Pirate Feet and British Cuisine

Bill writes: British food has long had an unfortunate reputation for being sub-par compared to cuisine on the continent. Certainly when I first came to Britain twenty years ago the food I encountered did little to dispel that view. But the past two decades have seen a gastronomic revolution that has largely erased my taste buds' memory of soggy mushy peas, greasy eggs, and greasier bacon.

While the quality of food has most noticeably improved at restaurants, this has also trickled down to take-out and grocery store prepared meals.

(Later blog entries will likely show me rhapsodizing over the way in which the venerable Marks and Spencers have wrapped ready-to-heat feasts in plastic at £3 a pop.)

But for now, let me tell you that I love Cornish pasties. What a food! It's a crusty pie. It's a savory stew. Imagine a portable chicken pot pie. Or Beef Wellington you can eat with your hands. Now that's a civilized country. And you can get this as takeaway at the West Cornwall Pasty Co. Their stands are seen throughout London, including this one outside the Liverpool Station.



But herein lies a mystery that I hope some kindly Brit can answer. Take a closer look at the sign outside the West Cornwall Pasty Co. food stand:



Why does this pirate appear to be eating his own right foot? Is this the origin of the Cornish Pasty? If so, one shudders to think of the original ingredients. Meanwhile, the West Cornwall Pasty Co.'s PR department might do well to rethink their ad campaign, in which if I read it right, this sign implies "Our pasties taste better than a pirate's foot." Though indeed, without wishing to put it to the test, I'd be willing to bet it does. Still, they could reach a bit higher for their taste comparison.

If someone can answer this, I'd be grateful. And extra credit to anyone who knows the name of this pirate. My best guess would be Jean Lafitte when the plural still applied. Or how Long John Silver really lost his leg.