Our Partner, The Valley Cornwall , pride themselves on offering luxury holidays in Cornwall for all the family.  Since 2019 they have accommodated 3000 amazing guests, with 95% arriving from outside of Cornwall and many of their guests have never tried a Cornish pasty before! The Valley asked 120 pasty makers what tourists should look for when buying a pasty and we wanted to share their results.

Cornwall and Devon’s most loved bakeries were contacted and interviewed to understand the preferred pasty size, popular attributes to look out for, and any recent non-traditional pasty flavours that are on the rise. 

When asked about key attributes of the traditional pasty, the results found that 73% of pasty makers stated that the preferred pasty size and flavour for customers is a medium traditional pasty. 

The attribute that pasty experts ranked highest when asked what guests should look out for when choosing their traditional pasty was ensuring the pasty is homemade. This was closely followed by the pasties being freshly made daily as the second attribute and bakers using local produce taking third place.

There has also been a significant rise in vegan and vegetarian pasty sales across Cornwall and Devon, with 85 pasty shops stating that vegan options have gained popularity over the last three years. Nine of the best selling pasty shops said they now offer various gluten-free options, meaning that customers with dietary requirements can now not miss out on this tasty icon. 

The Valley also asked if any non-traditional flavours in particular were popular amongst locals and travellers, flavours such as steak and stilton, chicken pasties, cheese and onion and spicy pasties were among the favourites mentioned by various pasty shops. 

Alex Horsfall, Owner of The Valley Cornwall, comments: 

“The traditional pasty is a staple of Cornish history from being eaten by miners due to their practicality, to locals and travellers admiring its sensational taste. At The Valley, we have celebrated this cornish tradition by hosting pasty tasting evenings at our onsite restaurant, Cafe Azur and constantly recommend a whole range of pasty shops that make some of the best pasties in Cornwall, located only five minutes from us!”

To summarise, when buying a Cornish pasty for the first time, it is essential to make sure the pasty you choose is homemade and created with local Cornish ingredients.  On insepction, ensure the crimp is visible from one side of this tasty treat to see if it is 100% Cornish.  Remember to buy local, and support the pasty industry and family, traditional businesses.

WRITTEN BY THE VALLEY CORNWALL