!!!

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  8. What a delightful and informative account! Sounds like a great trip in the UP. Thanks for sharing!

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