The Taste od Today the tradition of Yesterday!
Early in the California Gold Rush, finding gold in a stream was "easy pickings." But by the 1850's, the remaining gold was in veins of quartz trapped hundreds of feet below ground. Getting at it involved expert tunneling, drilling, blasting and pumping by men who were not afraid to be underground all day in small, dark tunnels that could cave in or flood at any moment. These conditions were perfect for the Cornish tin miners, the most knowledgeable hardrock miners of the day. When the Cousin Jacks, as they were known, immigrated in great numbers to this area, they brought many of their customs and foods. One of their favorite foods was the pasty, a stick-to-the-ribs meal suitable for hardworking miners. Their wives, Cousin Jennies, would send them off in the morning with their triple-decker lunch buckets packed with a pasty, tea, and dessert. Deep in the mines, the miners hung their buckets over lighted candles and, when it was time to eat, a hot, hearty meal was ready.
