Mmmm. The Cornish Pasty. (pronounced PAH-stee) I have been to Cornwall and have eaten some of these wonderful meatpies, and they are indeed a regional treasure that deserves protection.

From Reuters here:

Cornish pasty makers in Cornwall moved a step closer to securing branding and marketing rights for the traditional snack after the government backed their European bid for regional protection.

If successful, only pasty makers in Cornwall that use traditional methods and recipes for the meat and vegetable snack will be able to use the trademark, barring copy-cat like products from branding and marketing their products as Cornish pasties.

Any trademark would cover the Cornish pasty’s traditional recipe and appearance. A genuine Cornish pasty has a distinctive D shape with the pastry crimped on one side, never on top.

It is filled with minced or roughly cut chunks of beef, swede or turnip, potato and onion.

The pasty originated as a meal the tin miners could easily pack for a lunch. It contains hunks of beef and local veggies. Think of an American pot pie, folded in half with heartier fillings, and you get the picture.