Multiple choice: a) An authentic pasty contains carrot. b) An authentic pasty contains rutabaga. c) What the heck is rutabaga? d) Aren’t pasties those things women in strip clubs wear on their, oh, you know where e) All of the above. f) None of the above. g) b and d.

Even though I was born and raised in the yooperland, I do not remember having anything to do with a pasty until I was well into my teenage years and The Commander decided to learn to make them. The Commander possessed some wonderful culinary skills but she did *not* originally come from the yooperland and her main experience with the word pasty up until that point had to do with meeting her dad for lunch down in Detroit in its heyday and seeing women dance around wearing them. Google pasties if you are not at work.

I’m sure there were places to buy perfectly good pasties in Sault Ste. Siberia in those days (even pasties with rutabaga in them) but The Comm wanted to make her own. I have vague memories about this. I was probably practicing the flute or the puano and going out with either Good or Bad Boyfriend. But I know that she did a lot of research and her pasties had rutabaga in them. It’s funny that I remember eating them but I don’t remember if I liked them or not. I don’t remember ever eating them again at home but that might be because my old coot probably didn’t like them. But he didn’t like a lot of things. Or maybe they were just too fussy to make.

Anyway, I love pasties now and we buy them from Uncle Peter at the Planet Ann Arbor farmer’s market or occasionally from TBJ, who helps make them for a church fundraiser but that is only if the stars are aligned such that we are at the moominbeach when they are available. We know about the rutabaga thing and have probably asked Uncle Peter numerous times if he uses it in his pasties. I know that he does.

So, the other night, I posted about eating pasties and wouldn’t you know, my semi-yooper BFF Sam had MADE THEM FROM SCRATCH that day. The rutabaga conversation ensued and now we are on to beef stew. With bacon! Who wants to come for dinner this weekend? I think I’m making beef stew. With bacon!

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