Brr... It's getting rather chilly in the mornings in the Irish countryside next to the sea (Bantry Bay) where we live. The range is lit and we are really getting into baking and cooking at the moment. Yesterday we decided to make Cornish pasties. You can buy them in the shops but they are don't taste like the one's made at home.
It's along time since we visited Cornwall. Seventeen years to be precise. We spent and idyllic holiday there with my two your old son and my late parents. They were then in their mid sixties and still active. We went to midweek car-boot sales, pubs, donkey sanctuaries, art shops, beaches and best of all: The Lost Gardens Of Heligan.
My poor mother had bad arthritic legs so stayed near Heligan House with our two year old while they had an ice cream and my wife and my dad and me went to explore the Jungle. We weren't disappointed and nor was our son with his ice cream on our return up the slope. He looked like he been shaving with it! They were wonderful memories.
I think the 2 places I would like to live in England would be Hereford-shire or Cornwall. You could buy a farm in Ireland for what you would pay for an holiday home in Cornwall. Well going off watching Escape To The Country that is. I suppose we could always visit there again. I believe you can fly from Dublin to Newquay. Any way I digress here's the pasties:
They are made with beef skirt but you can use mince. You can spice them up with chili beans and you could put whatever filling in them you like. We (the wife) found these pastry moulds (sometimes called Chinese Dumpling Moulds) in a charity shop recently. They are made of plastic and the cut the round circles in the pastry and even crimp them. You can get them on Geek, Ebay or a charity shop like we did. They were only 2 Euros. They were thrown in the dishwasher and there's nothing wrong with them.
Talking of bargains. Many moons a go I bought this oil painting from a car boot sale in Cheshire. I paid a fiver for it. We have passed that same tin mine Pump House near Marazion several times. I wonder who the painter was? Do you have any oil painting bargains?
It's along time since we visited Cornwall. Seventeen years to be precise. We spent and idyllic holiday there with my two your old son and my late parents. They were then in their mid sixties and still active. We went to midweek car-boot sales, pubs, donkey sanctuaries, art shops, beaches and best of all: The Lost Gardens Of Heligan.
My poor mother had bad arthritic legs so stayed near Heligan House with our two year old while they had an ice cream and my wife and my dad and me went to explore the Jungle. We weren't disappointed and nor was our son with his ice cream on our return up the slope. He looked like he been shaving with it! They were wonderful memories.
I think the 2 places I would like to live in England would be Hereford-shire or Cornwall. You could buy a farm in Ireland for what you would pay for an holiday home in Cornwall. Well going off watching Escape To The Country that is. I suppose we could always visit there again. I believe you can fly from Dublin to Newquay. Any way I digress here's the pasties:
Talking of bargains. Many moons a go I bought this oil painting from a car boot sale in Cheshire. I paid a fiver for it. We have passed that same tin mine Pump House near Marazion several times. I wonder who the painter was? Do you have any oil painting bargains?
Oh Cornish pasties, what memories!!! Many many years ago we visited a cornish pastor 'factory' and have never tasted anything so wonderful again. You've given me a mission now...I shall bake some this afternoon. Will have to use mince but that's OK. Darn, these blogs are making me put on weight again!! You pasties look perfect
ReplyDeleteThanks LA. You should sell them to the Ex Pats. I bet they would love them. Will pass on your compliments to the one who baked them. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love pasties, used to have one everyday for lunch at work (along with about 6 sandwiches ). Love your family memories as well.
ReplyDeleteDon't tell everyone about Herefordshire, it's a well kept secret!
Thanks Kev. I think it's important for kids to spend holidays with their parents and grandparents to make great family memories.
DeleteDo you know Monty, Nigel and Nellie? I love Symonds Yat, Hay on Wye, Hereford city, cider and the Golden Valley featured in Shadowlands. Psst I won't say a thing about the place! Cheers.
I dont have any painting bargains. Although I have inherited a few and my parents have given us some.
ReplyDeleteGet round the car boot sales, auctions, charity shops and flea markets Sol. It's amazing what you find. Would love to see one of your paintings on your blog.
DeleteI loved the lost gardens of heligan had several trips there, will have to give pasties a try havent made any for ages :-)
ReplyDeleteHeligan is amazing Dawn. Especially the productive vegetable garden. Would love to win the lottery and own an apartment in what was Heligan House and I would volunteer to work in th gardens a couple of days a week - Heaven!
DeleteWe sometimes spice them up with chili con carne and other spices. See what pasty recipes you can come up with.
oh and we use those plastic things to make varenyky, sour kraut and potato filling
ReplyDeleteThey are really useful aren't they Sol?
Deletefor shaping sushi rice also. but mostly dumplings
DeleteYes they are great.
DeleteThey look great I've been thinking of making pasties this week, regular and veggie curry ones too for my daughter
ReplyDeleteHi BG. The veggie curry ones sound great. You should post a blog about them.
DeleteMemories of my only visit to Cornwall, Christmas 2006, a place called Mousehole.
ReplyDeleteThe pasties were enormous, they make a meal for 2 people. Or one hungry person.
Mousehole is a wonderful place Cumbrian. It's not far from St Michael's Mount, another incredible place to visit. We should work for the English tourist board.
ReplyDeleteThe pasties are enormous aren't they?
CORNWALL is not actually part of England Dave because it is a Duchy, even though it comes under English influence it is not English.
ReplyDeleteIn ethnic and cultural terms, Cornwall and its inhabitants have at various times been referred to as "foreign" to England and the English people in various ways, including by the English themselves.
One aspect of the distinct identity of Cornwall is the Cornish language, which survived into the early modern period and has been revived in modern times.
Do try and get things right will you :-)
Cornwall is a county in England Heron.
ReplyDeleteTry telling that to a Cornish person !
ReplyDeleteDon't they call none Cornish people an emmet?
ReplyDelete