A pasty from Malcolm Barnecutt in Wadebridge was an almost accidental addition to the Cornish Pasty Hunting Archives. We had just finished walking the section of the Camel Trail from Padstow to Wadebridge and we were waiting for the bus back to Padstow sitting just across the shop from the bakery.

I had half ignored the charms of this bakery chain mainly because I had seen them everywhere so dismissed them as like a Cornish Greggs expecting them to just be mass produced. So I suppose a delayed bus and a desire for pasty created just the perfect moment and Barnecutt was there in the right place at the right time

Inside the bakery as one would hope and expect was a large counter filled with baked pasties, well it was less full than it had been as we could see gaps just an indication of how popular it had been on this day.

We ordered a couple of Traditional Steak pasties, the usual option to be fair, and we got Medium ones as well as they looked plenty big enough.

I tried to ignore that they also had a pasty with Cheese and Beans on the counter, I mean I would but not in Cornwall whilst on me holidays. It seems wrong somehow.

Once unwrapped and laid out on the paper bag on my lap the pasty looked fair enough. The pastry crimp seemed a bit thick for my liking but as there was plenty of eating pasty left I tried to gloss past that.

Colour wise it was golden enough and it looked well baked, it was less factory looking than I was anticipating so maybe thoughts of a chain pasty was sounding somewhat unkind

Inside there was plenty of filling, lots meat, perhaps the most generous amount of steak I have encountered so far on this mini one man mission to devour as many different Cornish Pasties as I can.

The pastry casing did seem quite hard in places and seemed to have has quite a solid bake. Surprising though considering that it was still reasonable moist inside.

I liked this pasty a lot more that I thought that I was going to, and to be fair it was a lot better than some that I have taken a special trip and driven a fair few miles for.

I think the word I am supposed to use in response to my opinion on the pasty I ate from Malcolm Barnecutt would be ‘Proper’

Malcom Barnecutt have branches across Cornwall and one in Plymouth, Devon and they have been trading for over 90 years. We grabbed ours from one of the branches in Wadebridge on the Platt.

It is worth reading the history of the bakery on their website as it gives you a greater appreciation of the traditions and how they have expanded over the years

You can also check them out on their Facebook Page, Twitter feed, and on their Instagram Profile