We issued a Hungry Reader challenge with a reward: Cook a dish or meal inspired by a book, and we'll send you a copy of a new favorite book, American Artisanal by Rebecca Gray. There are still several books left - send in your entry and we'll send you one.
Here is a very sweet and inspiring entry from Shannon, who took Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well as her inspiration. She also wove in family history with a nod to her grandfather who used to eat these traditional meat pies in the middle of a long day of work in the mines. Read on for more from Shannon as well as photos of her grandfather helping to prepare Cornish meat pies.
Book Inspiration:
I was inspired by my favorite Shakespeare play, All's Well That Ends Well. (Act IV, Scene III) My papa (grandfather) was a gold miner in Colorado and said that they used to take pasties down into the mine for lunch. They would put the wrapped pasties on top of a wood-burning stove, and when they came up from the mines the pasties would be warm and ready to eat! I've always wanted to recreate the meal for/with him.
A brief quote from the inspiring passage of the book. : "I will confess to what I know without constraint: if ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say no more". (Parrolles)
I think that is one of Shakespeare's funniest lines!
Recipe:
Cornish Pasties at Cooks.com
We took some liberties with the recipe, including substituting pork for about half of the beef and using suet we had stored in the freezer. After I saw the contest posting last night, I figured it would be a good time to try these for our Sunday family brunches.
Shakespeare, family history, and meat pies! We like this entry. Good job, Shannon - your book will be on its way soon.
Books are still left in this challenge and we may even add another, if enough entries come in. Is there anything in a story or a book that you've always wanted to cook?
How many pasties does the recipe make? It doesn't say on the cooks.com page.
view Nougat's profile
Corr blimey!!!
I love a good pastie!
I'm going to be dining on one of my favorite pastie type snacks quite soon, Jamaican beef patties.
view art's profile