Cornish pasties have been given protected status by the European Commission. So how do you define this savoury foodstuff?
It has been a long journey from the tin mines of Cornwall to the corridors of Brussels, but a lunchtime dish familiar to millions is now about to get the recognition its fans insist it deserves.
Following a nine-year campaign by producers, the Cornish pasty has been given Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status - elevating it to a culinary pedestal alongside Camembert cheese and Parma ham.
From mid-March, only those pasties produced in Cornwall can be called Cornish. An authentic example should have a distinctive D shape and be crimped, or folded into a rope-like pattern, on one side - never on top, says Phil Ugalde of the Cornish Pasty Association, which first applied for protected status in 2002.
The rules also state that the filling needs to be chunky, made up of mince or chunks of beef with swede, potato and onion and a light seasoning. This is then wrapped in pasty glazed with milk or egg, and then slow-baked.
Additionally, the pastry must be robust enough to retain its shape throughout the cooking and cooling process without splitting or cracking. The pasty itself should be made up of at least 12.5% meat. No artificial flavourings or additives can be used and all ingredients must go into the pasty raw.
Rest of article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12550221
