BACK TO MY ROOTS

How is everyone doing out there? Lots going on out there…lots going on. I hope you have a few fail-safe pressure release valves to access. I know I do. 

One of mine is time in the kitchen. I get in there and start chopping, mixing and seeing what I can create. 

This past week I felt it was time to get back to my roots so I called my Dad to review the family’s Cornish pasty recipe. This would be from the Welsh side of the family of course! Cornish pasties are meat and veg pies in a sturdy crust. The edges of these little pies are crimped with a fork. Miners, way underground, would have these for lunch and use the crimped edge as a handle for dirty hands. 

Our family recipe is very basic: steak, potatoes, onion, kidney, salt and pepper and butter.

Normally, we are a strictly No Onion household as Sheldon does not like them so I’ve learned to not cook with them at all. But I really wanted onion in mine so I made some with and some without and I added mushroom to both. I did skip the kidney because it never found any in the grocery store and I’m a bit iffy on kidney. 

When I was about eight we were having steak and kidney pie for supper. I sucked off all the gravy from my kidney pieces and lined them up nicely on my plate. My Dad proceeded to pop them in his mouth until it dawned on him these were pretty dang clean.

“Did you suck these kidneys and put them back on your plate??”

I was busted. Dad was disgusted. 

Well I started the assembly line for my pies: a layer of sliced potato, couple piece of steak, a bit of mushroom, salt and pepper, onion for mine and a dollop of butter. Then fold and use a bit of egg wash to seal the pies. I decided to mark the tops as well - “X” for no onion and “O” for onion (made sense to me). Baked for about 40 minutes or so at 350 and I think my Great-great grandma would have approved!

Along with a fresh salad, they make a nice hearty meal on a cold night. 

With the world feeling a little out of control it’s good to feel grounded, and in familiar territory.  

Maybe it’s time to get back to your roots.