The search for the Holy Grail ( A Proper Cornish Pasty )

History of a pasty

Oggy, Oggy, Oggy

In the Cornish language, a Cornish pasty is known as an “Oggy”. When the Cornish pasties were finished cooking and ready to be eaten, the wives would go to the mineshaft and shout down: “Oggy, oggy, oggy, In response, the hungry miners would enthusiastically yell back: "Oi "oi "oi.

Cornish Pasty

A week’s visit to the beautiful Isles of Scilly
7th – 14th May

A little bit of fun and a tongue-in-cheek search for the best Cornish Pasty on the Isles of Scilly, so I made it my mission, if not my duty to find the ultimate Oggy.

With a bit of local birding thrown into the mix.

Blackbird 

Greater Black backed Gull

It wasn’t my intention to pursue every half-moon-shaped pasty I came across, but I sort of fell into a trap. And having not tasted that golden, egg-washed crust, filled with meat and veg for a few years,

 I was practically salivating before I even got off the boat ( Scillonian III ) which had just docked on the Quay of St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly.

At this point, I have to admit and be honest, I’m a recovering Chocolate addict. I was once addicted to Chocolate Coco Pops

Kellogg’s Coco Pop

 I even had counselling for my Kellogg’s Coco Pops habit. It took a while in rehab to get off that creamy luxury chocolate milk and cereal treat, a hard habit to break,  but with counselling and support from my friends, I managed to control myself.

Dunnock

However, trying to walk past a bakery, tea shop, or café without stopping for an Oggy was virtually impossible. The smell of a freshly baked Oggy was unbelievable. I was drooling like a French Bulldog, slobber practically dripping from my mouth.

French Bulldog

Some days I was eating two or three pasties a day… breakfast dinner and tea with the odd sausage roll thrown in for good measure.

Wren

The judging criteria was simple:

• A golden egg washed crusty pastry
• Stacked to the brim with filling
• Good value for money

So I began my quest and have undertaken to find the best pasty on the Isles of Scilly the worst was from Tresco and closely followed by St Agnes the others were mediocre bought in. But top Oggy jointly goes to the local bakery on St Mary's and a tea garden near Pelistry. 

To let off steam

And I loved my return to my much-loved Isles of Scilly, and seeing my birding mates was something to be treasured, but I was taken aback by the prices for everything, and I know that, having been in catering for the best part of 35 years on the islands the cost of carriage to and from the Island is one of the highest costs. But to put it into focus I find it hard to justify a jacket potato with beans at £12:95. A large glass of 250m wine at £10:00

Sausage mash and gravy £22:95

St Agnes Lighthouse 

Someone's taking the piss

The Turk Head the most South Westerly pub in the UK

Have Fun Go Birding Make Some News

Cromwell's Castle is a prominent 17th-century artillery fortress located on the northwestern shoreline of Tresco in the Isles of Scilly, England. Sitting right on the waterline, it was built by Parliamentary forces to guard the narrow New Grimsby harbour channel between Tresco and Bryher

Really nice day with Jeanette and Geoff

 4th May 

 Gull-billed Tern

Although the elements were against us first thing in the morning, heavy dark clouds and spitting with rain very low light levels and a change of plan from the Mountains of Montnegra to the local area, Jeanette seemed to have a plan so Geoff and I just went with it. Good job because it paid off

Three very good birders has its benefits in what gets seen and with a big chunk of luck

 Gull-billed Tern

I think a its a big list but no mega bird or anything out of the ordinary for the time of year but an enjoyable morning's birding,

 Sardinian Warbler

Some of the Highlights included Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Little Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Audouin's Gull, lots of Woodchat Shrike and Iberian Southern

Mediterranean Gull,

 Grey Shrike, A few Squacco Heron  lots of European Rollers, little Owl, Bee-eater, Turtle Dove at least 6, Red-rumped Swallows, quite a few Nightingales, Tree Sparrows, Great Reed Warbler, and Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warblers,  Little Ringed Plover, Kestrels, 

Zitting Cisticola

San Felipe 

Collared Patincol, good numbers, Marsh Harrier, Sardinian Warbler, Zitting Cisticola and Corn Bunting are numerous. There are several sightings of Common Cuckoo.

Squacco Heron 

We did have a bit of a laugh as we kept seeing birds on tinned roofs Shell Duck, Cattle Egret, etc

I've not mention all birds seen 

Squacco Heron 

Common Cuckoo
This bird look like it had a tough time on migration 

Go birding have fun make some news

European Roller

Cheers Bryan