The collection that wasn’t
Some time ago, Greg talked about the lengths he and The Feeshko went to in order to get a good pasty on their trip back home. I asked Greg what made the perfect pasty. His description sounded a lot like the pasties in Oz (it turns out those Cornish miners went all over the world and took their pasties with them). If you want to get really technical, there is apparently a difference between a Devon pasty and a Cornish pasty. But I digress.
Now, I’ve tried a few of these from time to time, but like meat pies, you have to eat a lot of them to find the precious few that are actually nice. However, they are filling. So I thought that I might try a pasty at the various bakeries I pass on my rides. Oz has lots of independent little bakeries and pasties are generally available. So I was going to do the Oz pasty collection (before collections were a challenge).
However, around the same time that Greg posted about the pasty, I was doing another round of food challenges to see if I could find what has been causing me so much trouble for so long. Well, unfortunately for the ‘great pasty hunt’, eliminating gluten has made a huge difference in my digestion and inflammation levels. Like… HUGE. Like… I will do whatever it takes to maintain this level of function. And that means no pasties.
So, no pasty collection. But, I did spot the ad in the feature photo at the petrol station the other day. If I had been able to do a ‘great pasty hunt’, I think I would have passed this one up. I cannot imagine anything much more vile than a petrol station pasty other than a vegan petrol station pasty!
Even though there will be no great pasty hunt, I did manage to get out for the November tour I had been looking forward to since June. When my health crashed in August and September, I was thinking any sort of tour was going to be unlikely. However, I did manage something. It wasn’t quite what I originally thought, and it included more sleeping than riding, but it was refreshing and probably just what I needed anyway. You can get to the Intro page of the tour here: https://rambleoutyonder.org/2020/11/27/all-the-pieces-left-behind-introduction/
(Oh, and by the the way, rutabagas are called ‘swedes’ in Oz. And it is generally found in pasty recipes here).
The Navigator
Nerdy chick in Australia who loves to ride and is accompanied by the crew: 'The Commander' Verne and the 'Mental Health Specialist' Kermit.
12 response to "The collection that wasn’t"
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I’m not sure that they called them pasties, but while on the island of Guernsey, I ate meat pies that had veggies in them almost daily. My campground did not have wifi and the restaurant I bought the pasties did. So I planned my bicycle adventures almost every day to put me close to town so I could stop at that restaurant. Look forward to reading about the ride.
Those are great memories ?
In Australia, meat pies are definitely different to a pasty. Have a look at the ones from this bakery. This is one of the few places I’ve found that has consistently good pies (don’t think I’ve had a pasty there). If you click on the picture of them, it’ll bring up a bigger pic and description. https://parkerpies.com.au/order/
EEEEEWWWWW!!! I remember our exchange regarding pasties, and I believe I said something like “even inferior pasties (i.e. Butte, Montana pasties) are better than no pasties at all.” Well, the same sentiment does NOT hold true for nasty, vegan, gas station pasties.
Thank you for sharing that picture and the “great pasty hunt” idea though. I enjoy reading and viewing all things pasty-related. In fact, you could say that I am to pasties as you are to rocks and landforms. I’m hesitant to post the following link to an article I once wrote about my personal relationship to the pasty because I don’t like self-promotion (that’s a big lie,) and also it’s on Topicwise and I know how people feel about that site. But anyway, I’m kind of proud of its odd mix of pasty lore, sentimentality, and satire. http://cooking.topicwise.com/doc/magnificentpasty
Okay, I’m going to officially turn over the great pasty hunt to you and dare you to show us all the great pasties you come across on your rides when it is safe to venture out there again 🙂
You’ll need to copy and paste that entry so we can read it! I haven’t been over there since I left in 2017 and have no desire to ever give a racist conspiracy theorist any oxygen whatsoever, sorry.
I watched this movie the other night and thought of you – lots of Iowa scenery and they manage to incorporate RAGBRAI. It’s wholesome Disney stuff, but I think you might enjoy it. If you create a generic account, I think you should even be able to watch it on this website – I don’t think it is regionally blocked, but I could be wrong. https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/1587263043655/the-straight-story
Thanks for thinking of me while watching “The Straight Story.” I love that movie and have seen it a couple of times. Hard to believe it was made by the same David Lynch who directed “Eraserhead” and “Blue Velvet,” though I could see a few of Lynch’s stylistic quirks in there.
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do the great pasty hunt because we don’t have them around here. The Feeshko and I have to go Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to get them or else I have to make them myself. I have thought about doing a pasty-themed bike tour in the U.P. though. Maybe someday I’ll actually do it.
I think I am pretty knowledgeable in the kitchen, but I never heard of pasties before. They didn’t have them in N.J. anyway, nor in Germany. And I was very surprised to read that it isn’t pronounced paste-y but past-y. Is that true?
That is true, as we learned on a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
And pasties are very tasty — not known in Illinois either as far as I know.
Yes, I think you’ve got the pronunciation correct for Greg’s area. In my part of Oz at least, it is pronounced with a short a like pasta. (sounds so posh!)
I had never heard of a pasty until I came to Oz. They are all over the place here though. The first one I ever had was atrocious, but I’ve had them occasionally over the years. Don’t tell Greg but I prefer the vegetarian version (not the vegan one!) to the meat one. I’d still be much more likely to order a spinach and ricotta roll than a pasty though (not that I will be ordering any of them now!).
The only time I have had a pasty was when I was on a bike tour in England. Nothing memorable (that I can remember ;’-)). The picture on that box from the petrol station has a little resemblance to our ‘calzones’ although with not such good looking pastry.
Yes, they aren’t my favourite, but I’ve never had one from a place that specialised in them. I used to hate brussel sprouts… until I went to places that pan-fried them instead of boiling them. Totally different vegetable when done well!
So the difference between a calzone and a pasty, besides pasties particular ingredients that make it a pasty, is that a pasty would usually have shortcrust pastry, or some might have a puff pastry. Calzones use pizza dough which has yeast and is stretchy. Shortcrust has no yeast; and puff pastry just has a higher ratio of fat to flour than shortcrust, so it is flakier. Over here, a lot of meat pies will have a shortcrust base and a puff pastry lid/top. And that is more than you ever wanted to know about dough (coming from someone who can no longer eat it, darn it!).
Thanks for that explanation Em. I know that pasty and calzone are very different, but the picture on the box reminded me a little of a calzone. You do have a grasp on the whole thng about pasties!!
Everyone should be sure to read the navigators short tour from the her link above.. It’s amazing.