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The Cornish Pasty

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Edward Kidder, 1720 AD

Historical Pasties - Venison and lamb

 

The Cornish Pasty notes that the Historic Food web site has an important page about old venison and lamb pasties, showing the amazing photos below, which are reproduced here with kind permission .....

 

Two venison pasties made from  designs in the Edward Kidder book, published in 1720 AD
© Ivan Day 2006
Two venison pasties, made from 18th Century designs

 

Source: Wikipedia - Edward_Kidder .....

"Edward Kidder, (1665/6-1739) was a renowned 18th century pastrycook, or, as he called himself, "pastry-master," who carried on his business in Queen Street, Cheapside.

He is best remembered for his book of Receipts of Pastry and Cookery, for the use of his scholars, printed entirely in copper-plate, with a portrait of himself, in the full wig and costume of the day, as a frontispiece. He died in 1739, at the age of seventy-three."

The book, containing pasty recipes, was published circa 1720 AD.
 

A stag pasty made from a design in the Edward Kidder book, published in 1720 AD
© Ivan Day 2006
Edward Kidder - stag pasty

 

As can be seen from the photos, historic pasties were not always traditional Cornish-pasty-shaped. This puts a different complexion on Samuel Pepys' forty-six references to pasties (mostly venison pasties) in his diaries, 1660-1668; they were probably not of the Cornish pasty variety.

 

Lamb pasty made from a design in the Edward Kidder book (above), published in 1720 AD, with the book open to the page (below)
© Ivan Day 2006
Edward Kidder's lamb pasty, 1720

 

We will not presume to give the historical recipes to these amazing culinary creations but refer you to the Historic Food web site, especially to the page about old venison and lamb pasties,

 

"Pafte for a Pafty" from the Edward Kiddder book, published in 1720 AD, showing the written form of the words in the Middle English of the time
© Ivan Day 2006

Paste for a pasty

Part of Edward Kidder's own receipt, i.e. recipe
for making 'pafte' (paste, pastry) for a 'pafty' (pasty)

The "f" is the "long s" used in Middle English
(see more in The Plymouth Pasty, 1510)

A portrait of Edrward Kidder, from his book published in 1720 AD
© Ivan Day 2006
Edward Kidder portrait

 

To make a Lamb Pasty

Bone the Lamb, cut it four-square: lay Beef-suet at the Bottom of your Pasty, season the Lamb with Salt, Pepper, minc'd thyme, Nutmeg, Cloves, and Mace, and lay it upon the Suet, making a high Border about it; then turn over your Sheet of Paste, close it up and bake it; when it is bak'd, put in some Vinegar, the Yolks of Eggs well beaten and some Sugar; or you may, if you please, omit the Sugar and put in good Gravy, or the baking of the Bones in Claret.

From John Nott The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary (London: 1723)


Acknowledgement: We are most grateful to Ivan Day for permission to use his photographs on The Cornish Pasty.

 

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