Must-try Cornwall Traditional Foods

One of the highlights of a trip to Cornwall is the chance to try out the local cuisine. This is truly an experience which also features the ingredients grown or found in the area. Because the land in the area is not very suitable for agriculture, you can expect most of these dishes are made with seafood caught by the locals or dairy from local farms.

While these dishes have never crossed over to become the next food fad, they are still incredibly tasty and worth a try. The best thing about it is, you can try them out where they originated from, following the same original recipes.

1. Cornish Pasties or Oggies

This is, without a doubt, the most popular dish and is synonymous with Cornwall. Made of short crust pastry stuffed with beef, onions, potatoes, and rutabagas, it is then baked to cook all together. The dish, beyond being truly tasty, has its traditional roots. It was the most popular dish for Cornish miners in the past, as they were easy to bring and eat while working. Plus, it stays good for some time.

2. Cornish Yarg

Yarg translates to cheese made from local Friesian cows. It can be distinguished by the nettle coating whose original purpose was to prevent the cheese from deteriorating. The coating, however, allows a harmless and edible mold to grow around the cheese. In turn, it creates a unique flavor thanks to the mold and the nettles. The texture is also interesting, with the cheese creamier close to the coating but crumbly in the middle. It was originally created by a family with the name of Gray, which, when spelled backwards, is the source of the name Yarg.

3. Clotted Cream

The local cream, also called Devonshire cream, comes from unpasteurized milk heated with steam. It is then cooled down so that the clots start to form. In the end, you get a thick cream that has a high fat percentage you can either spread on bread or scones or added to tea. It is quite known all over the country as part of the afternoon tea.

4. Cornish Fairings

These ginger cookies or biscuits are similar to gingerbread and used to be sold all over Cornwall during fairs. Nowadays, they have newer flavourings like saffron or almond. They are sometimes served with marzipan or icing.

5. Stargazy Pie

This is a unique pie made with small fish arranged in the pie crust and with their heads looking up. Beyond the fish, it also includes eggs, bacon, onions, and mustard.

6. Hevva Cake

The hevva cake is another nod to Cornwall’s fishing industry. Made of flour, butter, lard, and sugar before milk and raisins are added, it has a criss-cross pattern on the top to represent the nets of fishermen.

Trying out these dishes is part of your experience during your Cornwall trip. When you come and walk around the cafes, local restaurants, or even just food stands in the region, you will be able to taste the original flavours using the same recipes from way back.