Top 5 traditional Cornish foods

Cornwall is one of the UK’s top regions for holidaymakers near and far to visit. The county is famed not only for its idyllic beaches, but for its iconic food tourism too.

Which of these traditional foods sums up Cornwall for you?

Cream tea

Warm scones, smooth clotted cream and tart jam with a pot of traditional English breakfast tea, Cornwall is easily defined by the presence of its iconic cream tea. Be sure to put the jam on first though, else you’ll be in trouble with the locals and asked to move over the border to Devon!

Cornish pasty

As well as being the perfect tasty treat, the Cornish pasty (or oggy) holds a lot of lunchbox history from the county’s mining days. Now available and enjoyed by everyone, traditional pasty fillings include a mixture of beef, onion, potato and turnip, crimped on one side to give the recognisable Cornish crust. The pasty is serious business here, holding Protected Geographical Indication, meaning only a pasty made in Cornwall can legally be called a Cornish pasty!

Stargazy pie

A dish at the heart of Cornish tradition, the recipe allegedly dates back to the 16th century Mousehole tale of the bravery of local fishermen. The pie itself contains pilchards, eggs and potatoes, covered in pastry. The fish are placed with their heads sticking out of the crust, stargazing. You can read the tale of the fishermen here.

Yarg (cheese)

Cornwall produces around 60 different varieties of cheese, but the Cornish yarg is the best known. Dating back to the 13th century, a couple revived the recipe in the 1960s, turning their surname ‘Gray’ backwards to produce the name ‘Yarg’. The cheese itself is a semi-hard cheese, wrapped in nettle leaves to form an edible rind. The sting is said to be removed by freezing the leaves first.

Saffron bun

The revel, or saffron bun, is similar to other tea cakes found in the UK. The difference here is the addition of saffron, one of the most expensive spices in the world. Most buns these days however are likely yellow due to added colouring rather than the costly spice! Regardless, it’s a favoured tea treat in Cornwall.

What will you be trying next time you’re visiting us in Cornwall?