Pasty Wars
January 3, 2010 –If you lived here, in Plymouth you will know the importance of pasties. You know, those pastry savoury treats filled with meat and potato that presumably come from Cornwall but secretly we had them in Devon too (Uh oh I am in trouble now hehehe) Anyway, you know them, right? You get them all over the place now. There is even a pasty shop in Paddington Station.
Well, here, in Plymouth there are two pasty shops of note, when I say note, I mean everyone knows them. They arent the best but I wont tell you the best here for fear of my lovely little shop getting overwhelmed with fervent pasty-seekers (email me and I will tell you ;)
To get you in the right frame of mind, I have to tell you a story. This is legend, this is. :) There was a firm of pasty makers in Plymouth, oh I dont know, lets say 100 years ago (probably more). The are called Dewdneys. Ahhh say all the fine folk of Plymouth, now we know what you are talking about, maid. Anyway, about 50 years ago, two of the descendents, Ron and Ivor (I am so not making this up) had a bust up and bought pasty shops at opposite sides of the city. You kind of knew they were related (the name gave it away of course – Ron Dewdney Pasties and Ivor Dewdney Pasties) but their pasties were different. One was flatter than the other, the pasties, not the men.
Anyway, this frosty amnesty went on for years, nay decades. But I have noticed recently, something that could result in a whole sorry mess of nasty-pastyness. Oh dear.
Now then, on a saturday, random saturdays. I cant tell you which ones as I am not a follower of football or of Plymouth Argyle Football team but I have noticed when I have been driving past the football ground that a pasty van appeared. Nothing untoward you understand, just an understated van to the side of the road and the footie fans looked very pleased to see it indeed. You viewed millions (ok a few dozen) munching their hot pastry delights in crisp white bags, steam billowing out, whilst trudging to the football ground. Lush. Ahh but then a few weeks later, I saw another van and it wasnt like the first. I took a second look. It was a Dewdneys but it was further down the road. It cant be true! It was the brother!!!!
Hahahaha, oh this is so funny. The brother must have got wind, comandeered a remarkably similar van and parked the bleeder down the road. Put a nifty sign on the side, pasted (pastied?) a smug look on his face which said ‘Anything you can do, I can do better (or the same)’.
Now, all goes well, everything slips into place while the two brothers keep a respectful distance, and go about their pasty selling businesses. I have visions of fist shaking and snarling but of course this is my ridiculously fertile imagination.
So, I have a little snort and a little giggle when I pass them. Until one day…
There is a pretender to the throne! Some upstart from Plymstock has got in on the act!! Another pasty van. Surely there is not enough room for three pasty vans! So I have visions of a gunfight (pasty fight) at the OK Corral. Pasty men at either end of Outland Road, pasty in holsters at the ready to the tune of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (just listen to the tune, it makes me cry laughing!)
Anyway, after I had gone off on one feisty pasty-wise fantasy, I forgot all about it…. until today that is. I just happened to be driving along Outland Road again and do you know what? There was carnage, pasty fillings all over the road, had to break several times just to avoid the crusts.
Ha, only kidding. They (the Bros) had only seen off the young pretender hadnt they? And claimed their rightful position as pasty kings albeit at either end of the road. The pretender must have been a pastifist. Brilliant. Oh I wish they would kiss and make up hahaha.
