STAFF and residents at a North Cornwall care home have been indulging in some Cornish delicacies as part of ‘Cornish Pasty Week’.

Everyone at Kernow House care home in Launceston had a fantastic time celebrating Cornish Pasty Week, a brilliant excuse to learn something about the pasty’s journey into the wider world.

In the past, the home has made a huge pasty and shared it between everyone. Last year everyone was treated to a cooking demonstration by head chef Rachel Bateman before trying their own hand at making pasties.

However, this year staff and residents wanted to do something a little different, and discovered how the Cornish pasty has made its way to Mexico with the 350 Cornish miners with wives and children, who sailed to Mexico in search of work and a new life, with the first arriving in 1824. They missed the pasty and over time adapted it as a local delicacy.

Until 2017, Mexico was even home to the world’s only Cornish pasty museum. Based in the city of Real del Monte, the museum dives into the history of the meat-filled delicacy and the journey it took to land on Mexican shores.

Since its arrival, back in the 19th-century — when miners from the Duchy made the long trip across the Atlantic to the city of Pachuca and its surrounding mining towns — the humble Cornish snack has become the thing of legend in the area — known locally as the ‘paste’, though pronounced in the same way — with locals even creating their own take on the traditional meat and potato variety.

Back in North Cornwall, Kernow House staff and residents got stuck into their own celebration of the pasty — or paste — as part of Cornish pasty week, and with the event going down well with residents, some are even calling for it to be Cornish pasty week, every week!

General manager at the home, Leigh Stanley said: “Cornish Pasty Week has been a huge hit with everyone here - who doesn’t love a pasty? We have all had a great time trying out the Mexican pastes and we have also had traditional Cornish pasties. I think we might all pretend it is actually Cornish Pasty Fortnight so we can have more again next week!”

Richard, resident ambassador, who had a sneaky taste of a paste with head chef Rachel before serving everyone else, said: “I have always loved a Cornish pasty, it is just the most perfect meal – everything you need all inside delicious pastry. We have been really spoiled this week, even more than normal, trying out the Mexican version, which was delicious - personally I think it should be Cornish Pasty Week every week!”

Staff and residents at the house will be pleased to hear that Cornwall’s Mexican counterparts celebrate their very own ‘International Cornish Pasty Festival’ each October - lasting three days, it provides hours of pasty indulgence. Could Kernow House residents take a leaf out of Real De Monte’s book?