This is a collaborative post.
Cornwall is championing the great UK staycation at the moment. In recent weeks and months, thousands of Brits have made a beeline for the golden sands of the south-west England coastline in search of, sun, sea, sand and, sometimes, Stargazy pie and saffron buns.
Yes, you heard that right. With the British staycation and the popularity of food soaring thanks to apps like Instagram and TikTok, many visitors to Cornwall are now just as interested in what they can eat, as they are in just how sunburnt they can get while laying on the beach with a cold cider.
So, what are the best local foods to eat when you visit Cornwall, and what on earth is Stargazy pie, anyway? Read on to find out.
What is the Cornish national dish?
Dating back to the 13th century, the Cornish pasty is synonymous with Cornwall, but did you know it’s actually the Cornish national dish?
These golden semi-circles of buttery shortcrust pastry are crammed with diced beef, potato, onion, and salt and pepper, complete with a crimped ‘crust’ traditionally used to hold the pasty during eating.
Traditionally, Cornish wives would’ve baked Cornish pasties for their husbands and children to take to work or school, so they had a hearty meal to look forward to come lunchtime.
6 typical Cornish foods to eat in Cornwall
Cornish pasties
I mean, you can’t visit Cornwall without sampling the national dish, the Cornish pasty; that would just be plain rude!
Cornish breakfast
Forget the Full English, Eggs Benedict, or even just a bowl of cereal and some toast. When in Cornwall, do as the Cornish do.
That means starting your day with a traditional Cornish breakfast – a local twist on the traditional fry-up we all now and love so well, comprising Cornish potato cakes or fried potatoes and hog’s pudding, mixed with bacon, sausage, tomato, mushrooms and egg. If you’re staying in a cornwall beach hotel, this may well be one of the options on the breakfast menu!
Stargazy pie
I first spotted Stargazy pie in The Great British Book of Baking, which was one of my favourite cookbooks as a young teen, as I loved traditional British cuisine and bakes.
While I found myself longing to bake the Battenberg cake, the Bakewell tart, and even the Cornish pasties, I was never quite sold on the Stargazy pie.
Hailing from the tiny town of Mousehole in Cornwall, Stargazy pie is named after the Cornish sardine (or pilchard) heads that protrude out of the pie crust, gazing up towards the heavens or ‘stargazing’. Traditionally, the pie is eaten during Tom Bawcock’s Eve festival on 23rd December, in honour of the famous fisherman’s heroic catch.
As my tasted have changed since I was younger, I think I’d probably actually really enjoy Stargazy pie now. What about you?
Saffron buns
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’re going to love Cornish saffron buns. A traditional Cornish teatime treat, these currant-studded buns aren’t worlds apart from their other regional British fruit buns.
However, the major distinguishing feature is that they contain saffron, which gives them a recognisable yellow colour. That said, as saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world, apparently it’s quite common for this colour to be derived from colouring nowadays, too.
Either way, Cornish saffron buns look delicious, and who doesn’t enjoy a fruit bun with a hot cup of tea?
Cornish cream tea
On the subject of tea, there aren’t many Cornish foods more typical than that of Cornish cream tea, served with freshly baked fruit scones topped with a dollop of jam, followed by cream.
Although there is fierce debate as to whether cream tea originated in Cornwall or over the border in Devon, generally, it’s accepted that in Cornwall, the jam comes first, while in Devon, the cream goes first. Get this wrong, and you’ll be committing one hell of a faux pas!
Newlyn crab
Not surprising given its proximity to the coast, Cornwall has a sterling reputation for its fresh fish and seafood, with crab being especially popular.
While you can find fresh crab all over Cornwall, locals rate Newlyn crab caught in Penzance, as they tend to be bigger. Newlyn crabs contain both brown meat, and white meat. The latter is found in the crab’s claws and tends to be somewhat sweeter than the rich brown meat, which is usually reserved for stocks and soups.
Fancy having a go at catching your own crabs while in Cornwall? Check out the handy guide shared in this article, Crabbing Near Me to discover the best crabbing spots across the UK.
Pilchards
Putting in an appearance in Cornwall’s iconic Stargazy pie, pilchards have developed quite the reputation over the years.
Back in the 18th and 19th century, pilchards formed the backbone of several of Cornwall’s small fishing villages like Mousehole, Mevagissey, Polperro and St Ives.
Today, pilchards are still eaten all over Cornwall, although they’re often referred to as ‘Cornish sardines’ for maximum marketing impact.
Have you been to Cornwall before? Leave me a comment to let me know what your favourite local foods were – perhaps I’ll even add to my list!
This is a collaborative post.