Friday, July 30, 1999 Published at 10:52 GMT 11:52 UK
Cornish anger over pasty pasting
Biting back: Pasty makers say their industry could be hit
The owner of pasty shop in Cornwall has staged a ceremonial burning of the Stars and Stripes after an American food writer criticised the quality of Cornish pasties.
As for the Cornish pasty, he had eaten them by the dozen and likened them to doorstops.
The basic problem, he said, was that they were bland.
"At least with a hamburger, you can disguise it with relish, but with a pasty, you've got this five pound football-shape thing sitting in your hand and there's nothing you can do with it."
She told BBC News Online: "There are thousands of people who depend on the pasty industry and for him to describe them as doorsteps is irresponsible.
She admitted: "I am a little ashamed of burning the flag, but that is how Cornish people feel when the pasty is maligned.
"The flag is a symbol of the country and one of our symbols is the pasty and he should not have maligned something that is so special to us."
And he hopes the furore he has caused will lead to an improvement in the quality of pasties in Cornwall which he describes as "generally God awful".
"I'm hoping it will lead to a lot of soul searching, reflection and improvement in the pasty area," said the critic, who has visited Cornwall twice.
"I would love to find a good one. I'm willing to give it another try and a place has been recommended to me in Hayle."
Mr Grimes stressed his criticism did not extend to other features of Cornwall, just the pasties.
"I have a very positive impression of Cornwall in general, particularly the people" he said.
And he denied that his comments were going to affect the tourist trade.
"The awfulness of traditional British food has been known to the world for a couple of hundred years, and Britain has a thriving tourist industry," he said.
"I don't think people go to Cornwall for the pasties."
He added: "Not often do I inspire the burning of the American flag."