Pasties

Hmmmm......food seems to be a repeating  theme these days on my blog.   What can I say?  I love food!   One of my favorites is a local treat from the area of Pennsylvania where I grew up.   During the 1800's the Welsh settled the small towns of the Slate Belt which is known for the veins of slate quarried there.  They were experts at removing the huge slabs of grey slate from the ground and turning it into everything from chalkboards for schools to roofing slates for homes.   Heck!   We even had slate sidewalks!

Not only did the Welsh bring their mining knowledge with them to America, they also brought their regional foods.  And their food is still prevalent today.  There is a little non-descript storefront in Pen Argyl that everyone local knows as The Pastie Shop (their new formal name is Mr. Pastie) and I just had to visit there during my recent trip to PA.  I've been going there since I was a kid and the food is still the same.   Welsh pasties (pronounced PAST-eez) are humble meat pies that the miners would have in their lunch boxes at the quarry.  They could pick them up and eat the hearty fare with their hands as a self-contained meal.  

Of course I bought several and took them back to my brother's house for us to devour after a busy day of setting up for my nephew's graduation party.   So if you ever find yourself in northeast Pennsylvania, look up the town of Pen Argyl and stop by The Pastie Shop.  You won't be disappointed.

Dreamin' of pasties,
Debbie