BRITAIN’S love affair with the Cornish pasty shows no sign of cooling as lovers of the humble pastry mark the start of Cornish Pasty Week today (Monday, February 23).

The annual celebration of Cornwall’s favourite food, which remains a staple in shopping baskets nationwide, runs until Sunday, March 1.

To mark Cornish Pasty Week, Ginsters’ senior development chef, Will Gamble, has revealed ten surprising details that shape the taste of the nation’s favourite bake.

According to experts, what appears to be a simple meal is in fact deeply rooted in craft, effort and technique.

Behind every golden crimp lies a world of near-obsessive precision - where millimetres matter, vegetables are tightly controlled, and centuries-old techniques continue to dictate how the nation’s favourite bake should taste.

Long before supermarkets coined the phrase, the Cornish Pasty was deliberately crafted as a complete, portable meal - hearty, dependable and built to keep hardworking miners going for hours.

Some even paired savoury filling with a sweet apple end - proof that taste, balance, practicality and satisfaction were being carefully designed even centuries ago.

The traditional Cornish Pasty has held UK Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status since 2011, following a determined campaign led by the Cornish Pasty Association amid growing concern over imitation products being marketed as “Cornish.

Working alongside local producers, the association successfully secured legal recognition linking the pasty to its place of origin – a move designed to protect both its reputation and regional identity.

More than a decade on, PGI status continues to safeguard the authenticity of one of Britain’s most iconic foods – ensuring that when consumers pick up a traditional Cornish Pasty, they’re tasting a product shaped by history, place and craftsmanship.

One of the most common misconceptions about authentic Cornish pasties is that the orange vegetable inside is carrot, when in fact, it’s swede, chosen for its gentle sweetness and ability to soften beautifully during baking, enriching the filling and complementing the beef’s savoury depth.

In fact, as part of its UK Geographical Indication (GI) protected status, a scheme that recognises foods with unique qualities linked to a specific place of origin. To be called a Cornish Pasty, it must be made in Cornwall and contain only beef, potato, onion and swede.

Carrots are strictly forbidden, and including them means the pasty cannot qualify for protected status - standards designed to safeguard the distinctive flavour profile that has kept the nation coming back for generations. It’s not about limitation; it’s about consistency. Because when people love a recipe, protecting the taste of it matters.

It may sound excessive, but in a proper Cornish Pasty, potato size is taken extremely seriously.

Bakers typically aim for pieces around 5-10mm, with very little room for error - go much larger and the potato risks staying too firm; cut it smaller than roughly 5mm and the filling loses its satisfying bite. In many bakeries, anything outside these margins simply won’t make the cut.

It’s a level of precision most shoppers never see, but one that quietly shapes texture, balance and overall eating experience - proof that when it comes to taste, even the smallest details matter.

While pasties have existed since the 13th century, the earliest known Cornish recipe - recorded in a 1746 letter by Jane Barriball of Launceston - paints a very different picture from the one we know today.

Alongside salt and pepper, the recipe called for warming spices such as mace, cloves and allspice, suggesting that early pasties were far more heavily seasoned than their modern counterparts.

Today, authenticity demands restraint. Traditional Cornish pasties are seasoned with a simple mix that includes salt and pepper, while stronger spices are generally avoided to protect the distinctive flavour, quality and heritage that define Britain’s most iconic bake.

Originally created as a handle for tin miners with dirt-covered hands, the crimp now plays a crucial culinary role.

The tightly sealed edge locks in heat like a pastry steam chamber, intensifying flavour and helping create the satisfying bite people expect. Authentic Cornish Pasties are always crimped along the side – a technique that strengthens structure, ensuring even baking and preventing leaks.

Another example of how time-honoured methods continue to protect the taste, quality and reliability that pasty lovers expect.

It turns out there’s a technique to enjoying Britain’s favourite bake.

Will Gamble, senior development chef at Ginsters, comments: “Always go for the corner first. Hold the pasty with the corner facing up and the filling stays exactly where it should be. Turn it the wrong way and you risk losing it.”

A small detail, perhaps - but one rooted in the pasty’s practical design.

Ginsters’ Original Cornish Pasty is typically baked for 26 minutes and 15 seconds to achieve that signature golden pastry.

Timing is carefully controlled to ensure the filling cooks evenly while the pastry stays crisp. It’s a disciplined approach that ensures every bake meets the same golden standard - because reliability is what turns first bites into lifelong favourites.

The Cornish Pasty is safeguarded by the Cornish Pasty Association – the official body responsible for protecting the traditional recipe and ensuring producers meet strict authenticity standards.

From approved ingredients to time-honoured techniques, the association plays a central role in upholding the quality and consistency of this iconic bake.

Alongside this, its community fund raises money to support cooking and Cornish pasty-making in schools across the region, helping inspire future generations of pasty makers and secure the craft for years to come.

Each year, makers of the humble bake gather at the renowned Global Pasty Championships to compete across multiple categories – from fastest crimp to best-tasting traditional Cornish Pasty.

Taking place on this Saturday (February 28), the day before St Piran’s Day, this year’s Global Pasty Championships takes place in The Lost Gardens of Heligan, home of the first ever written record of the Cornish Pasty recipe.

The event celebrates craftsmanship, skill and innovation, highlighting just how much pride and expertise sits behind this seemingly simple product.